Gilroy
– Judge Howard Willey would barely recognize his home. One of
Gilroy’s oldest Victorians, constructed in 1857 and once owned by
one of the city’s first justices of the peace, has undergone a
transformation in recent months that could make it a premier event
venue in years to come.
Gilroy – Judge Howard Willey would barely recognize his home.
One of Gilroy’s oldest Victorians, constructed in 1857 and once owned by one of the city’s first justices of the peace, has undergone a transformation in recent months that could make it a premier event venue in years to come.
The dirt and ivy that once ringed the Fifth Street house have been replaced by a winding walkway of flagstone pavers and a rear courtyard with a raised stage. A paved island perfectly sized for a wedding altar also connects to the courtyard, and a white vinyl fence has replaced the chain link that previously afforded views of a nearby alley.
“It’s nothing like the way it used to be,” said Susan Andrade-Wax, the city’s community services director.
“It was not very aesthetic looking,” Andrade-Wax said of the home’s prerenovation appearance. “Everybody who showed up to look at the house (to rent it) would say, ‘forget it.’ ”
She and other officials hope the renovations will lure dozens of weddings and other events to the site. Based on a study of 10 comparable venues, Andrade told a skeptical council early last year that an expanded Willey house could draw 80 bookings a year and at least double its annual revenue of $30,000. The city currently spends $26,000 a year to maintain the building.
The sales pitch was enough to convince council members – several of whom suggested donating the house to free the city of maintaining the site – to approve the $166,600 renovation project. Officials also gave advanced approval for the fence replacement, which wound up costing the city more than $38,000.
“Whether it was $38,000 or $10,000, a fence needed to be put there,” said Mayor Al Pinheiro, who originally had doubts about the project. “You can’t be spending this kind of money and leaving that (chain link) fence because it doesn’t make sense.
“When you get to the end, what matters is that it’s a beautiful facility,” Pinheiro added. “It’s an asset to the community that was well worth it.”
Next month, officials plan to show off the renovated property during the official unveiling of the city’s remodeled downtown. As part of the May 19 festivities, the Willey House will hold its own ribbon-cutting ceremony and feature work by local artists and music. City officials plan to dress in Victorian garb to commemorate the historic roots of the home.
The Willey (pronounced “will-e”) Cultural Center was originally built for James K. Rule, who worked as a pastor next door at the Gilroy Christian Church. Willey purchased the home from Rule’s daughter in 1893, adding bay windows and other improvements so his daughters could hold music recitals. The property changed hands several times over the years until the early ’90s, when the nonprofit Theater Angels Art League donated it to the city.
The latest additions to the facility represent the second of three phases of work planned for the site. Graniterock Co. donated an estimated $10,000 in materials to the project. Officials plan to rely on a fund-raising campaign to finance the final phase of the project, which includes a garden shed, park benches and a trellis.
“We have a new vision for the center,” said Cathy Mirelez, Gilroy’s cultural arts and museum supervisor. “We’d really like to encourage the community to rent it … It’s our Victorian first lady.”
