The Endangered 8: 2024
San José's Most Threatened Architectural and Cultural Landmarks
Every year, PAC*SJ releases its annual "Endangered Eight" list to raise public awareness and galvanize support for the preservation and revitalization of San José's most critically-threatened architectural and cultural resources. These are the unique places that define San José's past and deserve to have a place in San José's future, but require immediate action in the present to avoid their irreplaceable loss. Threats to these sites include speculative real estate practices and development pressures, neighborhood disinvestment and lack of financial resources, and a general lack of appreciation among some decision-makers and stakeholders who fail to recognize their value to the character and vitality of our community.
Some of these places and issues are frustratingly familiar and have been on our list since its inception in 2022, while others are newly-identified sites facing newly-emerging threats. Sadly, these are far from the only at-risk properties in San José, and PAC*SJ continually advocates for threatened, neglected, and under-appreciated properties citywide, including some from past years' lists whose fate remains in limbo. But in the present moment, we believe these eight properties best reflect what is most at stake in San José in 2024, a city defined both by its incredible cultural heritage and by its constant state of evolution and change. Preservation of these important places does not mean stopping progress-- rather it means making informed decisions and investments to ensure that this inevitable change doesn't needlessly erase important layers of our history and identity.
We need your help!
Saving these places requires galvanized action and collaboration between residents, property owners, elected officials, City staff, and other stakeholders. We encourage you to reach out to us with questions, ideas, and memories about these places, and urge you to share your concerns with your families, friends, colleagues, and elected officials. The more people know and care about these places, the better chance they have to survive and thrive.
PAC*SJ's advocacy efforts are funded entirely through the generosity of our members and donors, whose support allows us to intervene when necessary with technical expertise, adaptive reuse analyses, legal challenges, and other constructive actions to support positive preservation outcomes. If you are not already a member or donor, please consider contributing today!
