Barry Swenson, head of a third-generation family construction firm that built some of the most famous buildings in San Jose, has died. He was 85.
The owner of locally based Swenson Builders died Saturday, April 19, after a lifetime of constructing many of the South Bay’s most iconic buildings, the San Jose Mercury News reported. The cause and place of death were undisclosed.
Swenson’s legacy is tied to the skyline of San Jose, where he built or renovated San Jose City Hall, the San Jose Civic (formerly known as the San Jose Civic Auditorium and City National Civic), the San Jose Mercury News headquarters and Hotel de Anza, with a reputation for high standards and construction innovation.
“I’m one of those guys who can make a bar of soap last a year. I don’t waste anything,” Swenson, known for his wide-brimmed hats, would say.
Barron “Barry” Swenson was born in San Jose in 1939, and grew up in the ranching community of Evergreen. His grandfather, Swedish immigrant Carl N. Swenson, founded Carl N. Swenson Construction. His father, Clifford W. Swenson, rose up the ranks of the family firm.
Building upon the foundation of his grandfather’s and father’s building company, Swenson forged his own firm, Barry Swenson Builders, in 1977.
The Swenson company grew in prominence alongside some of the most significant buildings in San Jose, part of a larger plan by Swenson to shape the city into an attractive destination for businesses and the community.
Swenson’s portfolio spans from commercial buildings for top companies and mixed-use urban shopping centers to residential condominiums and senior apartments.
In the 2000s, Swenson developed a new design approach for structural concrete buildings in the Bay Area with the introduction of Landmaker. He received the patent for it in 2016, according to the company website.
Jesse L. Nickell III, former senior vice president of Barry Swenson Builders, said Swenson was a judicious business person, a loyal leader with an infectious optimism, and a “man of the Earth.”
“He loved to hunt and pull vegetables from the garden and eat things fresh and unadulterated. He loved good Irish whiskey and was the salt of the Earth,” Nickell told the Mercury News. “He is a brother I will miss.”