As an East San Jose school district gets quotes to potentially demolish a former vacant youth center that caught fire last month, advocates are still attempting to save it.
The Alum Rock Union School District is still weighing what needs to be done with the former Mexican American Community Services Agency (MACSA) building, which burned down Aug. 29. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. A structural engineer is evaluating the site to determine what needs to be removed and what can be saved, with a preliminary report expected next week. Eastside advocates are determined to rebuild and reuse the space, despite the uncertainty.
At a Thursday board meeting, Eric Wasinger, senior executive of bonds, maintenance, operations and transportation for the school district, said the concrete walls and roof of the building’s gym could likely be saved. Testing for hazardous materials didn’t find asbestos or other harmful substances on site, despite district officials previously saying the community could be exposed to asbestos and lead.
“My concern is … having something fall,” Wasinger said at the meeting. “If we keep the walls up and we’re going to keep the roof up, we still have to secure that site.”
The district has received quotes for demolition ranging from $82,000 to remove and dispose of debris — plus $51,000 to remove the roof if needed — to $488,000 to demolish the entire building down to the slab, Wasinger said. The district has hired 24-hour security due to trespassers continually cutting the fence and entering the site, at a cost of $76,000 for four weeks.
“That’s money we’re never going to get back,” Board President Linda Chavez said at the meeting. “That’s not going to be covered by insurance. We need to clean up the site as soon as possible.”
Ashley Guerrero, youth coordinator for SOMOS Mayfair, one of the groups advocating to restore the site, urged the board to prioritize MACSA’s preservation and restoration. She said when MACSA closed its doors in 2015, it left a deep gap in the community.
“The building may have gone quiet, but the need never did,” Guerrero said. “We’re envisioning a youth and community empowerment hub rooted in mental health care, leadership development, youth violence prevention, educational and economic opportunity. This is about protecting a vital part of San Jose’s history and future. Let’s not allow another piece of our history to be erased.”
District 5 San Jose Councilmember Peter Ortiz, who represents the area, spoke at an event ahead of the board meeting celebrating MACSA becoming an endangered landmark. MACSA is recognized by the Preservation Action Council of San Jose as one of the “Endangered 8” threatened architectural and cultural city landmarks — as well as by Latinos in Heritage Conservation on its national endangered Latinx landmarks list. In recognition of its value, local advocates placed a preservation plaque at the site.
Ortiz said he’s secured $500,000 through Community Development Block Grants and wants to develop a plan to share with potential funding partners. Former Superintendent Hilaria Bauer previously said when the district received bids to renovate the building in 2017, the lowest bid was $6.9 million. That rose to between $25 million and $30 million as construction costs escalated.
“I’d like to see if the city can start helping out in the millions,” Ortiz told San José Spotlight. “We can do that if we identify strategic partnerships and if we can get something on paper with the school district that shows their commitment. I’d like to see a multimillion-dollar investment in the East Side. It’s time for the city to put its money where its mouth’s been.”
Contact Lorraine Gabbert at [email protected].
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