Citywide Historic Resources Inventory Update Survey Report

Transcription

1 City of Santa Monica Citywide Historic Resources Inventory Update Survey Report Prepared for: City of Santa Monica Planning and Community Development Prepared by: Los Angeles, California August 9, 2018

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3 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION Project Overview and Scope Project Team Previous Designations and Surveys... 2 Previous Surveys... 2 HRI Properties and Designated Resources SCOPE AND METHODOLOGY Project Scope Methodology... 6 Archival Research... 7 Reconnaissance Survey... 7 Historic Context Statement... 9 Field Documentation and Property Database... 9 Community Outreach DESCRIPTION OF THE SURVEY AREA Overview Neighborhood Descriptions Civic Center Downtown Gold Coast/Sunset Beach/PCH Mid City Northeast North of Montana Ocean Park Pico Sunset Park Wilshire Montana ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP

4 4. REGULATIONS AND CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION Resource Categories National Register of Historic Places Criteria Considerations Integrity California Register of Historical Resources Santa Monica Eligibility Criteria California Historical Resource Status Codes SURVEY FINDINGS Summary of Findings Individual Resources Santa Monica Landmark Santa Monica Structure of Merit Ineligible Individual Resources Districts Historic Districts Conservation Districts Ineligible Districts Non Building Resources Properties Assigned Status Codes 7R/7N National Register/California Register Eligible Properties RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE STUDY SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY Appendix A: Historic Context Statement Appendix B: Property Spreadsheets Appendix C: Summary of Community Input Appendix D: Study List: Additional Research Needed Appendix E: Current Status of Districts Identified in 2010 HRI Update ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP

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7 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1. Project Overview and Scope In July 2015, the City of Santa Monica (the City) retained Architectural Resources Group (ARG) and Historic Resources Group (HRG), collectively referred to herein as the Project Team, to conduct a Citywide Historic Resources Inventory Update (HRI Update) for Santa Monica. By establishing a comprehensive list of the City s potential historic resources, the HRI Update serves as a valuable information tool that can help to guide planning and land use decisions. The last comprehensive update of Santa Monica s HRI occurred between 2006 and 2010 and included the evaluation of existing and previously unidentified historic resources constructed through The scope of this HRI Update is to survey all previously identified historic resources, identify previously unrecorded individual resources and historic districts in the city constructed through 1977, and evaluate all potential historic resources against National Register of Historic Places (federal, or National Register), California Register of Historical Resources (state, or California Register), and Santa Monica Landmark and Structure of Merit (local) eligibility criteria. As part of this HRI Update, the Project Team drafted a citywide historic context statement. Developed using the National Register Multiple Property Documentation (MPD) approach, the historic context statement provides an indepth narrative account of the city s development history as reflected by its built environment. 1 The historic context statement places Santa Monica s built resources within the broader context of the economic, political, social, and cultural forces that coalesced to shape the city s development over time. The information included in the historic context statement provided field surveyors with a contextual basis for the evaluation of potential historic resources in Santa Monica. The historic context statement follows the guidance outlined for the development of historic contexts in the Secretary of the Interior s Standards and Guidelines for Archaeology and Historic Preservation, along with National Register Bulletin 16: How to Complete the National Register Multiple Property Documentation Form. 1 National Park Service, National Register Bulletin 16b: How to Complete the National Register Multiple Documentation Form (Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of the Interior, 1991). ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 1

8 Using the historic context statement as a guide, the Project Team conducted a comprehensive historic resources survey of the City of Santa Monica. The survey teams assessed all built resources within Santa Monica s city limits that were constructed through In addition to individual buildings, surveyors evaluated concentrations of potential historic resources (historic districts), structures, objects, sites, and various other features of Santa Monica s built environment. Each resource identified through the survey was evaluated for eligibility against the criteria of the National Register, California Register, and Santa Monica s local designation program, and was assigned a status code corresponding to its recommendation of eligibility. Documented resources reflect a variety of themes within the city s history, including social and cultural development, commerce, economics, architecture, and others Project Team All phases of this project were conducted by ARG and HRG personnel who meet the Secretary of the Interior s Professional Qualification Standards in Architectural History. 3 ARG was prime consultant for the project, serving as the liaison between the Project Team and the City of Santa Monica, leading the data management and field survey efforts, and assisting with the development of the historic context statement and community outreach. HRG had primary responsibility for the development of the historic context statement and the outreach efforts, and assisted with the field survey Previous Designations and Surveys Previous Surveys To establish and support a historic preservation program in the City of Santa Monica, the City has conducted numerous studies of its history and potential historic resources. The City initiated Phase I of its first comprehensive historic resources survey in 1983 as part of an effort to draft its first historic preservation element for inclusion in the City of Santa Monica General Plan. During that effort, 2 For more information about the survey process, please refer to Section II (Scope and Methodology) of this report. 3 The Secretary of the Interior s Professional Qualification Standards were developed by the National Park Service. For further information on the Standards, please refer to law/arch_stnds_9.htm. ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 2

9 several potential historic districts were identified. Phases II and III followed in 1986 and 1993, respectively. Area updates were completed in 1994, 1997, 2002, 2004, and The last survey update was received and filed by the Landmarks Commission in February Below is a list of the historic resources surveys completed within the City of Santa Monica: Santa Monica Historical Resources Inventory, Phases I & II Final Report, prepared by Johnson Heumann Research Associates, o Phases I and II of the City s first comprehensive historic resources survey; includes brief history of Santa Monica. Santa Monica Historic Resources Inventory, Phase III Final Report, prepared by Leslie Heumann and Associates, o Phase III of the City s first comprehensive historic resources survey. Historic Resources Inventory Update, Final Report, prepared by Parkinson Field Associates, o Post Northridge Earthquake survey; identified historic resources damaged in the earthquake. Historic Resources Inventory Update, prepared by Parkinson Field Associates and Janet L. Tearnen, Historic Resources Inventory Update: Central Business District and the Third Street Promenade, Final Report, prepared by Janet L. Tearnen, Lauren Weiss Bricker, and William Scott Field, o Area survey of the Central Business District and Third Street Promenade. City of Santa Monica General Plan: Historic Preservation Element, prepared by PCR Services Corporation and Historic Resources Group, o Historic Preservation Element of the City of Santa Monica General Plan; includes brief historic context statement and identifies potentially significant resources throughout the City. Historic Resources Survey Update: Ocean Park, Final Draft, prepared by Historic Resources Group, o Area survey of Ocean Park; includes historic context statement for Ocean Park. ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 3

10 Santa Monica Citywide Historic Resources Inventory Update, Final Report, prepared by ICF Jones & Stokes, o Citywide historic resources inventory update; includes historic context statement. HRI Properties and Designated Resources The 2010 ICF Jones & Stokes Historic Resources Inventory Update identified approximately 1,600 properties that appeared historically significant through survey evaluation. The survey also identified 53 eligible historic districts. These properties are listed in the city s HRI and illustrated in Figure 1; this map is provided for reference only, to illustrate where concentrations of previously identified historic resources are located. Since the 2010 survey, approximately 35 individual resources and one district have been placed on the city s local register. 44 individual resources have been demolished since the previous HRI Update. The Project Team reviewed the City s HRI and the California Historical Resources Inventory and concluded that, at present, there are roughly 135 designated individual resources in the City of Santa Monica. 4 There are currently three designated historic districts: the Third Street Neighborhood Historic District, the Bay Street Craftsman Cluster, and the San Vicente Boulevard Courtyard Apartments Historic District. Seven buildings in Santa Monica are individually listed in the National Register of Historic Places: the Parkhurst Building (1927), the Henry Weaver House (1910), Casa del Mar (1925), the Horatio West Apartments (1921), the Charmont Apartments (1929), the Santa Monica Looff Hippodrome (1916), and the Sovereign Hotel (1928). There are also two concentrations of resources that are listed as historic districts in the California Register: St. Monica s Catholic Church, and the Palisades Beach Road Historic District. Consistent with the methodology that was developed for this HRI Update, the Project Team did not re evaluate properties that have already been designated. 4 Since new resources have been designated over the course of the HRI Update, and new resources are being considered by the Landmarks Commission, the number of designated properties is approximate for purposes of this report. The California Historical Resources Inventory database is a comprehensive listing of all properties, statewide, that have been evaluated for historic significance. More information regarding this database is provided in the State Office of Historic Preservation s Technical Assistance Bulletin #8: ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 4

11 Figure HRI Update findings (ARG, 2016). ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 5

12 2. SCOPE AND METHODOLOGY 2.1. Project Scope The scope of this project included a citywide historic resources survey of all built resources within the city limits of Santa Monica that were constructed from its initial development period through The end date of 1977 was mutually decided upon by the Project Team and City staff, and ensured that the survey could sufficiently capture potentially eligible resources that are 40 years of age or older. All property types were included in the project scope. Approximately 23,000 parcels within the city limits were evaluated by the survey team; excluded properties include those containing built resources that were constructed after and designated Landmarks, Structures of Merit, and historic districts. All properties that were previously identified in the 2010 survey were reevaluated by the Project Team as part of this project. Each property was observed in the field, photographed, and its major alterations noted. The Project Team also identified historic resources that were not recorded in the previous survey, several of which were built after 1968, the end date of the previous survey Methodology To ensure that the methodology described herein incorporated the most up todate standards and was rooted in professional best practices, the Project Team consulted the following informational materials maintained by the National Park Service (NPS) and the California Office of Historic Preservation (OHP): National Register Bulletin (NRB) 15: How to Apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation NRB 16A: How to Complete the National Register Registration Form NRB 16B: How to Complete the National Register Multiple Property Documentation Form NRB 24: Guidelines for Local Surveys: A Basis for Preservation Planning 5 A small number of resources that were constructed after 1977 and are exceptionally important were recorded as part of this survey. ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 6

13 California Office of Historic Preservation (OHP): Writing Historic Contexts OHP: Instructions for Recording Historical Resources Archival Research The Project Team conducted primary and secondary source research in order to inform the writing of the historic context statement and provide valuable property specific information for the survey. Research included the overview of pertinent city planning documents (municipal codes and planning reports); primary source materials (historic photographs, maps, building permits); and secondary source materials (newspaper articles, local published histories). The following collections were consulted: Collections of the Santa Monica Library Collections of the Los Angeles Public Library The Project Team s in house library of architectural reference books, journals, and other materials Various internet sites and digital archives City of Santa Monica Planning and Community Services Division for building and alteration permits Historic Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps Historic tract maps from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works Reconnaissance Survey A reconnaissance survey is an essential component of an HRI Update, as it informs the Project Team about a city s patterns of development and major and minor physical components, as well as enables a street by street look at all of the city s resources at once for effective comparative analysis. Prior to reconnaissance, the Project Team used the City s Geographic Information Systems (GIS) data, supplemented by Los Angeles County Assessor data, to develop a map that color coded all of the city s parcels by decade of ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 7

14 development. This chronology map helped to identify broad development patterns in the survey area and locate groupings of properties that might be unified by age and appearance (Figure 2). The map also identified all buildings constructed after 1977, which were not included as part of the survey. During the reconnaissance survey, each street in Santa Monica was driven and a windshield inspection was conducted. The general age of buildings, property types, architectural styles, and levels of integrity were noted and compared. Based upon observations made during reconnaissance, the survey team developed a list of properties and resources that appeared to be potentially significant and merited further research. The Project Team completed its reconnaissance survey of the city in July Figure 2. Chronology map (ARG, 2016). ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 8

15 Historic Context Statement Concurrent with the reconnaissance survey, the Project Team drafted a citywide historic context statement. The Santa Monica Citywide Historic Context uses the National Register of Historic Places Multiple Property Documentation (MPD) approach, and covers all phases of the city s built environment, from approximately 1875 through Often applied to large scale surveys, the MPD approach streamlines the evaluation process by distilling major patterns of development into discernible themes that are shared by multiple properties within a given survey area. Utilizing the MPD approach ensures that properties with shared associative qualities and/or architectural attributes are evaluated in a consistent manner. 6 The context statement for Santa Monica is organized into a sequential series of contexts and themes, which capture major occurrences in the city s development history and are expressed in its built resources. Baseline eligibility standards and integrity thresholds were developed for each theme, allowing surveyors to make informed and consistent determinations of eligibility. The context statement is also intended to serve as a resource for future land use decisions and preservation endeavors undertaken by the City. Existing studies, contexts, and survey evaluations were used in the development of this document. These were supplemented by additional research using both primary and secondary sources, consultation with local experts, and community outreach. The Historic Context Statement is included as Appendix A of this report. Field Documentation and Property Database Upon completion of the reconnaissance survey and preparation of a draft historic context statement, resources that had been preliminarily identified during the reconnaissance survey were subjected to more focused, property specific research. These properties were then documented and evaluated against eligibility criteria of the National Register of Historic Places, the California Register of Historical Resources, and Santa Monica s local designation program. Field 6 For more information on the MPD approach, please refer to NRB 16B: How to Complete the National Register Multiple Property Documentation Form: ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 9

16 documentation was completed between January and May of All evaluations were completed from the public right of way by vehicle or on foot. Data gathered in the documentation phase were collected digitally and compiled into a customized Access database (referred to herein as the Property Database ). 7 The production of California Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) 523 series forms for identified properties was not included in the scope of this HRI Update. However, data entered into the Property Database includes all fields generally required in 523a and 523b (Primary Record and Building Structure and Object Record) forms for individual resources and the 523d form (District Record) for historic districts. Data gathered includes address/location, year built, architectural style, architect (when known), alterations, summary statement of significance, and California Historical Resource Status Code(s). Character defining features (CDFs) were recorded only for properties that had not been identified and evaluated in previous surveys. Community Outreach Outreach Meetings The project included a community outreach component intended to provide the Landmarks Commission and the public at large periodic progress updates, and to encourage community input throughout the process. After an internal kick off meeting with City staff and follow up with a subcommittee of the Landmarks Commission, the first public outreach meeting was held on February 25, 2016 at the Santa Monica Public Library. The goals of the meeting were to introduce the team and the project, explain the project scope, provide an overview of the work plan, and provide a summary of previous survey findings. During the summer of 2016, the Project Team attended meetings with neighborhood groups throughout the city. A second citywide outreach meeting was held on November 3, At the second meeting, the Project Team provided a status update, discussed the development of the historic context statement, including the organizational framework and the identification of important themes in the city s development, and solicited specific feedback on properties and neighborhoods. 7 The digital Property Database was compiled in lieu of hard copy California Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) 523 series forms. The Property Database includes the same baseline information about identified resources that is typically conveyed in DPR 523 forms. ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 10

