Sunset property ruled eligible to be placed on Historical Registry
Jim Lewis of the Menlo Park Historical Association emailed InMenlo:
“The California State Historical Resources Commission meeting on 05-09-25, following a lengthy discussion including speakers supporting and opposing the nomination, voted unanimously to approve the application to nominate the Sunset property on the Historical Registry. The Commissioners made it clear that this was not about a matter of the Developers Rights or about the need for additional Housing.
“It is important to note that this commission only determines eligibility but the final decision is yet to come from others based on their recommendation. Thus this was an important step in the process but not the final conclusion. That is yet to come.”
Jerry Anne DiVecchio May 10, 2025 at 11:12 am
Making the Sunset compound eligible for historial registry shows a splendid sense of community and social responsiblity by those who made this decision.
The Sunset buildings and gardens represent a significant part of not only Menlo Park’s history and culture, but also of the entire West coast that the magazine serviced with uniquely valuable insights on how to experience the best experiences available to those who live here. The population that shapes our lives today.
Scott Lohmann May 13, 2025 at 11:59 am
Absolutely Jerry Anne! This is fantastic!
Rosalie Pakenham May 15, 2025 at 4:42 pm
Thank you, Jerry. You are the invaluable key to preserving the treasure of this extraordinary place in the history of California. Because you traveled far for Sunset, you discovered food trends long before others. You developed recipes for Sunset into the definitive record of how California lived, designed and feasted for generations after. You worked with architects to redesign Sunset’s legendary test kitchens. You were the first magazine anywhere to list calorie counts for ingredients. And is the most compatible person I would ever want to have a glass of wine and an omelet with.
Carol May 13, 2025 at 8:46 am
I had always gone out of my way to stop and visit this place. I’d walk the coast of California gardens, see what was in their propagating area, and view the newer Sunset books off the lobby, where there was aways such an air of excitement.
Then … they paved paradise …
Elizabeth Stormer May 13, 2025 at 11:09 am
I am so happy to hear of this decision! We live 1 block south of the Sunset Property on Byron Street in Palo Alto and have enjoyed it for so many years. It is a beautiful and historic building representing the California lifestyle with a seamless transition of indoors and outdoors. We had many fun times in the Sunset Gardens with our young children – and enjoyed many wonderful street fairs there. It was always a vibrant part of our community, a great treasure to us all. Thank you for protecting it!