San Jose — The long-awaited refurbishment will begin within a few weeks at the historic Bank of Italy Tower in downtown San Jose. The renovation will include a new external staircase with a garden terrace.
The refurbishment is being carried out by a real estate alliance between Canada-based global developer Westbank and San Jose-based developer Gary Dillabough and Jeff Arrillaga.
Dila Boo, Principal Executive of the Urban Community, said:
The upgrade is a renovation of the building up, down, left and right, including a new staircase on the south side of the tower. It is located on 12 S. First St. next to East Santa. Clara Street.
The start of the refurbishment was delayed due to the significant amount of repair work required within the building to address the traditional asbestos problem.
The repair work is now almost complete, but it took longer to complete than the developers initially estimated.
“There was more improvement than we expected,” says Dillabough. “Currently, the repair work is completed.”
Dillabough also disclosed the latest plans that Westbank, a partner of his company in San Jose, has for other downtown projects.
— Park Habitat, an eco-friendly office and retail complex that totals 1.2 million square feet and allows office employees to work in the garden, is under construction. The dismantling of the old Park Wide Hall began in May.
— The Serpentine Pavilion, a curved pavilion that transforms the event center, will be the centerpiece of the key block in downtown San Jose’s SoFA district from September. The pavilion is close to South First Street and East San Carlos Street.
— According to Dillabough, the residential tower of the old BoTown restaurant site at 409 S. Second St. could be the third major project of interest to the Westbank and Urban Community in downtown San Jose, following the Bank of Italy and Park Habitat. There is sex.
The Bank of Italy Tower upgrade will provide meeting spaces and open areas at each level of the new external stairs.
The exterior terrace is accessible from inside the Bank of Italy Tower, a 14-story renaissance revival-style skyscraper built in 1925.
“The Bank of Italy is a real gem in downtown San Jose,” said Dillabough. “I want to bring the building back to its old glory.”