The Murphy House

It has been beautifully restored on a prominent, tree-studded parcel on Oak Grove Avenue (Thank you SMDJ for the Jan. 17 front page article). The letter writer, however, misses an important point while lamenting the fact that the demolished George Gates historic home was not afforded the same respect. In fact, neither home was ever formally listed in a state or national register, however, field surveys of both showed significance under criterion 1 (events) and 2 (persons).

Fire damage aside, the main (and only) difference between these divergent outcomes was a desire to save the home, not to mention a significant investment necessary by the owner of the Murphy residence, Henry Zhang. Credit is likewise due the Burlingame Planning Commission at the time that wholeheartedly embraced the project plans by local firm Dreiling Terrones Architecture Inc. The home’s renovation, adapted to an unusually shaped triangular parcel on Oak Grove Avenue, included a thoughtfully designed addition that spared significant mature trees that could far more easily have been removed.

Jennifer Pfaff

Burlingame

The letter writer is the president of the Burlingame Historical Society. Views are her own.