March 30, 2006

Closing time?

Two New Almaden men struggle to save the Feed and Fuel

Aim to attain historical status for bar and restaurant and relocate building

By Jeanne Carbone Lewis
Staff Writer

Two local men are on a mission. Ed Della Monica and Mark Erickson met at the Feed and Fuel a few years ago and witnessed firsthand the problems of maintaining the restaurant, bar and once-entertainment venue in the blossoming suburb of Almaden.

Ed Della Monica and Mark Erickson studying a plot map parcels where they would like to move the Almaden Feed and Fuel. Photo by Jeanne Carbone Lewis

Now that the restaurant and bar is faced with the prospect of demolition to make way for high-density housing, they dream to attain historical designation for the building and move it to another location and open it up for business. But the two businessmen have met a number of roadblocks and are requesting assistance from the community.

“The problem in Almaden is the last thing we need is high density housing,” said Erickson, an attorney whose practice is in Campbell and who lives in New Almaden, of the proposed development on the Feed and Fuel site. “What we need is character—more restaurants and entertainment. Here we have a group of people who are willing to save the Feed and Fuel and what we could end up with is a destroyed historic building and a loss of a civic center for the community.”

The building site once served as a stagecoach stop between downtown San Jose and the New Almaden Quicksilver Mines. Della Monica and Erickson are researching the exact date—critical to obtaining historical status of the building—but estimate that the construction was in the 1860s. They believe it to be one of the remaining stagecoach stops on the journey from the mines to downtown San Jose. They’ve heard that Lincoln’s troops stopped at the site and there was a stagecoach robbery that led to a posse chasing the outlaws all the way to Pleasanton.

Any historical figures that stopped at the site or any noteworthy events would be beneficial to the men in their efforts to obtain the historic status. As the years passed, the building was a brothel and casino and later, a succession of bars until its most recent incarnation—the Feed and Fuel. Jon Carson, the owner of the Feed and Fuel since 2000, has an application on file with the City of San Jose to demolish the building and build 13 single family residences on the site but he is willing to work with Della Monica and Erickson.

“We will give them formal notice,” said Carson who is expecting to hear the status of his building project from the Planning Department in April. “And we hope it is enough time but we will work with them. I’m real optimistic and nothing would make me happier to have the Feed and Fuel moved.”

Carson said there were problems in the past with the entertainment drawing large crowds, many who rode to the Feed and Fuel on motorcycles. Complaints by nearby residents of the noise ended the music venue and now the restaurant only serves lunch as the establishment’s days dwindle.

And it does appear that nearby residents are happy with the new housing project proposed to replace the Feed and Fuel.

“We had a community meeting on February 15 where we had mailed notifications to neighbors within 1,000 feet of the Feed and Fuel, about 75 to 85 people,” said District 10 Councilmember chief of staff Lee Wilcox. “Only four people attended. So in the immediate area there is not too much interest.”

“When I moved to New Almaden in 1970, it was called the Circus Room,” remembers New Almaden Quicksilver County Park Association President Kitty Monahan. “There was a bar, pool table and music on Saturdays. The Feed and Fuel’s demise was because new people moved in and complained about the noise. I’d like it to stay a restaurant and bar where it is now but if Ed can move it—I support him.”

And Della Monica’s dream of moving the Feed and Fuel came, not surprisingly, from a dream he had recently.

“I had a dream I was sitting on top of the building and it was being driven down Almaden Road,” said Della Monica carrying a several-inch thick folder of information accumulated regarding moving the structure to a new site. “There was a parade that the Personal Ponies were leading. That’s how this all started.”

From that dream Della Monica began talking to his neighbors in New Almaden and at the Feed and Fuel. One of them was Erickson who also frequented the establishment. The two discovered they had a like-mindedness where the Feed and Fuel was concerned. Della Monica, a contractor, and Erickson, an attorney, joined forces to search for a site that would accommodate the historic building and aimed to re-open it as a profitable restaurant, bar and entertainment venue. The two have approached the County with a site on McKean Road but zoning ordinances would reduce the structure from it’s now 1,800 square feet to 1,200 making the venture less profitable.

Once a site is found and approved, Della Monica and Erickson will have sixty days to move the Feed and Fuel. The two and several investors estimate that moving the structure and laying foundation will cost from $350,000 to $400,000. They also have a signed contract with Carson for first right of refusal on the building.

“There are a lot of challenges with moving it to the McKean site,” said Supervisor Don Gage’s policy aid Rachael Gibson. “AR [agricultural ranch] and HS [hillside] are the only zonings that allow bar and restaurants and the parcel is not zoned for either one. And the restaurant and bar could only be 1,200 square feet.”

Della Monica and Erickson admit they are discouraged, but have not given up hope to realize their dream as they study other plot maps for nearby locations that might work. The two are also circulating a petition to save the Feed and Fuel. They realize that they have their work cut out for them but they remain focused on the goal of saving the historic establishment from being bulldozed.

“If someone came up with a brilliant idea to save the Feed and Fuel, I would be willing to walk away and more power to them,” said Erickson. “Our objective is to save the building for the community by moving it and making it a profitable business and having it there forever.”

The men welcome any feedback or ideas readers may have to save the Feed and Fuel and can be reached by calling Ed Della Monica at (408) 268-2958 or (408) 666-8459 or e-mail him at UBTHEGC@yahoo.com.