ibeverlv/ HILLS Cultural Heritage Commission Report

Transcription

1 ibeverlv/ HILLS City of Beverly Hills Planning Division 455 N. Rexford Drive Beveriy Hills, CA TEL. (310) FAX. (310) Cultural Heritage Commission Report Meeting Date: Subject: Project Applicant: Recommendation: October 1, 2018 UPDATES ON THE RESTORATION OF CITY-OWNED HISTORIC RESOURCES Representatives from the Public Works Department and the Community Services Department will provide updates on the restoration activities planned and underway at the Doheny Fountain in Beverly Gardens Park and Greystone Mansion. City-initiated Staff recommends that the Cultural Heritage Commission review the proposed projects and provide feedback regarding the treatment of historic resources to Public Works Department and Community Services Department Staff REPORT SUMMARY The City of Beverly Hills' Public Works Department and Community Services Department oversee the maintenance and operation of City-owned facilities and parks. Director of Community Services Many Hunt-Coffey and City Architect Mandana Motahari have been managing restoration projects at Beverly Gardens Park and Greystone Mansion. Since both Beverly Gardens Park (Landmark No. 20) and Greystone Mansion (Landmark No. 4) are listed on the Beverly Hills Register of Historic Properties, City staff is consulting the Cultural Heritage Commission regarding planned improvements and restoration activities to the two historic resources. City staff representatives will provide a presentation to the Cultural Heritage Commission at its October 1, 2018, meeting regarding the two projects. Two background reports on the condition of the Doheny Fountain in Beveriy Gardens Park, Block One near the intersection of Doheny Drive and North Santa Monica Boulevard, prepared by consultants California Restoration and Waterproofing and Historic Resources Group, are provided in Attachments 1 and 2. RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends that the Cultural Heritage Commission review the proposed projects and provide feedback regarding the treatment of historic resources to Public Works Department and Community Services Department staff. Attachment(s): 1. Historic Resources Group Memo, dated September 14, Caiifomia Restoration and Waterproofing memo, dated September 6, 2018 Report Author and Contact Information; Reina Kapadia, AlCP, Associate Planner (310) rkadadia@.beverlvhills.ora 21

2 Cultural Heritage Commission Report Update on the Restoration of City-Owned Historic Resources October 1, 2018 Attachment 1 Historic Resources Group Memo, dated September 14,

3 To: Attn: Mia Lehrer and Associates Holly Kuwayama, ASLA, Principal Matilde Reyes, ASLA, Associate From: John LoCascio, AlA, Principal Date: September 14,2018 This memorandum documents observations and recommendations for treatment of the Doheny Fountain at Beverly Gardens Park in the City of Beverly Hills, California. We observed the site on july 26, Beverly Gardens Park is a 1.9-mile-long linear park occupying several blocks along Santa Monica and Wilshire Boulevards, separating the city's commercial district from residential neighborhoods to the north. The Doheny Fountain is located at the eastern edge of the park, in the middle of Block 1. The fountain will be rehabilitated as part of the City's Beverly Gardens Park Restoration Project. HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE In the original plan for Beverly Hills, a strip of land located along the north side of Santa Monica Boulevard and directly across from the Pacific Electric Beverly Hills streetcar station was reserved as parkland. This three-block park, which extended from Crescent Drive to Rodeo Drive, was meant to establish the park-like setting and tone of the city as people arrived via streetcar: With most potential buyers arriving at the Pacific Electric Depot, at best a lonely outpost in the "wildemess," their first impression had to be positive. As a sales gimmick, a park was decided upon, [and] was developed with spacious grassy areas, trees and other plantings, and a massive lily pond. And so there would be MEMORANDUM Doheny Fountain Beverly Gardens Park, Beverly Hills, CA HISTORIC RESOURCES GROUP 12 S. Fair Oaks Avenue, Suite 200, Pasadena, CA Telephone , Facsimile historicresourcesgroup.com 23