17 A third citywide outreach meeting will be held to celebrate project completion and present the survey findings to the community. Periodic updates were provided to the Landmarks Commission throughout the project. Interviews Targeted outreach to stakeholders, people with knowledge of a particular area or facet of Santa Monica history, local preservationists, and other community groups was conducted in order to inform the context statement and identify potential historic resources. A formal oral history project was outside the scope of this project; however, informal interviews were conducted with the following individuals: Carolyne and Bill Edwards; Jim Harris; Pamela Hieronymi; Alison Rose Jefferson; Ricardo Bandini Johnson; Diane Miller; Kelyn Roberts; and Dolores Sloan. Project Website A website dedicated to the historic resources inventory update was created by the Project Team and hosted by Squarespace: The website included a project timeline, frequently asked questions about historic resources surveys, notification of outreach and neighborhood meetings, news from the research and fieldwork teams to provide periodic updates to the community, and an online form that allowed community members to provide information to the survey team. All property information received through the website was shared with the survey team; a complete list of submissions and the team s response is included in Appendix C: Summary of Community Input. Social Media The Project Team created Instagram ( and Twitter ( accounts for the project, in order to try to reach a diverse audience. These were used to promote and enhance updates to the website, and provide notification about outreach meetings, Landmarks Commission meetings, provide project updates, and share interesting finds with the community. One member of the Project Team acted as the social media coordinator throughout the project. ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 11

18 3. DESCRIPTION OF THE SURVEY AREA Figure 3. General location map (ARG, 2016) Overview The City of Santa Monica is located along the western edge of Los Angeles County, approximately 15 miles west of downtown Los Angeles. Santa Monica is bounded by the Pacific Ocean on the west and the City of Los Angeles on the north, south, and east. Abutting city limits are the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Pacific Palisades on the north, Brentwood and Sawtelle on the east, and Venice on the south. Santa Monica adheres to a generally rectilinear street grid that is oriented askew of the cardinal directions along a northwest southeast axis, following the angle of the coastline. The area s topography is predominantly flat, ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 12

19 with the exception of some hilly areas located in the northeast, southwest and southeast portions of the city. Santa Monica State Beach spans the length of the city on the west. The city is separated from the beach by a steep bluff, which extends north from Colorado Avenue to the city boundary; south of Colorado Avenue, the city experiences a steep downward slope west from Ocean Avenue. The Santa Monica Freeway was completed in 1966 and bisects the city on an eastwest axis. Major north south corridors include Pacific Coast Highway, Ocean Avenue, 7 th Street, Lincoln Boulevard, 23 rd Street, Cloverfield Boulevard, and 26 th Street. Major east west corridors include San Vicente Boulevard, Montana Avenue, Wilshire Boulevard, Santa Monica Boulevard, Olympic Boulevard, Pico Boulevard, and Ocean Park Boulevard. The vast majority of Santa Monica contains residentially zoned properties; significant concentrations of commercial buildings are located along major east west corridors and along the coastline. The city is known for its history of tourism and recreation, and much of this development has occurred in the downtown area and along the beach. The city also contains concentrations of industrial properties along Olympic Boulevard. The Santa Monica Municipal Airport is located in the southeastern section of the city. For this HRI Update, the Project Team utilized neighborhood names and boundaries defined in the City s Land Use and Circulation Element (LUCE, 2010; amended 2015) for organizational purposes and to make neighborhood identification consistent with current planning practices. Generally, the city comprises ten neighborhoods of varying types of development: Civic Center, Downtown, Gold Coast/Sunset Beach/PCH, Mid City, Northeast, North of Montana, Ocean Park, Pico, Sunset Park, and Wilshire Montana, which are described in more detail below. 8 8 The Project Team used Civic Center and Gold Coast/Sunset Beach/PCH for areas that were not associated with neighborhoods identified in LUCE. ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 13

20 Figure 4. Santa Monica LUCE neighborhood map with annotations by ARG Neighborhood Descriptions Civic Center The Civic Center neighborhood is located along the western border of Santa Monica. It is generally bounded by Colorado Avenue on the north, Lincoln ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 14

21 Boulevard on the east, Pico Boulevard on the south, and Ocean Front Walk on the west. The neighborhood is bisected by the Santa Monica Freeway where it turns into California State Route 1. The streets west of Ocean Avenue generally adhere to a rectilinear grid, while those to the east conform to an irregular pattern. The topography of the area has a slight downward slope from Lincoln Boulevard, which becomes steeper between Ocean Avenue and the beach. Civic Center s major corridors include Ocean Avenue, Main Street, 4 th Avenue, and Lincoln Boulevard, which all run north to south. Historically, Civic Center comprised modest single and multi family residences constructed between the early 1900s and 1920s. Properties west of Ocean Avenue were developed as a mixed use residential/resort area that capitalized on the success of the oceanfront Arcadia Hotel (no longer extant). East of Ocean Avenue, a triangular block bisected by Belmar Place became a hub of residential and commercial activity for Santa Monica s African American community. Santa Monica High School was constructed in 1912 and comprised the area north of 4 th Street. In the 1930s, new civic development encroached on the residential neighborhoods between Ocean Avenue and 4 th Street; in the 1950s, the construction of a new Civic Auditorium resulted in the demolition of Belmar Place and the reconfiguration of surrounding streets. Civic Center now predominantly comprises large civic buildings, including Santa Monica City Hall, Courthouse, and Civic Auditorium, as well as the recently completed Tongva Park. Some residential properties are still present west of Ocean Avenue and along 7 th Street, but these areas are now largely defined by post World War II multi family residential development. Commercial properties are mostly located along Ocean Avenue and Lincoln Boulevard. Downtown The Downtown neighborhood is located in the westernmost section of the City of Santa Monica. It is generally bounded by Wilshire Boulevard on the north, Lincoln Boulevard on the east, the Santa Monica Freeway on the south, and Ocean Avenue on the west. The area contains 512 parcels that consist primarily of mixed use commercial properties. Major north south vehicular corridors are Ocean Avenue, 7 th Street, and Lincoln Boulevard; the 3 rd Street promenade is a major pedestrian boulevard located between Wilshire Boulevard and Broadway. Major east west thoroughfares include Wilshire Boulevard, Santa Monica Boulevard, Broadway, and Colorado Avenue. The topography of the area is predominantly flat. ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 15

22 The Downtown neighborhood includes the southern portion of Santa Monica s original township, which was subdivided in 1875 and initially contained 150 blocks. As the area grew, residential development clustered within the blocks north of Wilshire Boulevard, which now lay outside of the Downtown neighborhood boundaries. The area south of Santa Monica Boulevard assumed a commercial character, while a small downtown developed along 3 rd Street. Today, Downtown is predominantly commercial in nature, and its boundaries exclude areas of the original township where substantial residential development occurred. Only a few residential properties remain, and of those, many have been rezoned for commercial uses. Commercial, institutional, and mixed use buildings comprise the majority of the neighborhood. Gold Coast/Sunset Beach/PCH Gold Coast/Sunset Beach/PCH comprises a stretch of beachfront along Santa Monica s western border. It encompasses the properties on the west side of Pacific Coast Highway (PCH), which face onto Santa Monica State Beach. The area is completely removed from the rest of the city by a large bluff and can be accessed only by the California State Incline or the Santa Monica State Freeway, which both terminate at PCH. The topography of the area is flat. Gold Coast/Sunset Beach/PCH is located along what was formerly known as Palisades Beach Road (now PCH), named for the jagged palisades on the opposite side of the highway. Prior to its subdivision, the area s earliest structures were a collection of tents and beach shacks. The portion of the beach north of Wilshire Boulevard was subdivided as the Sunset Beach Tract in 1900 and advertised for single or multi family residential development; due to the small, narrow lot sizes, the area initially comprised modest beach cottages. In the 1920s and 30s, Palisades Beach Road became a prized getaway spot for Hollywood luminaries, who constructed grand, architecturally significant homes along the beachfront. Further north, Palisades Beach Road also became the site of several private beach clubs. Today, Gold Coast/Sunset Beach/ PCH is composed mainly of single family residences interspersed with surface parking lots. The northern portion of the area retains a handful of public and private beach clubs. Mid City The Mid City neighborhood is positioned near the center of the City, just north of the Santa Monica Freeway. It is generally bounded by Washington Avenue on the north, Centinela Avenue on the east, Colorado Avenue and Santa Monica ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 16

23 Boulevard on the south and 20 th and 5 th Streets on the west. The mixed use neighborhood has a predominantly flat topography. It is bisected by Wilshire Boulevard, a major east west commercial thoroughfare that runs the length of the city. The neighborhood is also transected by several major north south corridors including 7 th Street, Lincoln Boulevard, 26 th Street, 14 th Street, Cloverfield Boulevard, and 26 th Street. Mid City contains a large concentration of Santa Monica s multi family residential building stock. It historically developed as a patchwork of early 20 th century subdivisions and later tracts, which resulted in haphazard building patterns containing a wide variety of multi family residential property types. In the 1920s and 1930s, apartment buildings, bungalow courts, and courtyard apartments became the most predominant building types. In the post World War II period, multi family residential building evolved to include large modern apartments and dingbats. Like other neighborhoods, commercial development in Mid City is concentrated on major east west corridors like Wilshire and Santa Monica Boulevards. The neighborhood also contains a substantial amount of institutional development such as schools, medical facilities, and parks, which are scattered throughout the area. Industrial development spills over from the Pico neighborhood into the area between Broadway and Colorado Avenue. Northeast The Northeast neighborhood is located at the northeastern section of the city. It is bounded by Montana Avenue on the north, Centinela Avenue on the east, Wilshire Boulevard on the south, and 26 th Street on the west; the City of Los Angeles borders the neighborhood on the north and east. Northeast adheres to a predominantly rectilinear street grid. The area s topography is generally flat west of Stanford Street, but becomes hilly between Stanford Street and Centinela Avenue. Major north south corridors include 26 th Street, Stanford Street, and Franklin Street, and major east west corridors include Washington Avenue, Wilshire Boulevard, and Montana Avenue, which features a dramatic curve between Stanford Street and Centinela Avenue. Northeast historically comprised two residential tracts, Tract 3000/Fairmount Villas and Tract 2385, which were subdivided in the early 1900s. However, the area did not experience substantial growth until the 1920s and 1930s. Modest single family residences comprise the area west of Stanford Street, while larger residences are found east of Stanford Street, particularly along Franklin Street. Multi family properties are concentrated along Montana Avenue, and Wilshire Boulevard contains the neighborhood s only commercial development. ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 17

24 North of Montana North of Montana is a residential neighborhood that is located in the northernmost section of Santa Monica. It spans the northern boundary of the city, and is one of its larger neighborhoods. It is roughly bounded by Adelaide Drive, San Vicente Boulevard, and La Mesa Drive on the north, 26 th Street on the east, Montana Avenue on the south, and Ocean Avenue on the west. The street grid is generally rectilinear with the exception of San Vicente Boulevard, a large vehicular thoroughfare that is bisected by a landscaped median with mature coral trees. The area s topography is predominantly flat, but the northern sections have a slight downward slope north of Georgina Avenue. The neighborhood, which is residential in character, is notable for its generous lot sizes, wide streets, broad parkways, and mature street trees. The neighborhoods north of San Vicente Boulevard are slightly different in character than the rest of the city, and are defined by small, winding streets and large, irregularly shaped lots. North of Montana is traversed by several major north south corridors including 20 th Street, 14 th Street, 7 th Street, and 4 th Avenue, which is also bisected by a landscaped median. Georgina Avenue, Marguerita Avenue, and Alta Avenue run through the neighborhood in the east west direction. A landscaped park known as Palisades Park spans the bluff opposite of Ocean Avenue from Adelaide Drive to Montana Avenue. North of Montana has historically been one of the most affluent neighborhoods of Santa Monica, and it contains several subdivisions that originally targeted the city s upper class citizens. The Palisades Tract, Adelaide Drive/Adelaide Place, Gillette s Regent Square, and Canyon Vista Park (mostly comprising properties along La Mesa Drive) were just some of the tracts that advertised oversized lots, canyon and ocean views, proximity to the street car line along San Vicente Boulevard, and a general exclusivity not found in other parts of the city. By the 1930s, the neighborhood was mostly built out and contained some of the finest and most architecturally significant residences in the city. Today, the neighborhood remains residential in character, and still contains a notable concentration of 1920s and 1930s single family houses. Some multi family residential development can be found along Ocean Avenue, Montana Avenue, and San Vicente Boulevard, which contains a designated historic district of courtyard apartments west of 7 th Street (San Vicente Boulevard Courtyard Apartments Historic District). The neighborhood also contains a stretch of lowscale commercial development along Montana Avenue between 7 th and 17 th Streets and at the corner of 26 th Street and San Vicente Boulevard. ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 18

