Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple Computer, would like very much to tear down his home – a beautiful 17,000 square foot Spanish colonial revival mansion designed by George Washington Smith (book) in Woodside, California. The house has been empty for five years, and is, according the the NY Times, run-down and decrepit. Jobs claims that the structure “was never really a very interesting house to start with” and that it was “pretty much a dump when I moved in.” The local History Committee disagrees, and has a long tradition of debating and fighting noveau-riche dreams of I.M. Pei glass-and-steel cubes.
How has historic preservation helped or hindered the growth and integrity of your community? from metafilter
>a beautiful 17,000 square foot Spanish colonial revival mansion
Beautiful? Have you seen this thing? I think Mr. Jobs went easy on it when he referred to it as an abomination.
It has also been established that the house is not a clear example of Smith’s work, due to the add-on in 1931.
Let the man tear it down. Does it really affect anyone other than his family? No.
It seems to me that this is yet one more example of misused power. Isn’t it? Proper restoration could be done, couldn’t it? Remove the extra and focus on what is good. Steve Jobs should put the house up for sale or let the local historical preservationists have it. Are there any other links for more pics of this house Josh?
Jobs is well known as a megalomaniac. He won’t listen to reason. I’m curious why he bought it in the first place?
Chickens coming home to roost!
Par for the course!
Whatever!