North Star Foundation


North Star Foundation (NSF)

NSF was formed as a study group (about 1997) by Rob Kellenbeck (long-time Grass Valley resident and owner of Deer Creek Pottery) and Neal Mitchell III (Grass Valley resident and partner in a Silicon Valley based management consulting firm) to develop the concept of restoring the North Star House. Rob had been involved as early as the mid-1980's in discussions with the property owners about possible uses for the historic house site. 

Director: Rob Kellenbeck

  • Producer of Julia Morgan tiles Involved in multiple Julia Morgan restoration projects (including San Simeon)

  • Former president of Sequoia Challenge

  • Continuously involved in NS House preservation effort since 1996

  • Resident of Nevada County since 1977

Director: Neal Mitchell III

  • Partner, international management consultancy

  • Experienced in managing large complex projects with multiple phases & multiple stakeholders

  • Continuously involved in NS House preservation effort since 1996

  • Resident of Nevada County since 1992

NSF technical advisory council:

  • Robert Mackensen -- Consulting Preservation Architect, former Executive Director of the California State Historical Building Safety Board, former staff member of the State Office of Historic Preservation

  • Neal Mitchell Jr. -- former Professor of Construction at Harvard Graduate School of Design

  • Charles Harris -- is Professor Emeritus at Harvard University, where he was for many years the head of the Department of Landscape Architecture, in the Graduate School of Design

  • Roxann Jacobus -- State Park Ranger, Asilomar Conference Center, Oversees work of restoration and rehabilitation on eleven buildings designed by Julia Morgan

  • Roberta Deering -- former President of California Preservation Foundation

By 1997 little had been done and the house was quickly deteriorating and being subjected to random acts of vandalism. Clearly North Star House was/is in danger of being lost forever. NSF has attracted a number of interested Grass Valley and Nevada City residents in the effort to restore the house -- these professionals have volunteered many cumulative mandays of time to the cause of saving the house. 

NSF Activities