25 Ocean Park The Ocean Park neighborhood is located in the southwestern most portion of the city. The neighborhood stretches from the beach eastward to Lincoln Boulevard (State Route 1), and from the city s southern boundary at Dewey Street northward to Pico Boulevard. Ocean Park s topography is generally flat, with gentle hills that slope downtown toward the beach. Major north south routes include Main Street, Ocean Park s neighborhood commercial corridor, and Lincoln Boulevard. Running along an east west axis, Pico Boulevard separates Ocean Park from the Civic Center, while Dewey Street serves as the city s border with the community of Venice in the City of Los Angeles. Ocean Park is bisected by Ocean Park Boulevard. Ocean Park, historically known as South Santa Monica, was initially developed in the late 19 th century with vernacular beach cottages built as vacation rentals spurred by efforts to establish a seaside resort along the waterfront; a concentration of these cottages still exists in the South Beach area of Ocean Park. In the first decades of the 20 th century, residential tracts of modest lots were quickly built out with bungalows, bungalow courts, boarding houses and apartment houses, first along streets closest to the beach, then extending inland to Lincoln Boulevard. It was also during this period that Main Street became the community s primary commercial corridor, lined with vernacular brick storefronts and anchored by commercial blocks, hotels, and institutional properties. After World War II, much of the older building stock along the waterfront was demolished to make way for upscale condominiums and new tourist oriented development. Further inland, single family homes were enlarged or replaced with multi story, multi unit dwellings, dramatically increasing the area s population density. In the 1960s, Ocean Park became a haven for the artistic community in Santa Monica. Today, Ocean Park contains a wide variety of property types and styles, reflecting the area s evolution over the past century. Main Street continues to serve as the area s primary shopping district, while also attracting visitors to its numerous shops, restaurants, and bars. Lincoln Boulevard, largely built up in the postwar era, is characterized by its many auto oriented businesses. Ocean Park is also home to one of Santa Monica s few designated historic districts, the 3 rd Street Neighborhood Historic District. Pico The Pico neighborhood is located in the central portion of the city. Situated inland, Pico is bounded by Lincoln Boulevard (State Route 1) on the west, Centinela Boulevard on the east, Santa Monica Boulevard (State Route 2) and ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 19

26 Colorado Avenue on the north, and Pico Boulevard on the south. The area s topography is generally flat. The Pico neighborhood is divided on a generally eastwest axis by the Santa Monica Freeway (Interstate 10), as well as the recentlycompleted Expo Line light rail extension, which occupies a former Southern Pacific Railroad right of way. Other major routes through the neighborhood include Colorado Avenue, Olympic Boulevard, and 20 th Street. Pico is bordered by the Mid City neighborhood on the north and Sunset Park on the south. The development history of the Pico neighborhood has been largely determined by the fact that it is traversed by major transportation routes, which link Santa Monica with downtown Los Angeles. The neighborhood originally developed from west to east along the south side of the Southern Pacific railroad tracks. The area closer to the beach was subdivided into residential tracts and built up with modest one story bungalows and tract houses primarily from the 1920s through the 1940s, while tracts further inland were typically zoned for multi family residential or industrial uses. The Pico neighborhood has always been among Santa Monica s most ethnically diverse. In the 1930s and 1940s, it contained a high concentration of the city s African American, Japanese American, and Mexican American populations. During World War II, as the defense industry opened employment to African Americans for the first time, the city saw a demographic shift of its black community to the Pico neighborhood, due to its proximity to the Douglas Aircraft Company. It was also during this period that Broadway became the primary commercial corridor for the local African American community, becoming home to many black institutions and black owned businesses. After World War II, Pico began to see substantial infill construction as singlefamily homes were replaced with multi family dwellings. In the 1960s, the neighborhood s lower property values made it a prime target for the extension of the Santa Monica Freeway. Completed in 1966, the freeway sliced diagonally through the neighborhood, disrupting the grid pattern, demolishing hundreds of homes, and displacing many low income residents. After the freeway was completed, many adjacent residential streets were converted to industrial use. Today, the Pico neighborhood is a mixture of development types and periods, reflecting the area s evolution over many decades. Sunset Park Sunset Park is a residential neighborhood located in the southeast portion of the city. It is situated south of the Santa Monica Freeway and generally bounded by Pico Boulevard on the north, Centinela Avenue on the east, the Santa Monica ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 20

27 Municipal Airport and Dewey Street on the south, and Lincoln Boulevard on the west. Portions of the neighborhood adhere to a rectilinear street grid, but there are also large areas with irregular street patterns. The topography of the area slopes upward from Lincoln Boulevard, but becomes mostly flat east of Euclid Street. The portion of the neighborhood just west of the Santa Monica Airport features low hills and slightly curved streets. Major corridors that transect the neighborhood include Pearl Street and Ocean Park Boulevard running east to west, and Euclid Street, 16 th Street, and 23 rd Street running north to south. The development of Sunset Park largely resulted from its proximity to the Douglas Aircraft Corporation, which was originally located at the present site of the Santa Monica Municipal Airport. Portions of the neighborhood were subdivided as early as the 1880s, but the area did not experience substantial development until the 1920s, when Douglas Aircraft relocated to Cloverfield. Development continued in full force into the 1930s and 1940s, as the city ramped up its wartime efforts and Douglas Aircraft experienced an influx of employees. As a result, Sunset Park predominantly contains modest single family residences that were constructed for the area s working class population. The neighborhood also features concentrations of multi family residential properties such as courtyard apartments and bungalow courts, which are clustered near the airport. Low scale, neighborhood serving commercial development is concentrated along Pico Boulevard and Ocean Park Boulevard. Sunset Park also contains several institutional properties including schools and parks, as well as some industrial properties related to the development of the airport. Wilshire Montana The Wilshire Montana neighborhood of Santa Monica encompasses a long, rectangular area that is sandwiched between four Santa Monica neighborhoods: North of Montana, Northeast, Mid City, and Downtown. It is generally bounded by Montana Avenue on the north, 22 nd Street on the east, Wilshire Boulevard on the south, and Santa Monica State Beach on the west. The residential neighborhood adheres to a rectilinear grid. Major vehicular corridors include 4 th Avenue, 7 th Street, and 14 th Street, which run north to south, and Idaho Avenue, Washington Avenue, and California Avenue, which run east to west. The topography of the area is predominantly flat. Wilshire Montana largely comprises early twentieth century and post World War II multi family residential properties. The neighborhood encompasses the northern portion of the city s original township, which contained some of the area s largest and most prominent early residences, as well as several additional ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 21

28 tracts. During the 1920s building boom, the area was substantially built out with a mix of more modest single family residences and compatible multi family property types such as duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, and bungalow courts, followed by courtyard apartment complexes in the late 1930s. In the post World War II period, developers capitalizing on the neighborhood s proximity to the ocean constructed high rise residential towers along Ocean Avenue. Today, Wilshire Montana is largely characterized by multi family residential development, though small concentrations of single family residences are found along 21 st and 22 nd Streets. The neighborhood contains low scale commercial development along Montana Avenue between 7 th and 17 th Streets, while larger commercial properties can be found along Wilshire Boulevard. Institutional properties are scattered throughout the neighborhood and include schools, churches, and parks. ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 22

29 4. REGULATIONS AND CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION 4.1. Resource Categories As part of the HRI Update, the team evaluated a variety of resource types, all of which are significant elements of Santa Monica s built environment and help to tell the story of the city s development history. Following are definitions of the different resource types identified: 9 Buildings are erected to shelter some aspect of human habitation. As buildings are the foundation of a developed area such as Santa Monica, they represent a very common resource type. They house a variety of residential, commercial, institutional, and industrial uses. Structures are also substantive constructions composed of structural elements, but unlike buildings they serve a purpose aside from human habitation. Common examples of structures identified in a historic resource survey include bridges, tunnels, gazebos, dams, and lighthouses. Objects are differentiated from structures in that they are either decorative in nature, or are comparatively small and simply constructed. Resources such as signs, fountains, monuments, sculptures, public art installations, and street lamps are typically classified as objects. Sites are defined as areas that possess historic or cultural value and whose significance is not related to any building, structure, or object that may (or may not) be present. Some common examples include archaeological sites, natural features, parks, and designed landscapes. Historic Districts are collections of resources that are related geographically and by theme. Districts are significant for the interrelationship between their resources and consist of historically and/or functionally related properties. Residential neighborhoods, commercial areas, and institutional campuses are examples of resources that may be recorded as historic districts. 9 These resource categories and descriptions are derived from NRB 15: How to Apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation. For more information, please refer to ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 23

30 District Contributors and Non Contributors refer to the buildings, structures, objects, sites, and other features that are located within the boundaries of a historic district. Generally speaking, contributors help to convey the significance of the district. Non contributors are identified as such because they been extensively altered, were built outside of the district s historic period (known as the period of significance) or are unrelated to the theme All resources within the scope of this survey were evaluated against federal (National Register), state (California Register), and local (City of Santa Monica Landmark and Structure of Merit) designation criteria. The programs and their associated criteria are described below beginning with the National Register, whose policies set the conceptual framework for state and local programs National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places is an authoritative guide to be used by Federal, State, and local governments, private groups, and citizens to identify the nation's cultural resources and to indicate what properties should be considered for protection from destruction or impairment. 10 The National Park Service administers the National Register program. Listing in the National Register assists in preservation of historic properties in several ways, including: recognition that a property is of significance to the nation, the state, or the community; consideration in the planning for federal or federally assisted projects; eligibility for federal tax benefits; and qualification for Federal assistance for historic preservation, when funds are available. To be eligible for listing and/or listed in the National Register, a resource must possess significance in American history and culture, architecture, or archaeology. Listing in the National Register is primarily honorary and does not in and of itself provide protection of a historic resource. The primary effect of listing in the National Register on private owners of historic buildings is the availability of financial and tax incentives. In addition, for projects that receive Federal funding, a clearance process must be completed in accordance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. State and local regulations may also apply to properties listed in the National Register CFR60, Section ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 24

31 The criteria for listing in the National Register follow established guidelines for determining the significance of properties. The quality of significance in American history, architecture, archeology, engineering, and culture is present in districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects: A. That are associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of our history; or B. That are associated with the lives of persons significant in our past; or C. That embody the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction, or that represent the work of a master, or that possess high artistic values, or that represent a significant and distinguishable entity whose components may lack individual distinction; or D. That have yielded, or may be likely to yield, information important in prehistory or history. 11 Criteria Considerations Certain types of properties are not usually considered for listing in the National Register. These include religious properties, moved properties, birthplaces or graves, cemeteries, reconstructed properties, commemorative properties, and properties achieving significance within the past 50 years. 12 These properties can be eligible for listing, however, if they meet special requirements, called Criteria Considerations, in addition to being eligible under one or more of the four criteria and possessing integrity. The National Park Service has defined seven Criteria Considerations; those that are the most relevant to this study include: Criteria Consideration A: Religious Properties A religious property is eligible if it derives its primary significance from architectural or artistic distinction or historical importance. A religious property requires justification on architectural, artistic, or historic grounds to avoid any appearance of judgment by government about the validity of any religion or belief. Historic significance for a religious property cannot be established on the merits of a religious doctrine, but rather, for architectural or 11 36CFR60, Section National Register Bulletin 15. ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 25

32 artistic values or for important historic or cultural forces that the property represents. A religious property's significance under Criterion A, B, C, or D must be judged in purely secular terms. A religious group may, in some cases, be considered a cultural group whose activities are significant in areas broader than religious history. Criteria Consideration G: Properties that have Achieved Significance within the Past 50 Years A property achieving significance within the past fifty years is eligible if it is of exceptional importance. The National Register Criteria for Evaluation exclude properties that achieved significance within the past 50 years unless they are of exceptional importance. 50 years is a general estimate of the time needed to develop historical perspective and to evaluate significance. This consideration guards against the listing of properties of passing contemporary interest and ensures that the National Register is a list of truly historic places. The phrase "exceptional importance does not require that the property be of national significance. It is a measure of a property's importance within the appropriate historic context, whether the scale of that context is local, State, or national. Integrity In addition to meeting any or all of the designation criteria listed above, the National Park Service requires properties to possess historic integrity. Historic integrity is the ability of a property to convey its significance and is defined as the authenticity of a property s historic identity, evidenced by the survival of physical characteristics that existed during the property s historic period. 13 The National Register recognizes seven aspects or qualities that comprise integrity: location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, and association. These qualities are defined as follows: Location is the place where the historic property was constructed or the place where the historic event took place. 13 National Register Bulletin 16A. ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 26

33 Design is the combination of elements that create the form, plan, space, structure, and style of a property. Setting is the physical environment of a historic property. Materials are the physical elements that were combined or deposited during a particular period of time and in a particular pattern or configuration to form a historic property. Workmanship is the physical evidence of the crafts of a particular culture or people during any given period in history or prehistory. Feeling is a property's expression of the aesthetic or historic sense of a particular period of time. Association is the direct link between an important historic event or person and a historic property. 14 In assessing a property's integrity, the National Park Service recognizes that properties change over time. National Register Bulletin 15 provides: To retain historic integrity a property will always possess several, and usually most, of the aspects. It is not necessary for a property to retain all its historic physical features or characteristics. The property must retain, however, the essential physical features that enable it to convey its historic identity. A property that has lost some historic materials or details can be eligible if it retains the majority of the features that illustrate its style in terms of the massing, spatial relationships, proportion, pattern of windows and doors, texture of materials, and ornamentation. The property is not eligible, however, if it retains some basic features conveying massing but has lost the majority of the features that once characterized its style. 15 A property that has sufficient integrity for listing at the national, state, or local level will typically retain a majority of the identified character defining features, 14 U.S. Department of Interior, National Park Service, National Register Bulletin 15: How to Apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation. Washington D.C.: National Park Service, National Register Bulletin 15. ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 27

