Building at 27-29 Fountain Alley
Why it's listed
Squeezed between a large 1927 bank building and a small 1889 commercial structure, this three-story brick building on Fountain Alley in downtown San Jose dates to about 1884. Its facade is dominated by two-tiered slanted bays, with minimal trim and prominent cornices. Local foundry Kuchenbeiser and Son cast the iron columns uncovered on the ground floor during rehabilitation. Inside, a pressed tin ceiling and turned stair balusters survive. The building went up after part of the larger McLaughlin and Ryland Building was removed. Italianate design was generally associated with the 1870s in San Jose, so it was an unusual choice for the 1880s, and the paired bays recall San Francisco building types. Uses included lodging above and a restaurant from 1905 that ran for thirty years. It was valued as the last of its stylistic type in the city and for its link to one of San Jose's oldest streets.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is architecturally significant as the last representative of its late Victorian Italianate commercial type in downtown San Jose, with distinctive paired, two-tiered slanted bays. It is also noted for its association with Fountain Alley, one of the city's oldest streets. The reviewer's note says it meets Criterion C as an unusually late and unique interpretation of the Italianate commercial style.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 82002265, listed March 2, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 27--29 Fountain Alley, San Jose |
|---|---|
| County | Santa Clara County |
| Listed | March 2, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82002265 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architectural style | Italianate commercial |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Undergoing rehabilitation for office use at the time of nomination; upper floors vacant since 1950 and the ground floor most recently a beauty shop. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 37.33759, -121.91397 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 82002265.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q123755383
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.