4 no mistake that they had indeed made it to the promised land, a huge arched sign contained the twelve letters, BEVERLY HILLS.' In 1930, an additional 23 blocks of acreage adjacent to the original Santa Monica Park was appropriated to expand the parkway along the entire length of Santa Monica Boulevard within the boundaries of Beverly Hills. ^ Plans for the park called for $750,000 in landscaped improvements, which included four pergolas, drinking fountains, benches, and pathways. Designed for strolling, the paths were placed well back from the roadway and lined with rows of Chinese elms around large expanses of lawn.^ The park also featured rare species of palm trees, a cactus garden, and a rose garden. In 1985 Beverly Gardens Park was formally determined eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places as a historic district by consensus through Section 106 process, and was therefore automatically listed in the California Register of Historical Resources. The park was designated Beverly Hills Landmark No. 20 in The Doheny Fountain is a character-defining feature of Beverly Gardens Park.* PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION The Doheny Fountain is located in a depression in the middle of the Doheny Oakhurst Garden, which occupies Block 1 of the Park at the intersection of Santa Monica Boulevard and Doheny Drive. The fountain is surrounded by lawns with irregular planting beds and mature trees. The fountain has a low basin, set on a raised platform accessed by steps on all sides. The plan of the basin and steps is in the shape of concentric barbed dodecafoils. The steps have terra cotta tile treads and glazed polychrome tile risers. The basin is of cast stone, with the interior sides and bottom clad in blue and green ceramic tile. The tile appears to be original. There is a circular pedestal in the center of the fountain with two stacked cast stone basins. The larger, lower basin is supported by four cast stone mermaids; the smaller upper basin is supported by four cast stone scrolls. The fountain is topped by a cast stone finial. OBSERVATIONS/RECOMMENDATIONS 1. Steps: Some of the terra cotta tile treads are obviously newer replacements and are in good condition, although their color does not match that of the majority of the tiles. The condition of the remaining original tiles varies. Some are in good ^ Fred E. Basten, Beverly Hills: Portrait of a Fabied Cityi\.oi Angeles: Douglas-West Publishers, 1975), 39. " Three churches had already been built along this stretch of Santa Monica Boulevard and the park was constnicted around them. '"What Price Beauty," Los Angeies Times, uly 5, * Ostashay & Associates Consulting, "City Landmark Assessment & Evaluation Report, Beverly Gardens Park, Santa Monica Boulevard, Beverly Hills, CA," October MEMORANDUM Doheny Fountain Beverly Gardens Park, Beverly Hills, CA HISTORIC RESOURCES GROUP 12 S. Fair Oaks Avenue, Suite 200, Pasadena, CA Telephone , Facsimile historicresourcesgroup.com 24

5 condition, although worn. Several tiles exhibit extensive spalling. Severely damaged tiles should be replaced, under the direction of a qualified conservator, with new tiles that match the originals in material, color, size, shape, profile, texture and finish. New grout should match the original in composition, color and texture. The polychrome glazed tile risers appear to be in good condition. 2. Basin: The sides of the lower basin appear to be sound and in generally good condition. However, the cast stone coping exhibits cracking, spalling, exposed rebar and rust jacking in several locations. The rebar is extremely close to the surface of the concrete. The glazed ceramic tile cladding the interior bottom and sides of the basin appears to be generally sound, but is stained in several places with mineral deposits and what appears to be paint. We recommend that the fountain be assessed and treated by a qualified conservator to address rust jacking, repair cracks and spalls, and stabilize the cast stone to prevent further deterioration. If feasible, the damaged coping should be repaired to halt corrosion of metal reinforcing and continued deterioration of the cast stone. Patching material should match the color, texture, and finish of the historic cast stone. Cast stone pieces that cannot be repaired should be replaced with new cast stone pieces, custom made to match the originals in material, color, texture, finish, size and shape. The historic glazed ceramic tile lining the basin interior should be cleaned and repaired as necessary under the direction of a qualified conservator. Missing tiles should be replaced with new tiles that match the originals in material, size, shape, color, texture and finish. 3. Pedestal and stacked basins: The central cast stone pedestals and stacked basins are in fair to poor condition. The lower pedestal exhibits areas of spalling, rust jacking and exposed rebar in the arms of the mermaid figures. The upper pedestal exhibits large, continuous vertical cracks and spalling in the scrolls. The upper basin exhibits flaking and horizontal cracking, and a large portion of the rim has broken off leaving exposed, rusting rebar. Both basins exhibit stains from mineral deposits and what appears to be paint. The finial at the top of the fountain has a large vertical crack from top to bottom. We recommend that the fountain be assessed and treated by a qualified conservator to address rust jacking, repair cracks and spalls, and stabilize the cast stone to prevent further deterioration. The assessment should include review of the advisability of water running continuously over the surface of the cast stone. If feasible, the damaged cast stone should be repaired to halt corrosion of metal MEMORANDUM Doheny Fountain Beverly Gardens Park, Beverly Hills, CA HISTORIC RESOURCES GROUP 12 S. Fair Oaks Avenue, Suite 200, Pasadena, CA Telephone , Facsimile historicresourcesgroup. com 25

