Pacific Builders has been entrusted with several high profile, historic building renovations in the South Bay. Here are their stories.
The McCarty House of Saratoga
Pacific Builders remodeled the original McCarty home, which had fallen into disrepair. Working with the guidance of the Saratoga Historic Society, we saved the entire front porch, elevation, and roof of the front structure. Siding, trim and detailing was carefully matched. Although a large basement was set underneath the original building, we added nearly 3,000 square feet of new construction to blend seamlessly with the original structure.
The Historical Importance of the McCarty Family in Saratoga
Saratoga Village is one of the oldest platted communities in California, or on the West Coast for that matter. While many other little communities "just grew" in response to a gold strike, a crossroads or a ferry crossing, Saratoga was first surveyed, platted and registered with Santa Clara County in 1852 by Martin and Hannah McCarty. It is a unique village settlement in the history of California because it was not only planned and developed as a community, it has survived as an economic entity for over 150 years. Martin McCarty was born in County Clare, Ireland in 1825 and emigrated about 1846. He was in New Orleans when the Mexican American War broke out and served in the military, remaining in the army until 1849. He came to California and worked in the mines where he reportedly made $20,000 in seven weeks. When Martin McCarty was 27 years old, he married Hannah Barry. They were wed in San Jose about 1852. Hannah Barry was 17 years old, a native of County Wexford, Ireland who had immigrated to the United States and to San Jose a few months earlier. Together they filed for a 320 acre homestead claim in the West Valley and laid out the lots for a little town. The McCarty's named their little town McCartysville and proceeded to sell town lots for interested home builders. They also built a number of buildings themselves, which they rented. The town was changed in 1865 from McCartysville to Saratoga.
– April Halberstadt and the Saratoga Historical Foundation
Casa Tierra of Saratoga
Pacific Builders was invited to remodel Casa Tierra in the early 1980s. A beautiful home with a rich history, it had been sadly “let go” for many years. Working with the Saratoga Historic Commission to restore the home, work included remodeling the entire interior, including the kitchen, repairing windows, doors, tile, roofing, and walls. Pacific Builders also:
Worked to restore historic features including the fireplaces, where decorative copper plates were originally used for magazine print ads and photographs in the 1940s
Original adobe bricks were replicated using soil on-site to repair around windows and doors; lintels were repaired and replaced.
Tiles were custom fabricated to match the rich textures and colors of the originals.
Wood floor, cabinets, and trim were carefully measured, replicated, installed and finished to match the original work.
“We had a flawless construction project thanks to Tony’s incomparable experience and exemplary project management skills.”