34 and will retain sufficient integrity to convey its significance. The required aspects of integrity are dependent on the reason for a property s significance. Increased age and rarity of the property type are also considerations when assessing integrity thresholds. For properties that are significant for their architectural merit (Criterion C), a higher priority is placed on integrity of design, materials, and workmanship. For properties that are significant for their association with important events or people, integrity of feeling and/or association may be more important. For properties which are considered significant under National Register Criteria A and B, National Register Bulletin 15 states: A property that is significant for its historic association is eligible if it retains the essential physical features that made up its character or appearance during the period of its association with the important event, historical pattern, or person(s). A property important for illustrating a particular architectural style or construction technique must retain most of the physical features that constitute that style or technique California Register of Historical Resources The California Register is an authoritative guide in California used by State and local agencies, private groups, and citizens to identify the State's historical resources and to indicate what properties are to be protected, to the extent prudent and feasible, from substantial adverse change. 17 The criteria for eligibility for listing in the California Register are based upon National Register criteria. These criteria are: 1. Associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of local or regional history or the cultural heritage of California or the United States. 16 National Register Bulletin California PRC, Section (a). ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 28

35 2. Associated with the lives of persons important to local, California or national history. 3. Embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, region or method of construction or represents the work of a master or possesses high artistic values. 4. Has yielded, or has the potential to yield, information important to the prehistory or history of the local area, California or the nation. The California Register consists of resources that are listed automatically and those that must be nominated through an application and public hearing process. The California Register includes the following: California properties formally determined eligible for (Category 2 in the State Inventory of Historical Resources), or listed in (Category 1 in the State Inventory), the National Register of Historic Places. State Historical Landmarks No. 770 and all consecutively numbered state historical landmarks following No For state historical landmarks preceding No. 770, the Office of Historic Preservation (OHP) shall review their eligibility for the California Register in accordance with procedures to be adopted by the State Historical Resources Commission (commission). Points of historical interest which have been reviewed by the OHP and recommended for listing by the commission for inclusion in the California Register in accordance with criteria adopted by the commission. 18 Other resources which may be nominated for listing in the California Register include: Individual historical resources. Historical resources contributing to the significance of an historic district. Historical resources identified as significant in historical resources surveys, if the survey meets the criteria listed in subdivision (g) of Section of the Public Resources Code. 18 California PRC, Section (d). ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 29

36 Historical resources and historic districts designated or listed as city or county landmarks or historic properties or districts pursuant to any city or county ordinance, if the criteria for designation or listing under the ordinance have been determined by the office to be consistent with California Register criteria. Local landmarks or historic properties designated under any municipal or county ordinance. 19 Resources eligible for listing in the California Register must retain enough of their historic character or appearance to be recognizable as historical resources and to convey the reasons for their significance. It is possible that resources lacking sufficient integrity for listing in the National Register may still be eligible for the California Register Santa Monica Eligibility Criteria In 1976, the City of Santa Monica adopted the Landmarks and Historic District Ordinance. 20 The ordinance includes criteria and procedures for designating City of Santa Monica Landmarks, Structures of Merit, and Historic Districts. Landmarks may include structures, natural features, or any type of improvement to a property that is found to have particular architectural or historical significance to the City. Landmarks are considered to have the highest level of individual historical or architectural significance locally. Structures of Merit are historic resources with a more limited degree of individual significance. In 1992, the City became a Certified Local Government (CLG) and has continued its involvement in the state s program under the Office of Historic Preservation. The Landmarks Commission may approve the landmark designation of a structure, improvement, natural feature or an object if it finds that it meets one or more of the following criteria, outlined in Section (A): 1. It exemplifies, symbolizes, or manifests elements of the cultural, social, economic, political or architectural history of the City. 19 California PRC, Section (e). 20 City of Santa Monica, Landmarks and Historic District Ordinance, Section , March 24, ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 30

37 2. It has aesthetic or artistic interest or value, or other noteworthy interest or value. 3. It is identified with historic personages or with important events in local, state or national history. 4. It embodies distinguishing architectural characteristics valuable to a study of a period, style, method of construction, or the use of indigenous materials or craftsmanship, or is a unique or rare example of an architectural design, detail or historical type valuable to such a study. 5. It is a significant or a representative example of the work or product of a notable builder, designer or architect. 6. It has a unique location, a singular physical characteristic, or is an established and familiar visual feature of a neighborhood, community or the City. The Landmarks Commission may approve the designation of a Structure of Merit if it has one of the following characteristics, outlined in Section : a. The structure has been identified in the City s Historic Resources Inventory. b. The structure is a minimum of 50 years of age and meets one of the following criteria: 1. The structure is a unique or rare example of an architectural design, detail or historical type. 2. The structure is representative of a style in the City that is no longer prevalent. 3. The structure contributes to a potential Historic District. (Added by Ord. No. 2486CCS 1, 2, adopted June 23, 2015). A historic district is defined by the City of Santa Monica as: Any geographic area or noncontiguous grouping of thematically related properties which the City Council has designated as and determined to be appropriate for historical preservation pursuant to the provisions of this [ordinance]. In order to be designated a historic district, an area must meet one of the following criteria, outlined in Section (B): ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 31

38 1. Any of the criteria identified in Section (A)(1) through (6). 2. It is a noncontiguous grouping of thematically related properties or a definable area possessing a concentration of historic, scenic, or thematic sites, which contribute to each other and are unified aesthetically by plan, physical development, or architectural quality. 3. It reflects significant geographic patterns, including those associated with different eras of settlement and growth, particular transportation modes, or distinctive examples of park or community planning California Historical Resource Status Codes First adopted in 1975 and amended in 2003, the California Historical Resource Status Codes (referred to herein as status codes ) are a systematic means of classifying historical resources that are evaluated either in a historic resource survey or as part of a regulatory process. 21 Each status code assigned to a given resource conveys two key pieces of information: (1) a classification code that signifies at which designation level (federal, state, or local) the resource is determined eligible, if at all; and (2) a qualifier that indicates under which program the evaluation was triggered. Resources and their associated status code(s) are subsequently inputted into the state s Historic Resources Inventory (HRI) database for reference. Various elaborations of the status codes exist, some of which are rarely used or are not applicable to this project. Listed below are the status codes that the Project Team used to evaluate Santa Monica s built resources. CODE 3S 3CS 5S3 3CD DESCRIPTION Appears eligible for the National Register (NR) as an individual property through survey evaluation. Appears eligible for the California Register (CR) as an individual property through survey evaluation. Appears to be individually eligible for local listing/designation through survey evaluation. Appears eligible for the California Register (CR) as a contributor to a CR eligible district through survey evaluation. 21 For more information about status codes and their application, please refer to the OHP s Technical Assistance Bulletin #8: ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 32

39 5D3 3CB 5B 6Z 6L 7R 7N Appears to be a contributor to a district eligible for local listing/designation through survey evaluation. Appears eligible for the California Register (CR) both individually and as a contributor to a CR eligible district through survey evaluation. Locally significant both individually (listed, eligible, or appears eligible) and as a contributor to a district that is locally listed, designated, determined eligible, or appears eligible through survey evaluation. Found ineligible for NR, CR, or local designation through survey evaluation. Determined ineligible for local listing or designation through local government review process, but may warrant special consideration in local planning Identified in Reconnaissance Level Survey: Not evaluated. Needs to be reevaluated. In addition to the aforementioned Status Codes, the City of Santa Monica also utilizes the code 5S3*, applied to resources that appear to be individually eligible for local listing/designation as a Structure of Merit through survey evaluation. A 5B* was applied to resources that appeared eligible or were designated as a Structure of Merit and were contributors to a locally eligible or designated historic district. ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 33

40 5. SURVEY FINDINGS 5.1. Summary of Findings As a result of this HRI Update, completed in accordance with the methodology described herein, the Project Team identified a total of 875 standalone resources (individual buildings and non building resources) in the City of Santa Monica that appear eligible for listing in the National Register, California Register, and/or as Santa Monica Landmarks or Structures of Merit. The Project Team identified a total of 337 properties that had not been previously identified or included in any iteration of the HRI. Identified resources include the following: 855 individual buildings (725 locally eligible as Santa Monica Landmarks, and 130 locally eligible as Santa Monica Structures of Merit. 40 of these appear eligible for listing in the National Register and/or California Register in addition to their local eligibility status) 16 Historic Districts 4 Conservation Districts 15 Non Building Resources (structures, objects, and sites). Data associated with each identified resource have been compiled into a Property Database; an Excel spreadsheet summarizing the findings is included as Appendix B of this report. The following sub sections address each major resource category that was evaluated in the HRI Update: (1) individual resources, (2) districts, (3) nonbuilding resources, (4) properties that need additional evaluation, and (5) resources that appear eligible for the National Register/California Register. ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 34

41 5.2. Individual Resources Individual properties were evaluated against eligibility criteria for the two categories of individual resources enumerated in Santa Monica s Landmarks and Historic District Ordinance: (1) Landmarks and (2 Structures of Merit. A total of 855 individual resources were identified in the HRI Update: 725 appear eligible as Landmarks 130 appear eligible as Structures of Merit In addition, eighty three (83) individual properties that were identified in the 2010 HRI Update as individually eligible (either as a Landmark or Structure of Merit) were identified as no longer eligible. Surveyors determined that a property was no longer eligible if it had been demolished, had been extensively altered to a point where its integrity had been diminished, or did not meet the registration requirements for a context/theme identified in the Historic Context Statement. The following sections address each of these scenarios in greater detail. Santa Monica Landmark The survey identified 725 individual buildings that were evaluated for their individual merit, and appear to be eligible as Santa Monica Landmarks. These properties were assigned the corresponding status code of 5S3. Consistent with Santa Monica s residential character, most of the buildings identified as individually eligible (600) are residential properties. Just over half of the individual residential properties identified through the survey are singlefamily residences, most of which can be grouped into one of two broad camps: residences that were built in the early 1900s through the early 1920s and represent Santa Monica s earliest patterns of residential development; and residences that are significant for the quality of their architecture. Residences identified as significant for embodying the distinctive characteristics of an architectural style or type, or as the work of a notable architect, represent a wide range of architectural styles and periods of construction, including Craftsman, numerous Period Revival styles, and Mid Century Modern. A small number of residences were found significant for their association with a notable person in Santa Monica s history. ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 35

42 The survey also identified a large collection of individual multi family residential properties, many of which are significant for representing patterns of multi family residential development in Santa Monica. Approximately half of these were built in the 1910s and 1920s, and represent Santa Monica s earliest multi family residential development. Many of these were also evaluated as excellent examples of early multi family building types such as duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, bungalow courts, and apartment houses. The remaining multi family residences identified in this HRI Update largely date to the period just prior to and after World War II and consist of courtyard apartments; these properties were generally evaluated for embodying distinctive characteristics of a property type. A small number of high rise residential towers, constructed in the 1960s and 1970s, are significant for their association with postwar patterns of residential development in Santa Monica and/or as notable examples of their architectural styles. Significant concentrations of early and postwar multi family residential development were found in the Wilshire Montana and Mid City neighborhoods, while later high rise development is clustered along Ocean Avenue. Seventy five (75) commercial properties were identified as individually eligible in the survey. The majority of these resources are significant for their association with the early development and expansion of the city s original commercial center (pre 1920); development patterns reflecting the period between the prosperous 1920s and the United States entry into World War II ( ); or increased development in the postwar period, reflecting expansion outside the original commercial center ( ). Many of these properties are retail storefronts, mixed use buildings, offices, or restaurants. Several of these properties are also significant for their architectural merit, mostly as excellent examples of 1920s and 1930s Period Revival styles such as Italian Renaissance Revival, Spanish Colonial Revival, and Tudor Revival, and early Modern styles such as Art Deco and Streamline Moderne. A small number of commercial properties were found eligible as the long term location of a local business important to the commercial identity of Santa Monica. Forty (40) public and private institutional resources were identified as individually eligibly in the survey. Several of the institutional resources identified are associated with the expansion of civic improvements as Santa Monica s population grew in the first decades of the 20 th century and in the post World War II period. These include four schools, three electrical substations, three utility buildings, two libraries, a fire station, and a lifeguard station. A large number of institutional properties identified through the survey are religious buildings ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 36

43 significant as excellent examples of their respective styles. The survey also identified a handful of private institutional properties such as 1920s beach clubs that were found significant for their association with Santa Monica s nascent tourism industry. Industrial buildings account for just four (4) of the individual resources identified in the survey. Two (2) were found significant as reflecting early patterns of industrial development in Santa Monica. One (1) was found significant for its associations with patterns of industrial development in the postwar period, as one of the last remaining buildings associated with the Douglas Aircraft Company. One (1) was identified for its architectural merit, as an excellent example of Streamline Moderne architecture as applied to an industrial building. Santa Monica Structure of Merit A Structure of Merit is a historic resource with a more limited degree of individual significance. A resource is eligible as a Structure of Merit if it is a unique or rare example of an architectural design, detail or historical type, representative of a style in the City that is no longer prevalent, or a contributor to an eligible historic district. A Structure of Merit generally does not rise to the level of significance needed to be eligible as a Santa Monica Landmark, but it still reflects patterns of cultural, social, economic, political or architectural history important to the City of Santa Monica. In some instances, the survey team identified resources that met the eligibility standards for local listing as Santa Monica Landmarks, but did not retain sufficient integrity to be eligible. In these cases, resources were found eligible as Santa Monica Structures of Merit. 130 individual buildings were found eligible as Santa Monica Structures of Merit. These properties were assigned the corresponding status code of 5S3*. Of these, an overwhelming majority are residential properties; several are commercial buildings; and a small handful are institutional buildings. Ineligible Individual Resources 83 properties that were identified in the 2010 HRI Update as individually eligible for listing as a Santa Monica Landmark or Structure of Merit were re evaluated and no longer appear to be eligible. Of these, 25 have been demolished and were ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 37

