Steve Jobs Wins Permission To Raze Historic Pile
10:04 am, May 13th, 2009, Leander Kahney

Jobs’ Woodside mansion in its glory days. Photo by Friends Of The Jackling House.
After a long legal battle, Steve Jobs has been granted permission to tear down his crumbling mansion in the posh Silicon Valley town of Woodside, California.
At a hearing of the Woodside town council on Tuesday night, councilors voted 6 to 1 to approve a demolition permit allowing Jobs to tear down his neglected, 14-bedroom Jackling mansion.
“It’s an unfortunate thing that Mr. Jobs doesn’t like the house,” Woodside’s Mayor Peter Mason told the Palo Alto Daily News. “It’s really sad that we’re going to continue to tear down historic resources in this town because they’re old.”
The mayor, who is also an architect, cast the sole dissenting vote. ÂÂ
Jobs bought the mansion in 1984 and lived there for a decade with barely any furniture until he got married and started raising a family. He currently lives with his wife and children in Palo Alto. The 17,000-square-foot mansion has remained empty and neglected since.
In 2004, the Woodside town council granted a demolition permit, but it was blocked by a local preservationist group called Friends Of The Jackling House, which claimed the mansion is a national treasure. The mansion was built in 1925 for copper millionaire Daniel C. Jackling by architect George Washington Smith.
At one point, Jobs offered to give the mansion for free to anyone who would haul it away.
Posted by Leander Kahney in News, Steve Jobs | Comment on this article
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It’s probably going to be the most advanced and green home ever built.
David, on May 13th, 2009 at 10:19 am
Hopefully, architectural salvage will be permitted.
Tim, on May 13th, 2009 at 11:42 am
i grew up in santa cruz, california but i live in tokyo now. from that perspective i can see how the young US and especially the younger california are desperate for any semblance of history. 50 years old is historic?! over here it takes 500 or 5,000 years old to be considered historic. also, the space is so limited, they don’t mind tearing down anything when it’s not useful or relevant anymore.
Jami, on May 13th, 2009 at 4:57 pm
[...] The pictures are poignant and lovely, and are possibly the last that will be taken of the mansion. On Tuesday, the Woodside town council approved a demolition permit. [...]
Gallery: Beautiful Pictures Of Steve Jobs’ Abandoned Mansion | Cult of Mac, on May 13th, 2009 at 5:11 pm
[...] | Cult of Mac Enviar [...]
Jobs demolerá su mansión de 1920, on May 13th, 2009 at 9:50 pm
[...] The pictures are poignant and lovely, and are possibly the last that will be taken of the mansion. On Tuesday, the Woodside town council approved a demolition permit. [...]
Gallery: Beautiful Pictures Of Steve Jobs’ Abandoned Mansion | Mac Bargains, on May 13th, 2009 at 10:42 pm