San Jose grapples with preserving its past

With a Japantown family-run business on the brink, a debate over historic preservation has San Jose in a headlock — preserve the past at a cost, or chase the future at a loss.

A series of debt-accruing business choices threaten Japantown’s well-known Trigg family with the prospect of losing their home and businesses. They own Jtown Pizza Co., which closed last week, as well as several other neighborhood food and beverage stops including Spread, 7Bamboo karaoke bar and Jack’s bar. The family said their problems started with city red tape over historic buildings. A blaze of contention ensued. Now the area’s councilmember — and Mayor Matt Mahan — are getting involved.

Business leaders citywide say a heavy-handed approach to historic restrictions threaten the very buildings meant to be prote