San Pedro Square Market is downtown San José’s premier food and wine venue, and is home to an eclectic mix of eateries and bars, a farmer’s market, artist galleries, and more. In many ways, San Pedro Square Market is an intersection of the old and the new: a thriving combination of gourmet dishes and live music in the historic Peralta Adobe plaza, which holds the Luis Maria Peralta Adobe house (constructed 1797).

This unique downtown San José experience has not always been available, however. Prior to the construction of San Pedro Square Market, the site contained an unremarkable mix of old offices and commercial/retail space; moreover, the Peralta Adobe was closed off to the general public and only open to local school groups. In 2009, Public Market LLC, the owner and operator of San Pedro Square Market, sought to expand its operations in order to provide a more diverse and flexible space for vendors, musicians, and artists alike.  Public Market LLC hired DJP&A to complete environmental compliance for a project to renovate two commercial buildings (one of which is historic) totaling 18,900 square feet and to construct a 4,600 square foot building to provide space for an indoor public marketplace.

Because the Luis Maria Peralta Adobe is a designated City Landmark in San José, the effects of the project on this unique historic resource required careful consideration since any impacts to the Adobe would be considered a significant cultural impact and result in project delays and additional costs. To avoid these implications, Senior Project Manager Shannon George, with support from Judy Shanley, crafted a mitigation and avoidance program which allowed Public Market LLC to achieve its project goals without compromising the integrity of the Adobe.

The success of San Pedro Square Market is testament to the potential benefits of the environmental review process and DJP&A’s expertise in integrating preservation and development. While new construction will inevitably occur, the importance of our cultural heritage should not be discounted and cast aside lightly.

Images courtesy of: Adam Schultz (Flickr)