44 assigned a status code of 6Z. 22 properties no longer retain sufficient integrity for local listing and were assigned a status code of 6L. Finally, 36 properties do not appear to satisfy the registration requirements associated with a context/theme identified in the Historic Context Statement, and were also assigned a status code of 6L Districts Groupings of properties that share similar aesthetic and contextual qualities were evaluated as potential districts. The survey distinguished between (1) Historic Districts, which retain integrity and appear eligible for listing, and (2) Conservation Districts, which do not appear eligible due to diminished integrity but still retain some cohesion with respect to character, massing, scale, and use. Conservation districts, while not eligible for listing, convey a sense of place and patterns of development that may warrant special consideration in local planning. There are currently three (3) designated historic districts in Santa Monica: the Third Street Neighborhood Historic District, the Bay Street Craftsman Cluster, and the San Vicente Boulevard Courtyard Apartments Historic District. Since they are already designated, these districts were not re evaluated in this HRI Update. A total of twenty (20) districts were identified in the HRI Update. Of these, twelve (12) were previously identified in the 2010 HRI Update, and eight (8) were newly identified as part of this HRI update. Sixteen (16) appear eligible as Historic Districts Four (4) were identified as Conservation Districts It should be noted that the 2010 HRI Update identified a total of fifty three (53) historic districts. The current HRI Update identified far fewer historic districts for a number of reasons, including the following: Three (3) of the districts identified in the 2010 HRI Update are designated at the state or local levels, and were not re evaluated as part of this HRI Update. Contributing properties within these designated districts were also evaluated individually. Four (4) of the districts identified in the 2010 HRI Update were combined into a single district because they were contiguous and also shared similar aesthetic and contextual qualities (refer to description for the Sunset Park Historic District, below, for more detailed information). ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 38

45 Several of the districts identified in the 2010 HRI Update do not meet the registration requirements and/or integrity thresholds enumerated in the Historic Context Statement. Several of the districts identified in the 2010 HRI Update were evaluated as thematic groupings, or concentrations of properties that are associated with the same historic context/theme but are geographically disparate. Contributing properties within previously identified thematic groupings were evaluated as individual resources in this HRI update to be consistent with state and federal guidelines related to historic districts. Several of the districts identified in the 2010 HRI Update were evaluated as clusters, which typically comprised five or fewer properties. Clusters, because of their diminutive size, generally do not convey information about patterns of history and development in a manner consistent with the registration requirements included in the Historic Context Statement. Clusters are also not a recognized category per state and federal guidelines. Thus, contributing properties within previously identified clusters were instead evaluated as individual resources in this HRI update. The following table summarizes the current status of each of the fifty three (53) districts that were identified in the 2010 HRI Update. For a more detailed discussion of districts that were identified in this HRI Update, and how these findings compare to districts that were identified in the 2010 HRI Update, please refer to Appendix E of this report DISTRICT NAME 2018 STATUS 2018 DISTRICT NAME NOTES 1000 Block of 21 st Street 1000 Block of 25 th /26 th Street Spanish Colonial Revival 1000 Block of Broadway Spanish Colonial Revival 1100 Block of Maple Street No Longer Eligible No Longer Eligible No Longer Eligible No Longer Eligible Cluster; did not meet registration requirements. Contributing properties evaluated individually. Did not meet registration requirements. Contributing properties evaluated individually. Cluster; did not meet registration requirements. Contributing properties evaluated individually. District no longer retains sufficient integrity. Contributing properties evaluated individually. ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 39

46 1200 Block of 11 th Street 1300 Block of Cedar Street 19 th and Idaho Blocks of 3 rd Street No Longer Eligible No Longer Eligible No Longer Eligible No Longer Eligible 2000 Block of 21 st /22 nd Streets Eligible Blocks of 26 th /27 th Streets 2200 Block of Cloverfield Boulevard Blocks of 22 nd Street Minimal Traditional Block of 4 th Street Block of 6 th Street 2500 Block of 3 rd Street/ Blocks of 4 th Street Blocks of 33 rd Street Minimal Traditional Blocks of Highland Avenue Eligible Eligible Eligible No Longer Eligible No Longer Eligible No Longer Eligible No Longer Eligible No Longer Eligible Sunset Park Residential Historic District Sunset Park Residential Historic District Sunset Park Residential Historic District Sunset Park Residential Historic District Cluster; did not meet registration requirements. Contributing properties evaluated individually. District no longer retains sufficient integrity. Contributing properties evaluated individually. Cluster; did not meet registration requirements. Contributing properties evaluated individually. Did not meet registration requirements. Contributing properties evaluated individually. Combined with three other contiguous districts that are similar aesthetically/thematically. Combined with three other contiguous districts that are similar aesthetically/thematically. Combined with three other contiguous districts that are similar aesthetically/thematically. Combined with three other contiguous districts that are similar aesthetically/thematically. Did not meet registration requirements. Contributing properties evaluated individually. Did not meet registration requirements. Contributing properties evaluated individually. Did not meet registration requirements. Contributing properties evaluated individually. District no longer retains sufficient integrity. Contributing properties evaluated individually. Did not meet registration requirements. Contributing properties evaluated individually. ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 40

47 Blocks of 9 th Street Tudor Revival 3000 Block of 3 rd Street No Longer Eligible No Longer Eligible 3100 Block of 6 th Street Eligible Block of Ashland No Longer Eligible 600 Block of Ashland Eligible 900 Block of 22 nd Street 900 Block of 4 th Street 900 Block of Lincoln Boulevard Adelaide Drive and Adelaide Place African American Churches (Thematic Grouping) Byers Thematic Grouping Central Business District Elegant Apartment Buildings (Thematic Grouping) No Longer Eligible No Longer Eligible No Longer Eligible No Longer Eligible No Longer Eligible No Longer Eligible No Longer Eligible No Longer Eligible 6 th Street Residential Historic District Ashland Craftsman Residential Historic District Did not meet registration requirements. Contributing properties evaluated individually. Did not meet registration requirements. Contributing properties evaluated individually. Previous boundaries expanded to capture additional properties with similar aesthetic/contextual traits. District no longer retains sufficient integrity. Contributing properties evaluated individually. Previous boundaries and contributor count remain approximately the same. District no longer retains sufficient integrity. Contributing properties evaluated individually. Cluster; did not meet registration requirements. Contributing properties evaluated individually. Did not meet registration requirements. Contributing properties evaluated individually. District no longer retains sufficient integrity. Contributing properties evaluated individually. Thematic groupings were dissolved. Contributing properties evaluated individually. Thematic groupings were dissolved. Contributing properties evaluated individually. District no longer retains sufficient integrity. Contributing properties evaluated individually. Thematic groupings were dissolved. Contributing properties evaluated individually. ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 41

48 Georgina Avenue Eligible Georgina Avenue Residential Historic District Previous boundaries and contributor count remain approximately the same. Gillette s Regent Square Eligible Gillette s Regent Square Residential Historic District Previous boundaries expanded to capture additional properties with similar aesthetic/contextual traits. High Place No Longer Eligible All contributing properties have been demolished. Idaho and 12 th No Longer Eligible Cluster; did not meet registration requirements. Contributing properties evaluated individually. La Mesa Drive Eligible La Mesa Drive Residential Historic District Previous boundaries and contributor count remain approximately the same. Main Street Commercial Eligible Main Street Commercial Historic District Previous boundaries reduced due to the alteration/demolition of many contributing properties. Marina Estates Ranch House Eligible Marina Estates Residential Historic District Previous boundaries remain approximately the same. Mid City Apartment Courts (Thematic Grouping) No Longer Eligible Thematic groupings were dissolved. Contributing properties evaluated individually. Model Houses (Thematic Grouping) No Longer Eligible Thematic groupings were dissolved. Contributing properties evaluated individually. Montana Avenue Mid Century Multi Family Residential Eligible Montana Avenue Multi Family Residential Historic District Previous boundaries expanded to capture additional properties with similar aesthetic/contextual traits. Nebraska Avenue Industrial Eligible Nebraska Avenue Industrial Historic District Previous boundaries adjusted, but contributor count remains approximately the same. North of Wilshire Apartment Courts (Thematic Grouping) No Longer Eligible Thematic groupings were dissolved. Contributing properties evaluated individually. Ocean Park Bungalow Courts (Thematic Grouping) No Longer Eligible Thematic groupings were dissolved. Contributing properties evaluated individually. ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 42

49 Palisades Beach Road Designated District is listed in the California Register, and was not reevaluated for California Register eligibility. The previous HRI also identified a potentially eligible local district, which no longer retains sufficient integrity. Contributing properties within the no longer eligible local district were evaluated individually. Palisades Tract Eligible Palisades Tract Residential Historic District Previous boundaries reduced due to the alteration/demolition of many contributing properties. Princeton Street English Revival No Longer Eligible Cluster; did not meet registration requirements. Contributing properties evaluated individually. San Vicente Apartments Designated District is listed locally and was not re evaluated. Santa Monica Public Schools (Thematic Grouping) No Longer Eligible Thematic groupings were dissolved. Contributing properties evaluated individually. Santa Monica Substations (Thematic Grouping) No Longer Eligible Thematic groupings were dissolved. Contributing properties evaluated individually. Seaview Terrace and Vicente Terrace Eligible Seaview Terrace Vicente Terrace Residential Historic District Previous boundaries and contributor count remain approximately the same. South Beach Eligible South Beach Residential Historic District Previous boundaries and contributor count remain approximately the same. St. Monica s Designated Property is listed in the California Register as a district, and was not re evaluated. Telephone Thematic Grouping No Longer Eligible Thematic groupings were dissolved. Contributing properties evaluated individually. ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 43

50 The following four (4) historic districts and four (4) conservation districts were newly identified as part of this HRI Update: Oak Street Multi Family Residential Historic District Sunset Park Residential Historic District (amalgamation of four previously identified districts listed in table above) Urban Avenue Residential Historic District Washington Avenue Residential Historic District Copeland Court Residential Conservation District Montana Avenue Commercial Conservation District Ocean Park Boulevard Commercial Conservation District Pico Boulevard Commercial Conservation District Historic Districts Of the sixteen (16) historic districts identified in the survey, all but two represent residential development. The majority of the residential historic districts are single family residential neighborhoods significant for conveying patterns of residential development within their respective neighborhoods and/or for their architectural merit; these districts contain properties largely constructed in the 1920s, 30s, and 40s in Period Revival styles. Only one district, the Marina Estates Residential Historic District, was developed entirely in the postwar period; it contains an architecturally cohesive grouping of Ranch style residences constructed in The survey identified two historic districts comprising mostly multi family residences: the Montana Avenue Residential Historic District and the Oak Street Residential Historic District. These districts were found eligible for representing excellent examples of multi family residential property types and conveying patterns of multi family residential development. One (1) commercial historic district was identified in the survey. The Main Street Commercial Historic District was identified as a rare collection of retail storefronts constructed in the 1910s through the 1940s in the Ocean Park neighborhood of Santa Monica. The survey also identified one industrial district, the Nebraska Avenue Industrial Historic District, which is important as a rare concentration of low scale industrial development in Santa Monica developed during the post World War II era. Detailed descriptions and summaries of significance for the historic districts identified in the HRI Update are as follows: ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 44

51 6 th Street Residential Historic District Figure 5. Overview of the 6 th Street Residential Historic District (HRG, 2017). The 6 th Street Residential Historic District was previously identified in the 2010 HRI Update as the 3100 Block of 6 th Street District. Its name was updated to implement a more consistent naming process across districts. Its boundaries were slightly expanded to include additional properties on Marine Street that exhibit the same architectural, aesthetic, and contextual qualities as the previous district. In addition to being locally eligible, the district was also identified in the 2010 HRI Update as potentially eligible for the National Register and California Register. However, this HRI Update concluded that the district is locally eligible only, and does not rise to the level of significance for National/California Register eligibility. The district was identified as an excellent concentration of Craftsman style residential architecture in Santa Monica. The period of significance is 1905 to 1924, accounting for the district s primary period of development. Of the 26 properties within the district, 15 (58%) are contributions, and 11 (42%) are noncontributors. ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 45

52 The district is located in the Ocean Park neighborhood of Santa Monica, along the city s southern edge. It includes properties on both sides of 6th Street between Marine and Dewey Streets, as well as both sides of Marine Street between 511 and 615 Marine St. The district is small in size and generally rectangular in shape, and its topography is generally flat. It contains single family residences, most of which are modest bungalows designed in the Craftsman style. These houses are one story in height, and are sited on standard lots with uniform setbacks. Contributing properties exhibit a strong sense of visual cohesion. Common architectural features include low pitched gabled roofs with open, overhanging eaves; wide front porches with wood supports and heavy piers; a variety of cladding materials including wood clapboard, wood shingle, stucco, and brick; fixed and double hung wood windows, often with divided lights; and decorative features such as wood slat attic vents. Some properties have detached garages accessed via driveways or rear alleys. Most houses are modestly landscaped with grassy lawns, trees, and various foundation plantings. Common alterations include the replacement of original primary doors and windows. District features include concrete curbs and sidewalks, narrow landscaped parkways, and mature Eucalyptus street trees. Non contributing properties within the district boundary include substantially altered residences, as well as later development. Figure 6. 6 th Street Residential Historic District boundaries and contributing properties (ARG, 2017). ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 46

53 Ashland Craftsman Residential Historic District Figure 7. Overview of the Ashland Craftsman Residential Historic District (HRG, 2017). The Ashland Craftsman Residential District was previously identified in the 2010 HRI Update as the 600 Block of Ashland District. Its name was updated to implement a more consistent naming process across districts. Its boundaries remain approximately the same as they were in the previous HRI Update. The district was identified as an excellent concentration of Craftsman style residential architecture in Santa Monica. The period of significance is 1909 to 1924, accounting for the district s primary period of development. Of the 15 properties within the district, nine (60%) are contributors, and six (40%) are noncontributors. One property within the district were identified both as a district contributor and as an individually eligible resource. The district is located in the Ocean Park neighborhood of Santa Monica, near the city s southern edge. It includes properties on both sides of Ashland Avenue between Highland Avenue and 7th Street. The district is small in size and generally rectangular in shape, with topography that slopes upward slightly to the north and west. The district contains one and two story single family residences. Most of these residences are designed in the Craftsman style, with a few ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 47

