'This Old House' may be heading to San Mateo

The show typically takes old homes and restores them while taking its viewers step-by-step through the entire process.

Mack, who's an outspoken historical preservationist, said she'd love to see a renowned show set its sights on this corner of the nation. The show's attention just might prompt the community here to take more of an interest in its historical assets.

She added that she's strongly opposed to the San Mateo Union High School board's recent decision to demolish San Mateo High School.

"It would be a national television show if they chose a house here," Mack said. "It couldn't have come at a better time when we're tearing down the last and oldest and largest public building in the city. That's not keeping history, that's throwing away your heritage and history."

"This Old House" first contacted the Human Investment Project, a local non-profit that places low-income residents in affordable housing units, which passed the message on to Mack.

Mack is now brainstorming a number of homes that could be likely candidates for the show and will pass the list on to its producers. She said there's already a number of homes she would like to see get that kind of support, like the reported oldest house in San Mateo on Delaware Street and First Avenue.

"Really, San Mateo has several homes that could be looked at. There's three to five on Delaware and on Claremont. I'm sure any homeowner would love to have their homes restored, especially when they don't have to pay for it all," she said

Frank Jaros, the owner of the 136-year old gothic revival home at 45 N. Delaware St., said he's been trying to restore the house for years and could use a bit of financial help. Jaros acquired the house from his ex-wife's family, who purchased it in the early 1970s from the descendants of the original builder, an Irish Teamster by the name of William Sands.

Jaros said he's found a number of artifacts at the house, including an old coin from 1864, which he used to date the house, as well as a number of English beer bottles and campaign literature from the early 1900s.

By far the biggest restoration project on the house, a replacement of the brick foundation with cement to make the house more seismically secure, Jaros has already done. But he said would also like to replace the old scratched floorboards, rebuild the chimneys and restore the porches on the house.

Jaros said he would welcome the help of "This Old House," provided it came with financial assistance, but he also wants to make sure he's the one shaping the character of the old house he now calls home.

"I've recently discovered, getting older myself, how different a world I was born in. To have continuity all this time is important. I'm concerned that we might lose that as San Mateo changes," Jaros said.