6 reinforcing and continued deterioration of the cast stone. Patching material should match the color, texture, and finish of the historic cast stone. Cast stone pieces that cannot be repaired should be replaced with new cast stone pieces, custom made to match the originals in design, material, color, texture, finish, size and shape. If the cast stone cannot be repaired sufficiently to return the fountain to operating condition, the pedestal and stacked basins may be entirely reconstructed if the new features match the old in design, color, texture and materials; and if all reconstruction work is completed by a qualified conservator with experience reconstructing missing historic features. Landscaping: A 1937 photograph of the fountain demonstrates that the concrete strip around the bottom step of the fountain is not historic. The 2013 assessment by Ostashay & Associates determined that the curvilinear planting beds with decorative rope-edged CMU borders are not character-defining. MEMORANDUM Doheny Fountain Beverly Gardens Park, Beverly Hills, CA HISTORIC RESOURCES GROUP 12 S. Fair Oaks Avenue, Suite 200, Pasadena, CA Telephone , Facsimile historicresourcesgroup. com 26

7 Figure 1 : Doheny Fountain, ca. 1937, looking northwest. Los Angeles Public Library Photo Collection MEMORANDUM Doheny Fountain Beverly Gardens Park, Beverly Hills, CA HISTORIC RESOURCES GROUP 12 S. Fair Oaks Avenue, Suite 200, Pasadena, CA Telephone , Facsimile historicresourcesgroup.com 27

8 CURRENT PHOTOGRAPHS, JULY 201? Figure 2: Doheny Fountain, view looking west Figure 3: Deteriorated terra cotta tile treads Figure 4; Exposed rebar in basin coping Figure 5; Exposed rebar in basin coping yj Rgure 6: Missing tiles in basin interior Figure 7; Central pedestal MEMORANDUM Doheny Fountain Beverly Gardens Park, Beverly Hills, CA HISTORIC RESOURCES GROUP 12 S. Fair Oaks Avenue, Suite 200, Pasadena, CA Telephone , Facsimile htstoricresourcesgroup.com 28

9 Figure 8: Exposed rebar in cast stone mermaid Figure 9; Mineral deposits on basin exterior W Figure 10; Vertical cracks in pedestal scrolls Figure 1 1 : Mineral deposits on upper basin exterior Figure 12 Missing portion of basin with exposed rebar Figure 13: Crack in finial MEMORANDUM Doheny Fountain Beverly Gardens Park, Beverly Hills, CA HISTORIC RESOURCES GROUP 12 S. FairOaks Avenue, Suite 200, Pasadena, CA Telephone , Facsimile historicresourcesgroup.com 29

10 Cultural Heritage Commission Report Update on the Restoration of City-Owned Historic Resources October 1, 2018 Attachment 2 California Restoration and Waterproofing memo, dated September 6,

11 Cai,ifornl\ Restoiwtion & WATtKrROOFlNG September 6,2018 City of Beverly Hills 345 N. Foothill Rd. Beverly Hills, CA Attention: Ms. Mandana Motahari Subject: Condition of Beverly Gardens Block One Fountain Lower Pedestal Dear Ms. Motahari, I believe the condition of the lower fountain pedestal at Block One of Beverly Gardens is not suitable for restoration for the following reasons: 1. The original bare steel reinforcing bars within the pedestal are too close to the surface. The rusted bars are now breaking and cracking the surface. These rusted steel bars are the main cause of the spalling of concrete at the bodies of the mermaids. Even if the penetration of future moisture were slowed down with the application of a consolidant the spalling will continue due to the advanced corrosion the steel reinforcing bars. 2. There is already heavy erosion resulting in considerable loss of detail to the entire pedestal by decades of water flowing over the surface. These surfaces are more eroded than any of the other castings at the fountain. 3. There are salt deposits visible on the surface of the pedestal. If the surface was treated with a poultice, the salts could not sufficiently be drawn out. The inner matrix of the concrete would continue to get moist due to the porosity of the pedestal and produce more salts, which when it dries produces crystals that erode not just at the surface but also at the subsurface level. All this is going on in the current pedestal to weaken it and destroy its artistry. 4. Finally, there is a three inch OD pipe at the center of the pedestal carrying water to the upper bowl. We would need to cut/core/chip down eight to ten inches around this pipe so the plumber can affect a connection for the new water supply. Given the already damaged condition of this piece we believe the pedestal will split during such an effort. The existing pedestal sits on a much more solid concrete base that, once the pedestal is removed for replication, the concrete base will be able hold up to the cutting we need to resolve the plumbing issue. These observations are based on my better than fifty-five years of historic restoration experience including the two historic fountains at Beverly Hills City Hall, the forecourt fountain at Greystone Mansion along with hundreds of other historic buildings of concrete, stone, and terra cotta. Yours Truly, David D. Charlebois, President 1518 Arrow Hwy, Sidle C:: La Verne, California 91750:: :: Fax License #