54 examples in the American Colonial Revival style. Houses are sited on standard lots with uniform setbacks. On the north side of the street, some front yards slope upward, and are generally bounded by low retaining walls. Contributing properties exhibit a strong sense of visual cohesion. Common architectural features include low pitched gabled roofs with open, overhanging eaves; wide front porches with wood supports and heavy piers; a variety of cladding materials including wood clapboard, wood shingle, stucco, and brick; fixed and double hung wood windows, often with divided lights; and decorative features such as wood slat attic vents. Detached garages at the rear of the lots are accessed via driveways. Most houses are landscaped with grassy lawns, mature trees, and various foundation plantings. Common alterations include upper story and rear two story additions. The district has concrete curbs and sidewalks, and mature ficus street trees; there are no parkways. Figure 8. Ashland Craftsman Residential Historic District boundaries and contributing properties (ARG, 2017). ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 48

55 Georgina Avenue Residential Historic District Figure 9. Overview of the Georgina Avenue Residential Historic District (ARG, 2017). The Georgina Avenue Residential Historic District was previously identified in the 2010 HRI Update as the Georgina Avenue District. Its name was updated to implement a consistent naming process across districts. Its boundaries remain the same as they were in the previous HRI update. The district was identified as an excellent concentration of Period Revival residential architecture in Santa Monica. The period of significance is 1912 to 1957, accounting for the district s primary period of development. Of the 78 properties within the district, 43 (55%) are contributors, and 35 (45%) are noncontributors. Nine properties within the district were identified both as district contributors and as individually eligible resources, or are district contributors that are also individually designated. The district is located in the North of Montana neighborhood of Santa Monica. Its boundaries encompass both sides of Georgina Avenue between 7 th Street on the west and 17 th Street on the east. The district is irregular in shape and has a flat topography. It is oriented around the vehicular thoroughfare of Georgina Avenue, which generally charts an east west course. The buildings on the north side of the ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 49

56 street occupy uniformly sized parcels that are perpendicular to the linear segments of the street, but become slightly angled as the street curves. On the south side of street, the parcels are irregularly shaped from 7 th Street to Euclid Street, where they become rectangular but vary in size. Many of the houses are located on lots that are slightly elevated from the public right of way. The district is predominantly composed of two story, single family residences designed in an array of complementary Period Revival styles and mid twentieth century architectural styles. The Period Revival styles that are represented include Spanish Colonial Revival, Mediterranean Revival, Tudor Revival, and American Colonial Revival. Some mid century idioms such as Mid Century Modern and Ranch are also represented. Though the houses within the district were designed by different architects and builders, they are similar with respect to massing, scale, and visual character. Most of the properties have detached garages at the rear of the parcels, which are accessed via long driveways. The properties west of 11 th Street are bordered on the north by an alley and lack driveways. Common alterations include the replacement of original doors and windows, rear or side additions, and the re stuccoing of exterior walls. Several houses in the district have also been demolished and replaced over time. The houses along the north side of Georgina Avenue feature uniform setbacks and are lushly planted with lawns, shrubs, and mature trees; those on the south side of Georgina Avenue vary in their orientation and setback due to the irregular shape of their respective parcels, but also contain substantial landscaping. Landscaped parkways with mature palm trees and lawns line both sides of the street and are a unifying feature of the district. ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 50

57 Figure 10. Georgina Avenue Residential Historic District boundaries and contributing properties (ARG, 2017). ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 51

58 Gillette s Regent Square Residential Historic District Figure 11. Overview of the Gillette s Regent Square Residential Historic District (ARG, 2017). The Gillette s Regent Square Residential Historic District was previously identified in the 2010 HRI Update as the Gillette s Regent Square Historic District. Its name was updated to implement a more consistent naming process across districts. Its boundaries were expanded to include additional, adjacent blocks (primarily on 16 th Street) that are geographically contiguous with the previous district, share many of the same essential aesthetic, architectural, and contextual qualities as the previous district, and were constructed within the previous district s period of significance. The new boundaries were selected after surveyors visually inspected the area and conducted extensive research related to historical development patterns and tract boundaries, which ultimtely resulted in a larger geographic area and a larger number of contributors. The district was identified as an excellent concentration of Period Revival residential architecture in Santa Monica. The period of significance is 1913 to 1957, accounting for the district s primary period of development. Of the 725 properties within the district, 374 (52%) are contributors, and 345 (47%) are noncontributors. Six properties (1%) could not be evaluated, either because they were not visible from the public right of way or because they were under ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 52

59 construction or renovation at the time of the survey. 32 properties within the district were identified both as district contributors and as individually eligible resources, or are district contributors that are also individually designated. The district is located in the North of Montana neighborhood of Santa Monica. It is generally bounded by San Vicente Boulevard on the north, 21 st Place on the east, Montana Avenue on the south, and 16 th Street on the west. The district is large in size, rectangular in shape, and contains 725 residential properties. Its topography is generally flat, but there is some slight variation in the area between Georgina Avenue and San Vicente Boulevard. The district is composed of large single family residences that were designed in an array of early to mid twentieth century architectural styles and were custom built by different architects and builders. Houses are sited on large, rectangular parcels, and some are slightly elevated from the public right of way. They feature uniform setbacks and are either one or two stories in height. Within the district, Period Revival idioms including the Spanish Colonial Revival, Tudor Revival, and American Colonial Revival styles are most common. However, mid century styles including Minimal Traditional and Ranch are also present, and are generally compatible with the architectural character of the district. Several properties contain detached garages at the rear of the parcels, which are approached by driveways from the street; porte cocheres are also common within the district, and particularly on older residences that date to the 1920s. Common alterations include the replacement of original doors and windows, the re stuccoing of exterior walls, and additions to rear or side façades. Some original residences within the district have also been demolished and replaced over time. Building setbacks are lushly landscaped with lawns, shrubs, and mature trees. Streets are flanked by concreted sidewalks and broad, landscaped parkways. The district also contains mature street of various species. Each street is lined with its own unique tree species, which provides a strong sense of unity and cohesion and provides the district with a strong sense of visual identity. ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 53

60 Figure 12. Gillette s Regent Square Residential Historic District boundaries and contributing properties (ARG, 2017). ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 54

61 La Mesa Drive Residential Historic District Figure 13. Overview of the La Mesa Drive Residential Historic District (ARG, 2017). The La Mesa Drive Residential Historic District was previously identified in the 2010 HRI Update as the La Mesa Drive Historic District. Its name was updated (slightly) to implement a more consistent naming process across districts. Its boundaries remain the same as they were in the previous HRI update. In addition to being locally eligible, the district was also identified in the 2010 HRI Update as potentially eligible for the National Register and California Register. This determination was carried forward as part of this HRI update, due to the district s high quality of architecture and exceptional sense of visual cohesion. The district was identified as an excellent concentration of Period Revival residential architecture in Santa Monica. The period of significance is , which reflects the district s primary period of development. Of the district s 57 properties, 36 (63%) are contributors, and 18 (32%) are non contributors. Three (5%) properties could not be evaluated, either because they were not visible from the public right of way or because they were under construction or renovation at the time of the survey. 29 properties within the district were identified both as ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 55

62 district contributors and as individually eligible resources, or are district contributors that are also individually designated. The district is located in the North of Montana neighborhood of Santa Monica. It is generally bounded by the City of Los Angeles and a canyon on the north, 26 th Street on the east, San Vicente Boulevard on the south, and the west lot line of 1837 La Mesa Drive on the west. The district is irregular in shape and has a flat topography. It is developed with a collection of single family residences that were constructed between the 1920s and 1940s, and are designed in an array of Period Revival styles and post World War II idioms that are visually compatible with the district s prevailing character. These houses are sited on large lots of varying sizes and feature generous setbacks. Most are two stories tall and have rambling plans. Period Revival styles are most common within the district, but compatible midcentury styles including Ranch, Mid Century Modern, and the International style are also present. Most of these houses are exemplary of their respective style and exhibit a high degree of articulation and detail. Properties were designed by different architects and builders, but are similar with respect to massing, scale, and visual character. They typically contain attached garages that are accessed by long driveways and fronted by forecourts. Common alterations include the replacement of garage doors and primary doors, but overall, alterations are minor and contributors to the district remain remarkably intact. Building setbacks are lushly landscaped with mature trees, shrubs, and lawns. Many of the properties contain gates or fences at the sidewalk, which makes several houses difficult to see from the public right of way. La Mesa Drive generally adheres to an east west axis, running parallel to San Vicente Boulevard and connecting to it at the west end of the district. 21 st and 24 th streets bisect the district. Near the district s eastern boundary, La Mesa Drive splits to become La Mesa Drive and La Mesa Way, which is marked by a landscaped roundabout and three triangle shaped concrete medians with pedestrian crossings. Lining both sides of La Mesa Drive are parkways that are planted with mature Moreton Bay Fig trees, which are notable for their intricate root systems and expansive canopies. The district also features original post top street lamps, with paired lanterns at the entrances to the district and single lanterns in between. ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 56

63 Figure 13. La Mesa Drive Residential Historic District boundaries and contributing properties (ARG, 2017). ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 57

64 Main Street Commercial Historic District Figure 14. Overview of the Main Street Commercial Historic District (HRG, 2017). The Main Street Commercial Historic District was previously identified in the 2010 HRI Update as the Main Street Commercial District. Its name was updated (slightly) to implement a more consistent naming process across districts. Its boundaries were also reduced; it originally spanned the blocks of Main Street and included some additional properties on perpendicular streets, but now spans only the blocks of Main Street. Its boundaries were reduced because a majority of properties on the other blocks had been altered and/or demolished since the previous survey, and this portion of the previous district no longer retained enough integrity to adequately express its historical significance. The district was identified for conveying broad patterns of commercial development that shaped the built environment of Santa Monica in the period prior to World War II. The period of significance is 1911 to 1948, accounting for the district s primary period of development. Of the 56 properties within the district, 28 (50%) are contributors, and 28 (50%) are non contributors. Seven properties within the district were identified both as district contributors and as individually eligible resources, or are district contributors that are also individually designated. ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 58

65 The district is located in the Ocean Park neighborhood of Santa Monica, near the city s southern edge. It includes properties on both sides of Main Street between Ocean Park Boulevard on the north and Marine Street on the south. The district is linear in its configuration, extending five blocks along Main Street, and occupying generally flat topography. Its development is exclusively commercial, with a mix of commercial storefronts and mixed use commercial blocks, with retail on the ground story and office space above. Buildings are typically one story in height, with some examples of two story buildings that are typically located on corner lots. The majority of buildings are vernacular in their architecture, with a handful of examples representing various styles of the period including Art Deco, Mid Century Modern, and Italian Renaissance Revival. The scale of building ranges from modest, single lot storefronts to commercial blocks that span multiple parcels. Nearly all buildings are situated at the sidewalk with zero front setback and a pedestrian orientation, with no dedicated off street parking. Contributing properties exhibit a strong sense of visual cohesion. Common characteristics include flat roofs, stucco or brick exterior cladding, primary entrances at the street, large display windows, signage, and other features that are intended to attract the attention of passers by. Common alterations include modified storefronts, non original doors, awning additions, and updated signage. District features include concrete curbs and sidewalks, and mature street trees; there are no parkways. ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 59

66 Figure 15. Main Street Commercial Historic District boundaries and contributing properties (ARG, 2017). ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 60

67 Marina Estates Residential Historic District Figure 16. Overview of the Marina Estates Residential Historic District (ARG, 2017). The Marina Estates Residential Historic District was previously identified in the 2010 HRI Update as the Marina Estates Ranch House District. Its name was updated to implement a more consistent naming process across districts. Its boundaries remain the same as they were in the previous HRI Update. The district was identified as an excellent concentration of Ranch style residential architecture in Santa Monica. The period of significance is 1956, which is when all of the houses comprising the district were built. Of the 33 properties within the district, 21 (64%) are contributors, and 12 (36%) are non contributors. The district is located in the Sunset Park neighborhood of Santa Monica, near the city s southern edge. It includes properties on both sides of Paula Drive and Linda Lane, both of which originate at Marine Street and then come together to form a U. Its southern boundary is formed by Marine Street. The district is relatively small and rectangular in shape, and its topography is generally flat. It contains 33 properties, most of which are modest, single family tract houses that are designed in the Ranch style. Most of these houses are sited on standard sized lots, feature uniform setbacks, adhere to one of several standardized plans, and are ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 61

68 either one or one and a half stories in height. Generally, the houses that are along the crest of the U, where Paula Drive meets Linda Lane, occupy larger lots and rise one and a half stories. All of the houses were designed by the same team of architects, and as a result they exhibit a strong sense of visual cohesion. Common architectural features include irregular plans; low pitched, cross gabled roofs; front porches, a variety of cladding materials including wood, stucco, stone, and brick; diamond paned windows; and decorative features such as dovecotes, shutters, and scalloped trim. Houses feature attached garages that are approached by concrete driveways. Some of the garages face the street, while others are oriented to one side. Common alterations include the replacement of original primary doors, windows, and garage doors, and additions to rear and side facades. Most houses are modestly landscaped with broad lawns, trees, and various foundation plantings. Streets feature concrete curbs and are flanked by concrete sidewalks. There are no street trees or other uniform plantings within the district. Figure 17. Marina Estates Residential Historic District boundaries and contributing properties (ARG, 2017). ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 62

