Twohy Building
Also known as: El Paseo Building
Why it's listed
Rising five stories at the corner of South First Street and Paseo de San Antonio in downtown San Jose, this commercial building was completed in 1917 to designs by local architect William Binder. Its reinforced concrete frame is covered in ivory-colored glazed terra cotta, and its Classical Revival detailing includes a base-shaft-capital composition, rope-and-tulip panels, dentils, egg-and-dart moldings and an enriched metal cornice. Inside, the lobby retains marble floors and walls, and the upper hallways keep marble wainscoting, mosaic tile floors and many original doors. It was built for Judge John W. Twohy, whose family ran a railroad and heavy construction firm. Much of the surrounding blocks of comparable buildings were demolished in redevelopment, leaving this one as a rare, well-preserved example of early twentieth-century commercial architecture. A certified rehabilitation completed in 2002 converted the upper floors to 36 residential lofts while retaining original features such as doors, stairs and lobby finishes.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building embodies the distinctive characteristics of an early 20th century Classical Revival commercial building under Criterion C. It is a remarkably intact example, and most neighboring buildings from the era have been demolished. It is now the only building of its type in the vicinity.
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 03000989, listed October 6, 2003. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 210 S. First St., San Jose |
|---|---|
| County | Santa Clara County |
| Listed | October 6, 2003 |
| Reference number | 03000989 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1917 |
| Architect / builder | Binder, William |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals: Classical Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | A certified rehabilitation completed in December 2002 converted the upper-floor offices to 36 residential loft-type units, with commercial storefronts at street level. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 37.33302, -121.88762 (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 03000989.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q55757598
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.