12 DAVIDD. CHARLEBOIS California Restoration & Waterproofing La Veme, California Experience 1987-Present California Restoration Founder and President Waterproofing, La Verne, California Biographical Sketch David Charlebois is Founder and President of Southern California based CALIFORNIA Restoration & Waterproofing. A veteran of the construction industry for more than 40 years, David has restored many historical landmarks in Southern California, such as the Mission San Gabriel Arcangel, San Gabriel; the El Capitan Theater, Hollywood; and the Gamble House, Pasadena. David's strong work ethic has created a reputation for quality craftsmanship and honesty throughout the restoration industry. With this foundation, CRW has become the premier historic restoration contractor in Southern California. To achieve this, David has pulled together, blended, and now oversees a full-time staff of carpenters, masons and painters, who are themselves artisans. Together, David and his staff have won 31 city, state, and national awards for restoration. David first embarked in the construction trades by working as a carpenter, mason, and painter. Over the years he has performed as cost estimator, project manager, and executive vice president for other Los Angeles contractors. For the last twenty-seven years, David and his staff have pursued historic restoration projects throughout California. Education and Credentials Bachelor of Science, Business Administration, California State University, Los Angeles, 1971 Certificate of Construction Management, University of California, Los Angeles, 1978 U.S. Navy, United States Construction Battalion, Vietnam Certified Stone and Terra Cotta Repair Specialist, Cathedral Stone Pursuing Masters Degree in Historic Preservation, University of Southern California 1518 Arrow Hwy, Suite C, La Veme, OA ' * Fax License it

13 David D. Charlebois Page 2 of 3 Industry and Community Involvement Lecturer, University of Southern California, School of Architecture, Restoration Seminars, Trustee, California Preservation Foundation, Executive Committee and Board of Trustees, Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times, Director and Board Member, Southern California Children's Cancer Services, Chairman, Los Angeles County Joint Labor/Management Apprenticeship Committee, ; Govemor's Service Award, 1980 American Society of Professional Estimators, Certified Professional Estimator Thirty-One Historical Restoration Awards BRITT MANSION Los Angeles 1984 Los Angeles Conservancy PASADENA CITY HALL 1990 California Preservation Foundation EL CAPITAN THEATER Hollywood 1991 California Preservation Foundation 1992 Los Angeles Comervancy 1992 National Trust CASTLE GREEN Pasadena 1993 California Preservation Foundation 1993 Los Angeles Conservancy MISSION SAN GABRIEL ARCANGEL 1994 California Preservation Foundation 1994 Los Angeles Conservancy 1998 California Preservation Fourulation GEORGE ELLERY HALE BUILDING Pasadena 1995 California Preservation Foundation 1995 Los Angeles Conservancy VICTOR DOL BUILDING Los Angeles 1995 California Preservation Foundation 1995 Los Angeles Conservancy PORTAL OF THE FOLDED WINGS Burbank 1997 Los Angeles Conservancy MISSION SAN FERNANDO 1997 California Preservation Foundation 1518 Arrow Hwy, Suite C, La Verne, CA * *Fax License #

14 David D. Charlebois Page 3 of 3 GUASTI VILLA Los Angeles 2003 California Preservation Foundation SECURITY PACIFIC BANK Long Beach 2004 Long Beach Heritage LOS ANGELES COUNTY HOSPITAL Old Administration Building 2004 Los Angeles Conservancy THE GAMBLE HOUSE Pasadena 2005 Los Angeles Conservancy 2005 California Preservation Foundation 2005 Pasadena Historic Preservation Commission 2006 AIA Preservation PASADENA MAIN LIBRARY Pasadena 2005 Pasadena Historic Preservation Commission CULBERTSON SISTERS HOUSE Pasadena 2005 Pasadena Historic Preservation Commission AIA Pasadena &. Foothill 2005 Builder Recognition (Presented to David Charlebois) MAGNOLIA HOUSE Riverside 2006 Old Riverside Foundation McGOWAN HOUSE Los Angeles 2008 California Preservation Foundation LA LAGUNA DE SAN GABRIEL PARK San Gabriel 2009 Los Angeles Conservancy HRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF LOS ANGELES 2012 Los Angeles Cottservancy WALLIS ANNENBERG CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS, Beverly HiUs 2013 Cali/omia Preservation Foundation 1518 Arrou; Htvy, Suite C, La Verne, OA * Fax License U