69 Montana Avenue Multi-Family Residential Historic District Figure 18. Overview of the Montana Avenue Multi Family Residential Historic District (ARG, 2017). The Montana Avenue Multi Family Residential Historic District was previously identified in the 2010 HRI Update as the Montana Avenue Mid Century Multi Family Residential District. Its name was updated to implement a more consistent naming process across districts. Its boundaries were expanded slightly to include additional properties on that exhibit the same architectural, aesthetic, and contextual qualities as the previous district, particularly along its eastern edge. The district was identified for conveying broad patterns of residential development that shaped the built environment of Santa Monica in the midtwentieth century. It was also identified as an excellent concentration of important multi family property types including courtyard apartments, bungalow courts, and apartment houses, all of which directly responded to the climate and culture of Santa Monica. The period of significance is , which accounts for the district s primary period of development. Of the 67 properties within the district, 43 (64%) are contributors, and 23 (34%) are non contributors. One property (2%) could not be evaluated because it was not visible from the public right of way. Two properties within the district were identified both as district contributors and as individually eligible resources. ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 63

70 The district transcends the boundaries of three Santa Monica neighborhoods: North of Montana, Northeast, and Wilshire Montana. It includes properties on both sides of Montana Avenue between 17 th Street on the west and 22 nd Street on the east, and properties along the south side of Montana Avenue between 22 nd Street on the west and Stanford Street on the east. The district is rectangular in shape, and its topography is flat. It is developed with multi family property types that are designed in an array of complementary mid twentieth century architectural styles. Buildings in the western half of the district are sited on rectangular parcels of varying sizes. These buildings are generally flush or slightly set back from the sidewalk and modestly landscaped with lawns, shrubs, and foundation plantings; the building setbacks deepen and become more consistent as the district progresses east. Buildings are typically one to three stories in height and feature rectangular, L shaped, or U shaped footprints that are oriented around landscaped courtyards. Montana Avenue is a heavily traveled vehicular corridor that adheres to an east west axis. It is flanked by concrete sidewalks and landscaped parkways. Within the district, Minimal Traditional style properties are the most common, though the American Colonial Revival, Mid Century Modern, and Ranch styles are also represented. Many of the properties are simple, vernacular interpretations of their respective style. Property types include apartment houses, courtyard apartments, and bungalow courts. Parking is generally relegated to the rear of the parcels, and is accessed by rear alleyways. Common features include hipped or gabled roofs; stucco or wood siding, sometimes with brick or masonry accents; double hung and casement wood or steel sash windows; and simple Colonial style detailing. Common alterations include the replacement of original doors and windows, the additions of awnings, and the re stuccoing of exterior walls. ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 64

71 Figure 19. Montana Avenue Multi Family Residential Historic District boundaries and contributing properties (ARG, 2017). ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 65

72 Nebraska Avenue Industrial Historic District Figure 20. Overview of the Nebraska Avenue Industrial Historic District (HRG, 2017). The Nebraska Avenue Industrial Historic District was previously identified in the 2010 HRI by the same name. Its boundaries were adjusted slightly; two properties on its eastern edge that were previously identified as contributors (buildings associated with the original campus of SciArc) were drawn out of the current district due to loss of integrity, and two additional properties on the western edge of the current district were added in because they share many of the same essential aesthetic, architectural, and contextual qualities as the previous district, and were constructed within the previous district s period of significance. These adjustments did not result in a net loss or gain of contributors. The district was identified for conveying broad patterns of industrial development that shaped the physical and economic landscape of Santa Monica in the early postwar period. The period of significance is 1946, the year that all contributing properties were constructed. There are four properties within the district, all of which are contributors. Typically, the HRI Update did not evaluate small clusters of properties as historic districts, but an exception was made in this particular instance because cohesive, intact groupings of industrial properties of this vintage are very rare in Santa Monica. ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 66

73 The district is located in the Pico neighborhood of Santa Monica and includes four properties on the 2900 block of Nebraska Avenue. The district is small in size, irregular in shape, and occupies flat topography. Its development is exclusively industrial and includes a contiguous grouping of low slung, semi detached, onestory industrial buildings. These buildings are vernacular but exhibit some characteristics that loosely reference the American Colonial Revival style. Common characteristics include low pitched gable roofs with stepped parapets on the street facing facades; brick exterior cladding with weeping mortar; and wood and steel sash windows with divided lights. Each of the buildings is arranged and configured somewhat differently on its lot. Yet, all present similar street facades, with multiple bays defined by simple pilasters and entrance bays composed of a central wood entry door, flanking sidelights, and a parapet. The buildings have minimal front setbacks, with shallow beds filled with foundation plantings. District features include concrete curbs and sidewalks, and perpendicular street parking. There are no parkways, street trees, or streetlights. Figure 21. Nebraska Avenue Industrial Historic District boundaries and contributing properties (ARG, 2017). ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 67

74 Oak Street Multi-Family Residential Historic District Figure 22. Overview of the Oak Street Multi Family Residential Historic District (ARG, 2017). The Oak Street Multi Family Residential Historic District was newly identified as part of this HRI Update. It was identified through the Historic Context Statement s narrative about patterns of residential development and multi family housing. The district was identified for conveying broad patterns of residential development that shaped the built environment of Santa Monica in the midtwentieth century. Specifically, it reflects the proliferation of multi family residences constructed during this period to accommodate the large number of defense workers employed by the Douglas Aircraft Corporation nearby. The district was also identified as an excellent concentration of courtyard apartments, an important property type that directly responded to the climate and culture of Santa Monica. The period of significance is , accounting for the district s primary period of development. Of the 22 properties within the district, 16 (73%) are contributors, and six (27%) are non contributors. The district is located in the Sunset Park neighborhood of Santa Monica. It includes a roughly two block long stretch of Oak Street between 25 th Street on the east and roughly mid block to 23 rd Street on the west. The district, which ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 68

75 contains 22 properties, is rectangular in shape and has a flat topography. It is composed primarily of courtyard apartments that are designed in an array of midtwentieth century architectural styles. Most of these complexes appear to have been custom built by a variety of builders and architects. The buildings are sited on long, narrow parcels, though some complexes encompass wide double lots, and are uniformly set back from the street. They are generally one story in height along Oak Street and rise to two stories at the back. Within the district, the Minimal Traditional style is most prevalent, but other styles that are represented include Ranch and Streamline Moderne. Most of the properties represent a variation of the courtyard apartment property type, with one or two wings flanking a central landscape. Nearly all of the properties contain detached apartment/garages at the rear of the parcels. Common features include irregular plans, hipped or flat roofs, and stucco cladding or wood siding; a unifying element of the district is a lack of ornamentation on individual buildings. Common alterations include the replacement of original doors and windows, and the addition of security doors. Building setbacks are modestly landscaped with lawns, shrubs, and foundation plantings. Low fences or hedges that are flush with the public right of way are common. Oak Street is a vehicular corridor that adheres to an east west axis. Head in parking spaces line the north side of the street. Mature ficus trees are planted within the parking strips along both sides of the street, creating a dramatic shade canopy. ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 69

76 Figure 23. Oak Street Multi Family Residential Historic District boundaries and contributing properties (ARG, 2017). ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 70

77 Palisades Tract Residential Historic District Figure 24. Overview of the Palisades Tract Residential Historic District (ARG, 2017). The Palisades Tract Residential Historic District was previously identified in the 2010 HRI Update as the Palisades Tract District. Its name was updated slightly to implement a more consistent naming process across districts. Its boundaries were also reduced; the district previously included properties on Palisades Avenue, 4 th Street, and 7 th Street, but was adjusted to only include properties on Palisades Avenue. Other areas of the previously identified district were excluded because extensive alterations and/or demolition had diminished their integrity, or because they represent patterns of development and/or architectural styles that are not compatible with the prevailing character and development pattern of the district, as gleaned from information enumerated in the Historic Context Statement. The district was identified as an excellent concentration of early twentieth century and Period Revival residential architecture in Santa Monica. The period of significance is 1912 to 1957, reflecting the district s primary period of development. Of the district s 53 properties, 27 (51%) are contributors, and 25 (47%) are non contributors. One (2%) property could not be evaluated because it was not visible from the public right of way. 12 properties within the district ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 71

78 were identified both as district contributors and as individually eligible resources, or are district contributors that are also individually designated. The district is located in the North of Montana neighborhood of Santa Monica, near the city s western edge. It encompasses both sides of Palisades Avenue between Ocean Avenue on the west and 7 th Street on the east. The district, which contains 53 residential properties, is rectangular in shape and has a flat topography. It is composed of single family residences that were designed in various early and mid twentieth century architectural styles. Most of these houses are sited on large, rectangular parcels. The houses near the eastern edge of the district occupy slightly irregular parcels that conform to the curve of the street. They feature uniform setbacks and are either one or two stories in height. Period Revival styles are most common within the district, but some compatible early twentieth century styles, such as Craftsman and American Foursquare, are also represented. Houses within the district were designed by different architects and builders. The houses architectural features are representative of their respective styles. Common features include hipped or gabled roofs, stucco cladding or wood shake siding, and wood sash casement or double hung windows. Properties generally contain detached garages at the rear of the parcels, which are accessed by rear alleyways that parallel the axis of the street; only a handful of residences have driveways along Palisades Avenue. Common alterations include the replacement of original doors and some windows, and additions to rear or side façades. Some original houses within the district have also been demolished and replaced over time. Building setbacks are lushly landscaped with lawns, shrubs, and mature trees, and fronted by gates, fences, or box hedges along the sidewalk. Palisades Avenue is a vehicular corridor that adheres to an east west axis. Notable street features include concrete sidewalks, broad, landscaped parkways, and mature street trees. The district is bisected by 4 th Street, which charts a north south course and has a wide median. A defining element of the district is the small, oval shaped pocket park located near its eastern edge. Known as Goose Egg Park, it is landscaped with lawn and mature shade trees and also features single lantern, post top street lights along the perimeter. ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 72

79 Figure 25. Palisades Tract Residential Historic District boundaries and contributing properties (ARG, 2017). ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 73

80 Seaview Terrace Vicente Terrace Residential Historic District Figure 26. Overview of the Seaview Terrace Vicente Terrace Residential Historic District (ARG, 2017). The Seaview Terrace Vicente Terrace Residential Historic District was previously identified in the 2010 HRI Update as the Seaview and Vicente Terrace District. Its name was updated to implement a more consistent naming process across districts. Its boundaries remain approximately the same as they were in the previous HRI update; one commercial property was removed from the eastern edge of the district, because its commercial character and context did not bear an association with the prevailing residential character of the district. The district was identified for conveying broad patterns of residential development that shaped the residential landscape of Santa Monica in the early decades of the twentieth century. It is also notable within this context for representing patterns of development that were oriented around pedestrian streets, an important element of the City s early built environment. The period of significance is , accounting for the district s primary period of development. Of the 17 properties within the district, 12 (71%) are contributors, and five (29%) are non contributors. One property within the district was identified both as a district contributor and as an individually eligible resource. ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 74

81 The district occupies a small residential area that is located adjacent to the Pacific Ocean, in the Ocean Park neighborhood of Santa Monica. It includes properties on both sides of Seaview Terrace as well as the north side of Vicente Terrace, and is generally bounded by Appian Way on the west and Ocean Avenue on the east. The district is small in size and roughly rectangular in shape, and occupies a site that slopes downward toward the ocean. Within the district are single family and multi family residences that were built between the 1910s and the mid twentieth century. A few parcels have been consolidated and redeveloped with large residential complexes. Contributing buildings within the district feature general setbacks, and most vary between one and two stories in height. Various architectural styles are represented in the district, reflective of its development spanning the course of several decades. The single family properties within the district are generally large, two story dwellings that exhibit characteristics of the Craftsman style. Interspersed between these Craftsman style houses are small scale residential courts and other types of multi family housing. These multi family properties tend to be architecturally vernacular but exhibit characteristics of the Streamline Moderne or Tudor Revival styles. A large apartment house anchors the west end of the district. Common alterations include the replacement of original windows and primary doors. Some original houses within the district have also been demolished and replaced with more contemporary residential buildings over time. The district features a unique circulation pattern consisting of a combination of narrow streets and pedestrian corridors. Vicente Terrace is a narrow street that is accessible to cars, while Seaview Terrace is a pedestrian thoroughfare that is off limits to vehicular traffic. Both streets are narrow and are built at a scale that reinforces the district s secluded, intimate character. The western end of Seaview Terrace includes two sets of concrete steps that are flanked by brick pylons and cheek walls, and respond to the relatively steep grade of the site. Individual properties are lushly landscaped with a combination of mature trees, bushes, shrubs, and foundation plantings. ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 75

82 Figure 27. Seaview Terrace Vicente Terrace Residential Historic District boundaries and contributing properties (ARG, 2017). ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 76

83 South Beach Residential Historic District Figure 28. Overview of the South Beach Residential Historic District (HRG, 2017). The South Beach Residential Historic District was previously identified in the 2010 HRI Update as the South Beach District. Its name was updated to implement a more consistent naming process across districts. Its boundaries remain the same as they were in the previous HRI Update. In addition to being locally eligible, the district also appears to be eligible for the National Register and California Register due to its exceptional degree of visual cohesion and the strong sense of time and place that it conveys. The district was identified for conveying broad patterns of residential development that shaped the residential landscape of Santa Monica in the early decades of the twentieth century. It was also identified as an excellent concentration of early twentieth century residential architectural styles in Santa Monica. The period of significance is 1901 to 1925, accounting for the district s primary period of development. Of the district s 103 properties, 60 (58%) are contributors, and 43 (42%) are non contributors. Seven (7) properties within the ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 77

