Jobs forges deal to relocate Jackling House
updated 11:50 am EDT, Wed June 24, 2009
Jackling House moving
Steve Jobs may finally be in a position to divest himself of Jackling House, writes the Silicon Valley Mercury News. While the Apple CEO recently won a vote allowing him to demolish the mansion in favor of building a smaller home, continuing opposition has been anticipated from Uphold Our Heritage, a local preservation group which notes that the house represents one of the last examples of a Spanish Colonial Revival-style edifice. The group has previously called for the building to be renovated, even though the costs would potentially exceed those of building a new home.
Under a new proposed scheme, investor Gordon Smythe of Propel Partners would arrange to dismantle Jackling House and reassemble it at another location. The Woodside Town Council spoke in favor of the idea at a Tuesday meeting, calling it the "best preservation-oriented solution to emerge" so far. Jobs has agreed to pay $604,000 of the deconstruction costs, an amount substantially lower than what some estimates of a full restoration would impose.
Smythe explains that his interest is simply in the style of the architect, George Washington Smith. Two main obstacles are said to stand in the way of the plan: the first is Uphold Our Heritage, which could choose to pursue more legal resistance. Smythe has the option of leaving his deal with Jobs should more litigation arise. The investor must also find a new location for the building, and arrange to store parts temporarily once a site is settled on.
sounds good
06/24, 12:21pm reply
the people who think this is important to preserve find a way to pay for it without (for the most part) picking Jobs' pocket. Jobs gets to finally build the house he wants.
let's hope UOH comes to their senses and stops meddling.
climacs
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Joined: Sep 2001
absurd
06/24, 12:32pm (3 replies) reply
Right now, Jobs and the other wealthy are still free to spend their money how they see fit, but in my opinion, public groups like city councils, when weighing the larger public concern, should spend about ZERO effort worrying about preserving architectural styles... this sensibility is tired and old, and completely out of touch with the issues we are really facing, vis. a vis. loss of cheap energy and issues with the environment.
Jonathan-Tanya
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Joined: Oct 2004
Silly People
06/24, 12:51pm (1 reply) reply
Don't they know that in 4 Billion years the sun will consume the planet. Do they really think this one little house will stand forever?
Athens
Addicted to MacNN
Joined: Jan 2003
Dopey
06/24, 01:07pm reply
I'd tell them to get stuffed. Even it was preserved, it's unlikely they'd get to visit it, so who cares? I agree with climacs - let them foot the bill if they want this so much,
Chris Hutcheson
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Joined: Oct 2000
Ridiculous
06/24, 01:40pm reply
So, the house that Jobs owns is to be taken by the group and he pays them to get it off of his hands? I guarantee you that on a house that old, you'd have plenty of mills more than happy to help with demolition if they could get the wooden beams, wood flooring, solid doors, cornice work, and whole host of other rare building materials that resell at big bucks.
There is no official sanctions that he even has only dismantling or renovation. Straight-up demolition wouldn't take long at all with heavy equipment. For the time investment of "dismantling," there should be an inconvenience cost in comparison.
No one said the man knows construction or needs the cash he can just throw at them to make the hassling presence go away, but telling anyone what they 'have' to do with their own property is just wrong.
danviento
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Joined: Dec 2005
Freaking Communism
06/24, 04:56pm (1 reply) reply
A giant violation of Jobs rights. The whole thing with preservationists is insane. I can't believe they ave any right to tell you what to do with your property. Jobs owns it. It's his property, not theirs. This is one time Jobs has my complete sympathy.
michaele
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Joined: Apr 2007
amazing
06/24, 09:11pm reply
If I were the current owner I think I'd have a team of bulldozers plow the thing under in the middle of the night. What are they going to do? put him in jail? How is it these people's business? The POS is not even 100 years old!
macbones
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Joined: Jul 2006
great news
06/26, 08:39am reply
Now the house can crumble on someone else's property!
LouZer
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Joined: Nov 2000