Santa Clara County votes 3-2 to demolish old city hall annex

SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) -- Homeless advocates in the South Bay made one last ditch effort to save a vacant building from demolition.

The Santa Clara Board of supervisors voted 3-2 on Tuesday to continue with its plans to demolish the old San Jose City Hall annex.

Homeless advocates wanted to turn the space into housing for those in need.

The old San Jose City Hall Annex has sat vacant for years. Enough so, that the run-down, six story structure was deemed unsafe.

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Due to its dire condition, Santa Clara County considered demolishing the structure to create temporary parking.

Homeless advocates pled their case before the board of supervisors to save the building.

"We brought it to the county and they didn't think it was a good idea," said Jim Salata with Garden City Construction. The company was proposing gutting the interior of the building to convert it to residential units. But the county said rehab would be costly, with a price tag estimated at more than $50 million.

"We owe it to the people that we serve to provide them a first rate building that meets all ordinances, all code requirements, not a building like the one we have," said Miguel Marquez, chief operating officer for the county.

Officials say demolition could start soon.