Theodore Lenzen Park is located at the corner of Lenzen and Stockton. The park is named after San Jose's first and most prolific architect with over 500 buildings (1863-1900s) to his name. The location is where the Lenzen brothers Theodore (architect), Jacob (contractor) and Michael (painter) developed the family's 23 acre Lenzen subdivision (both sides of Lenzen Avenue from the Alameda to Stockton) into what is now part of the Garden Alameda.
The park has a train motif to represent all the fruit and vegetable canning that shipped out by rail. Most of the plants here had their own railroad spurs out of their plants that would be switched at the College Park and San Jose Diridon (Cahill) train stations.
The park also commemorates the Muirson Label company that printed 5 million can labels a day. I like that the fence features examples of many of the can labels and try to imagine the regions top graphic designers designing the labels in a cool industrial space that was torn down for what is now the 245 affordable housing complex called the Cinnabar Commons.
For better and worse the public kids park continues San Jose's recent trend of not including public restrooms so be prepared to hike the long block to the Alameda businesses or future Whole Foods if your kids have to go. I'm not sure Theodore would have approved!
The park has a train motif to represent all the fruit and vegetable canning that shipped out by rail. Most of the plants here had their own railroad spurs out of their plants that would be switched at the College Park and San Jose Diridon (Cahill) train stations.
The park also commemorates the Muirson Label company that printed 5 million can labels a day. I like that the fence features examples of many of the can labels and try to imagine the regions top graphic designers designing the labels in a cool industrial space that was torn down for what is now the 245 affordable housing complex called the Cinnabar Commons.
For better and worse the public kids park continues San Jose's recent trend of not including public restrooms so be prepared to hike the long block to the Alameda businesses or future Whole Foods if your kids have to go. I'm not sure Theodore would have approved!
Theodore W. Lenzen the Architect
Theodore Lenzen is responsible for much of San Jose's early architecture including the Fredericksburg brewery, Santa Clara College and City Hall.
Lenzen's Baroque & Classicism Style Architecture
The Last 4 Homes in Lenzen's Subdivision
Sadly there are only 4 of the 36 homes left on this street that is now occupied by Downtown College Prep, Avalon on the Alameda (former Fredericksburg Brewery), San Jose Unified School district, J. Lohr Vineyards, County of Santa Clara County Health Department, Asiana Produce, Lenzen Square Apartments, La Bella Rosa Condos, Sweepco, DeBug and Lenzen Gardens Senior Housing. Theodore Lenzen's own home is now a parking lot.