October 1, 2004

Palm Haven opens its doors for third annual neighborhood, home tour

By Carol Rosen
Editor

Blue skies and fairly cool temperatures led the way to the Palm Haven neighborhood’s third annual neighborhood and home tour on Sept. 12. The event is a fundraiser to refurbish the area’s pillars and in the future replace old street signs with historic-styled poles and signage.

A number of antique cars were available at the Palm Haven Neighborhood and Home Tour on Sept. 12. Besides the cars, neighborhood associations, historical artifacts and photos, the Port City Jazz Band and several local stores sold their wares.

The Palm Haven Restoration Committee has raised more than $100,000 in the past few years. Three restored pillars were relit at an Aug. 8 celebration at the park area. The park was filled with people, including District 6 Councilmember Ken Yeager who spoke to the crowd. Antique cars drove around the plaza as the celebration highlighted volunteer’s contributions and the pillars were relighted.

The home tour was no different. Antique cars drove around the park at the intersection of Palm Haven and Clintonia drives and were parked on the grass. The historical committee held a booth with written history, photos and artifacts.

Two of the three women “manning” the booth were lifelong residents of Palm Haven, Norvelle Benevento lives on Plaza in a house built in 1925 for the founder of S & S Tile. Her daughter Julia Tranchina lives on Riverside in a house built in 1929 for her grandmother. Helen Cambiano, the third docent, moved to Palm Haven 44 years ago.

In addition, various local neighborhood associations were discussing Willow Glen and its projects. Helen Solinski, Ellen Santomauro and Ed Rast represented the Willow Glen Neighborhood Association, which put together a 30-page booklet describing the historic homes of Willow Glen. Ken Eklund, the secretary/treasurer of the North Willow Glen Neighborhood Association was there to discuss his group’s accomplishments, which include Hummingbird and Fuller Parks, a July Fourth celebration, a neighborhood garage sale and others.

Also in attendance, as they’ve been for the past three years, was the Port City Jazz Band. The band played from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

But it was Palm Haven’s day to raise money. The restoration committee needs to raise an additional $15,000 to repair the remaining pillars as well as the old street signs.

Six homes were featured on this year’s tour, four of which were originally built and/or designed by the original owners. The house at 595 Brooks was constructed in 1912 and designed by architect Frank Wolfe for him and his wife Nellie.

Between 1912 and 1991, four families lived in the house. In 1994, the current owner began restoring and stabilizing the home. Exterior restoration is nearly finished and much of the interior work is well on its way.

Another stop on the tour was 600 Palm Haven Avenue. This house was built in 1919 for Herman and Ina Krause. Krause designed it and Howard Waltz built it. After the Krauses, the house had several owners with Chester and Susan Carter buying it in 1962. In 1999, Mrs. Carter conveyed the property to her daughter and son-in-law who have since restored and added to the original 2,548 square feet.

Still on Palm Haven Avenue, the next stop was at 636, a home built in 1821 for Adrian and Sophia Klein, designed by Herman Krause and built by Guy Latta. This house has been home to three families. The Kleins lived in the home until the late 1980s. The new owners have remodeled parts of the house.

The home at 844 Hartford Avenue was built in 1926 by Lee Pomeroy Cowan. The current owners, are restoring the house, but retaining as much of the original materials as possible.

The house at 671 Coe Avenue was built on speculation by the Palm Haven Investment Company in 1921. Through much of its life the house has been rented or vacant so that little inside was changed. The kitchen contains its original tile and cabinets. The current owners plan to remodel the house, adding a two-story addition to its rear.

The final home on the tour, at 696 Coe Avenue, was built in 1911 by Roy Carter. The Craftsman home is small, 1,475 square feet with two bedrooms and one bath and only a small backyard. Its Craftsman details are mostly intact, including a fireplace inglenook and a built-in dining room hutch.

The Palm Haven Restoration Committee thanked the following groups and people for their help: the Willow Glen Neighborhood Association, Dan Ereg and friends for the antique cars, Chuck and Kathleen Frascone for the Palm Haven art auction, tour volunteers from the Preservation Action Council of San Jose and the Matsumoto family for the refreshment booth.

The homes tour committee is chaired by Michael Borberly with help from Kathleen Frascone, Joan Bohnett, Sam Alvarado, Mark Allison, Jim Nishimura, Kevin Kasik, John Hops, Janice Yeazell, Bonnie Montgomery, George Espinola and Grace Wilson.

For more information on the history of Palm Haven and the continued restoration, check the Web site at www.palmhaven.info.