Church eyes historic Trianon Theatre site in downtown San Jose

SAN JOSE — The historic Trianon Building in downtown San Jose may switch from hosting musical performances to serving as a new campus for a Bay Area church, according to an orchestra executive and the church’s website.

The Trianon Building site is slated to become a new worship center for New Beginnings Community Church, which has posted on its website that it intends to open at the Trianon property, located at 72 N. Fifth St. in San Jose, about a block from City Hall.

“At our Worship Gatherings on March 24, 2019, we shared that our plan is to launch a second worship campus in San Jose at the Trianon Building,” New Beginnings Community Church stated on the website. The church now operates a facility in Redwood City.

The church’s interest in the Trianon property emerged after an affiliate of Sand Hill Property Company, whose principal executives and co-founders are Peter Pau and Susanna Pau, paid $5.2 million for the theater site, according to Santa Clara County public documents that were filed on April 29.

“A friend of New Beginnings Community Church is in the process of purchasing the building, and will lease it back to us below market rent, with a future option to purchase the building,” the church stated on its website.

Now some musical organizations are scrambling to locate new venues for their performances and activities.

The Sand Hill Property affiliate paid cash for the Trianon building. New Beginnings Community Church could not be reached for comment on Friday. Sand Hill Property confirmed the church is the tenant, but didn’t elaborate.

“Trianon Theatre is a prized community asset and a San Jose historic landmark,” Matt Larson, a Sand Hill Property spokesman, had previously said in comments provided to this news organization on May 1. “We are dedicated to preserving this beautiful building.”

New Beginnings sees plenty of advantages to a downtown San Jose campus at the Trianon Building, according to the church’s online posts.

“This site is in the heart of downtown San Jose, which is currently undergoing significant development and an infusion of investment from Google in the Diridon area, roughly 1.25 miles away from the church,” stated the web page for New Beginnings Community Church.

At present, the Trianon Building hosts live musical performances, corporate events, weddings and other activities.

The San Jose Chamber Orchestra is among those cultural and musical organizations that frequently use the church site.

“We are really sad to be losing the Trianon as a city cultural treasure,” Barbara Day Turner, founder and music director with the San Jose Chamber Orchestra, said Friday. “But what’s done is done.”

The Chamber Orchestra has confirmed contracts for performances in the Trianon Building during May and June, but hasn’t been able to secure any dates for any time on or after July 1, Turner said.

“We are losing a prime arts facility and event space right smack downtown a block from City Hall,” Turner said. “It’s the only music recital venue right in downtown San Jose.”

The Chamber Orchestra and the other musical groups haven’t heard anything from the new owner and only became aware of the church plans through happenstance.

“This was definitely an unwelcome surprise,” Turner said. “If we had heard in time, we’re pretty sure we could have gotten together a collection of arts and cultural groups to put together the funds to buy the building.”

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