New Palo Alto Museum At Center Of Funding Clash: Report

PALO ALTO, CA — A proposed project to honor Palo Alto’s role in the development of technology and innovation is once again at the center of a clash over funding at City Hall, Palo Alto Weekly reports.

The city purchased the Roth Building at 300 Homer Ave. in 2000 as a possible site for a new Palo Alto Museum, the report said.

It has been vacant ever since amid an ongoing debate over funding the project to convert the run-down building into a destination celebrating Palo Alto’s storied history at the birthplace of technology.

Members of the Palo Alto Museum, formerly known as the Palo Alto History Museum, are asking for around $10.5 million from the city to cover the costs of renovating the dilapidated structure, the report said.

The city’s finance committee is recommending that just $6 million in funding go towards the project, enough to bring the building up to seismic standards but far short of what would be needed to make the structure suitable for occupancy according to the report.

Vice Mayor Tom DuBois, who backs the project, is urging his City Council colleagues to take advantage of additional funding sources, including private sector funds and Santa Clara County grant money, the report said.

"We've kind of been half in half out. I think it's time we were either all in or all out," DuBois said according to the report.

Council members Greg Tanaka and Liz Kniss oppose committing to funding the project amid the economic devastation of the pandemic according to the report.

"This year has been a pretty devastating year financially," Tanaka said.

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