84 district were identified both as district contributors and as individually eligible resources, or are district contributors that are also individually designated. The district is located in the Ocean Park neighborhood of Santa Monica, along the city s southern edge. It includes properties on both sides of Wadsworth Avenue, Hart Avenue, and Fraser Avenue, and the north side of Ocean Park, between Barnard Way on the west and Neilson Way on the east. The district is generally rectangular in shape, spanning three and a half residential blocks, and its topography is generally flat. It is exclusively residential in its development, primarily with one and two story single family residences, along with a small number of apartment buildings. Sited on modest lots, residences feature minimal front and side setbacks, with the eaves of neighboring houses almost touching in some instances. The majority of the residences are designed in a transitional vernacular style, exhibiting influences of various Victorian era and early 20th century styles, including Queen Anne, Craftsman, American Foursquare, American Colonial Revival, and Dutch Colonial Revival. This blend of styles from the period contributes to a strong sense of visual cohesion. Common architectural features include medium pitched gabled and hipped roofs; wide, open eaves, often with flared ends or shaped rafter tails; front porches, sometimes enclosed with glazing; a variety of cladding materials, including wood clapboard, wood shingle, and brick; wood sash windows, often with divided lights; and half stories with roof dormers. Common alterations include the replacement of original primary doors and windows; front porch, deck, or balcony additions; upper story and rear twostory additions; and the elevation of the original residence over a garage addition. District features include concrete curbs and sidewalks, and mature street trees; there are no parkways. A remnant horse ring an iron ring set in the sidewalk to tie up a horse is extant in front of 119 Wadsworth Avenue. Non contributing properties within the district boundary include substantially altered residences, as well as later development. ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 78

85 Figure 29. South Beach Residential Historic District boundaries and contributing properties (ARG, 2017). ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 79

86 Sunset Park Residential Historic District Figure 30. Overview of the Sunset Park Residential Historic District (ARG, 2017). The Sunset Park Residential Historic District was newly identified as part of this HRI Update. It is a combination of four districts that were previously identified in the 2010 HRI Update: (1) the 2200 Block of Cloverfield Boulevard District, (2) the 2300/2400 Blocks of 22 nd Street Minimal Traditional District, (3) the 2000 Block of 21 st /22 nd Street District, and (4) the 2200/2300 Blocks of 26 th /27 th Street Single Family Residence District. These previous districts were combined because they are geographically contiguous, share many of the same essential aesthetic, architectural, and contextual qualities, and were constructed at the same time and relate to the same contexts and themes enumerated in the Historic Context Statement. Several other, adjacent blocks that were not identified in the 2010 HRI Update were also included in this new district for the same reasons listed above. The district was identified for conveying broad patterns of residential development that shaped the residential landscape of Santa Monica in the midtwentieth century. Specifically, it reflects increased residential development occurring within the neighborhood during and after World War II to accommodate the influx of defense workers employed at the nearby Douglas Aircraft Corporation. The period of significance is , reflecting the ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 80

87 district s primary period of development. Of the 390 properties within the district, 248 (64%) are contributors, and 138 (35%) are non contributors. Four properties (1%) could not be evaluated, either because they were not visible from the publicright of way or because they were under construction or renovation at the time of the survey. Three properties within the district were identified both as district contributors and as individually eligible resources. The district is located in the Sunset Park neighborhood of Santa Monica. It is generally bounded by Pico Boulevard on the north, Pearl Street on the south, 27 th Street on the east, and 21 st Street on the west. The district excludes the large parcel comprising Grant Elementary School, which is located on the south side of Pearl Street between Cloverfield Boulevard and 25 th Street. It contains 389 residential properties and has a flat topography. North of Pearl Street, the district is generally rectangular, but a small area extends south of Pearl Street to include the Block of 22 nd Street. It is composed of modest single family residences that were designed in an array of early to mid twentieth century architectural styles. Properties occupy standard sized lots, feature uniform setbacks, and are one story in height. Most parcels are oriented in the east west direction, but those along Pearl Street face north to south. Within the district, Minimal Traditional houses are most common, but the Spanish Colonial, Tudor Revival, and Ranch styles are also present. Most of the houses are relatively modest interpretations of their respective architectural style. Common architectural features include hipped or gabled roofs (with clay barrel tiles on Spanish Colonial Revival houses); stucco cladding with wood or stone accents; multi pane, wood sash windows; and decorative features including attic vents, pierced stucco screens, or dovecotes. Many of the houses feature detached garages at the rear of the parcels that are approached by concrete driveways. Common alterations include the replacement of some windows and primary doors, the addition of security doors, additions to rear or side façades, and the restuccoing of exterior walls. Some original houses within the district have also been demolished and replaced over time. Most houses are modestly landscaped with lawns, trees, and various foundation plantings. Numbered streets within the district, as well as Cloverfield Boulevard, adhere to a north south axis. These streets are flanked by concrete sidewalks, narrow parkways, and mature or semi mature shade trees. Several of the streets are lined with ficus trees. Pearl Street charts an east west course, but exhibits similar characteristics to other streets within the district. ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 81

88 Figure 31. Sunset Park Residential Historic District boundaries and contributing properties (ARG, 2017). ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 82

89 Urban Avenue Residential Historic District Figure 32. Overview of the Urban Avenue Residential Historic District (HRG, 2017). The Urban Avenue Residential Historic District was newly identified as part of this HRI Update. It was identified through the Historic Context Statement s narrative about patterns of residential development in the mid twentieth century. The district was identified for conveying broad patterns of residential development that shaped the built environment of Santa Monica in the midtwentieth century. The period of significance is 1927 to 1951, accounting for the district s primary period of development. Of the 51 properties within the district, 30 (59%) are contributors, and 21 (41%) are non contributors. The district is located in the Pico neighborhood of Santa Monica and includes properties on both sides of Urban Avenue between Yorkshire Avenue on the west and Pico Place on the east, and the west side of Yorkshire Avenue where it meets Urban Avenue. The district is moderate in size and irregular in shape, and its topography is generally flat. It comprises two blocks of Urban Avenue, with the easternmost end of the street having been cut off by the construction of the Santa Monica (10) Freeway. The district is developed exclusively with singlefamily residences. Contributing properties are modest one story tract houses, ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 83

90 designed primarily in the Minimal Traditional style. Houses are sited on standard sized lots with uniform front and side setbacks. Contributing properties exhibit a strong sense of visual cohesion. Common architectural features include low pitched hipped roofs with shallow eaves; modest front porches; a variety of cladding materials including stucco, wood and brick; double hung wood windows with divided lights; and decorative features such as wood shutters. Most houses have detached garages accessed via rear alleys. Front yards are landscaped with grassy lawns, trees, and various foundation plantings. Common alterations include the replacement of original primary doors and windows, and awning additions. District features include concrete curbs and sidewalks, landscaped parkways, and mature bottlebrush street trees. Non contributing properties within the district boundary include substantially altered residences, as well as buildings that are associated with later and more contemporary periods of development. ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 84

91 Figure 33. Urban Avenue Residential Historic District boundaries and contributing properties (ARG, 2017). ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 85

92 Washington Avenue Residential Historic District Figure 34. Overview of the Washington Avenue Residential Historic District (ARG, 2017). The Washington Avenue Residential Historic District was newly identified as part of this HRI Update. It was identified through the Historic Context Statement s narrative about patterns of residential development prior to World War II. The district was identified for conveying broad patterns of residential development that shaped the built environment of Santa Monica in the midtwentieth century. The period of significance is , accounting for the district s primary period of development. Of the 67 properties within the district, 46 (69%) are contributors, and 21 (31%) are non contributors. The district is located in both the Mid City and Northeast neighborhoods of Santa Monica. It includes properties on both sides of Washington Avenue between 24 th Street on the west and Harvard Street on the east. The district, which contains 67 residential properties, is rectangular in shape and has a flat topography. It is composed of modest, single family residences that are mostly designed in either the Spanish Colonial Revival or Minimal Traditional styles. The buildings are sited on standard sized, rectangular lots, though those located east of 26 th Street are slightly larger. Properties feature uniform setbacks and are generally one story. ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 86

93 Within the district, the Spanish Colonial and Minimal Traditional styles are the most prevalent. Common features include hipped roofs; stucco wall cladding, with brick or wood accents for Minimal Traditional properties; and gabled, clay tile roofs, stucco cladding, wood windows with arched openings and divided lights, and decorative details such as wood shutters and attic vents for Spanish Colonial Revival properties. Many of the houses feature detached garages at the rear of the parcels that are accessed by driveways from Washington Avenue or rear alleyways. Common alterations include the replacement of some windows and primary doors, and the re stuccoing of exterior walls. Some original houses within the district have also been demolished and replaced over time. Most properties are lushly landscaped with lawns, shrubs, trees, and various foundation plantings. Washington Avenue is a vehicular corridor that adheres to an east west axis. It is flanked by concrete sidewalks, narrow parkways, and mature street trees. Figure 35. Washington Avenue Residential Historic District boundaries and contributing properties (ARG, 2017). ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 87

94 Conservation Districts The survey also identified Conservation Districts. A Conservation District is a grouping of resources that conveys patterns of development important to the history of Santa Monica and retains an identifiable sense of place, but does not meet the registration requirements and/or integrity thresholds to be eligible as a Historic District. Though they are ineligible for listing, Conservation Districts nonetheless retain a sense of cohesion with respect to overall character, massing, scale, and use, and therefore may warrant recognition and special consideration in local planning. The HRI Update identified four (4) Conservation Districts, three (3) of which are commercial in character and one (1) of which is residential. The sections below describe each of these Conservation Districts in greater detail. Conservation Districts were not identified in previous iterations of the HRI. All of the Conservation Districts described herein were newly identified as part of this HRI Update. ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 88

95 Copeland Court Residential Conservation District Figure 36. Overview of the Copeland Court Residential Conservation District (HRG, 2017). The Copeland Court Residential Conservation District was newly identified as part of this HRI Update. It was identified through the Historic Context Statement s narrative about patterns of residential development in the early decades of the twentieth century. The Conservation District was identified as a rare example of residential development oriented around a pedestrian street in Santa Monica. Due to alterations to a majority of individual buildings within the district boundaries, the area does not possess sufficient integrity to qualify as a Historic District. However, due to its unique configuration of residential development oriented onto a common central walkway and its cohesion in terms of overall character, massing, scale and use, it may warrant special consideration in the local planning process. The Conservation District is located in the Ocean Park neighborhood of Santa Monica, near the city s southern edge. It includes properties on both sides of Copeland Court between Highland Avenue on the west and 7th Court on the east. 7th Street bisects the district. The district is small in size, with varied topography ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 89

96 that slopes downward to the east. It is exclusively residential in its development, containing a mix of one and two story single family residences and multi family buildings. Most residences date from the first half of the twentieth century, displaying a range of architectural styles, with a few examples of recent infill development. Residences are sited on deep narrow lots, with shallow front setbacks and deep rear yards. All properties are oriented onto a central concrete walkway, with front lot lines defined by privacy walls, fences and shrubbery. Most properties include detached garages accessed via rear alleys; some have large rear additions or secondary structures in the rear of the lot. Due to the sloping topography, the walkway has two small sets of concrete steps with metal pipe railings, at Highland Avenue and at 7th Street. There are no streetlights. Figure 37. Copeland Court Residential Conservation District boundaries (ARG, 2017). ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 90

97 Montana Avenue Commercial Conservation District Figure 38. Overview of the Montana Avenue Commercial Conservation District (ARG, 2017). The Montana Avenue Commercial Conservation District was newly identified as part of this HRI Update. It was identified through the Historic Context Statement s narrative about commercial development patterns in the mid twentieth century. The Conservation District was identified as a good example of a neighborhoodoriented commercial center in Santa Monica, developed in the pre World War II period. It contains a collection of retail storefronts dating from the 1920s through the 1950s that exhibit consistent character, massing, scale and use. Due to alterations to a majority of individual buildings within the district boundaries, the area does not possess sufficient integrity to qualify as a Historic District. However, since it retains consistent visual characteristics that convey early periods of commercial development in Santa Monica, it may warrant special consideration in the local planning process. The Conservation District is located on the cusp of the Wilshire Montana and North of Montana neighborhoods in north Santa Monica. It encompasses both sides of Montana Avenue between 9 th Street on the west and 17 th Street on the east. The district contains roughly 60 properties and is linear in shape. Its ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 91

98 topography is flat. The district is composed primarily of modest commercial buildings that were constructed between the 1920s and 1950s. Most of these buildings are occupied by retail stores, restaurants, financial institutions, and commercial uses that are compatible with its character as a shopping district. Buildings are flush with the street, and most are one or two stories in height. Buildings within the district are designed in a range of architectural styles that were popular during its period of development. Common characteristics include primary entrances that are flush with the street, plate glass display windows, bulkheads, and signage and other visual features that are intended to attract the attention of passers by. Most of the individual buildings have been altered; however, as a whole the district retains its essential form, scale, and character. This stretch of Montana Avenue is a linear corridor that travels in an east west direction. The street is flanked by concrete sidewalks and is lined with mature ficus trees. Surface parking can be found at the rear of the parcels, and is accessed by small alleyways that run mid block. Figure 39. Montana Avenue Commercial Conservation District boundaries (ARG, 2017). ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 92

99 Ocean Park Boulevard Commercial Conservation District Figure 40. Overview of the Ocean Park Boulevard Commercial Conservation District (ARG, 2017). The Ocean Park Boulevard Commercial Conservation District was newly identified as part of this HRI Update. It was identified through the Historic Context Statement s narrative about commercial development patterns in the midtwentieth century. The Conservation District was identified as a good example of a neighborhoodoriented commercial center in Santa Monica, developed largely in the pre World War II period. The Conservation District contains a concentration of commercial storefronts constructed during the 1930s, 40s, and 50s that exhibit consistent character, massing, scale and use. Due to alterations to a majority of individual buildings within the district boundaries, the area does not possess sufficient integrity to qualify as a Historic District. However, since it retains consistent visual characteristics that convey early periods of commercial development in Santa Monica, it may warrant special consideration in the local planning process. The Conservation District is located in the Sunset Park neighborhood in the eastern section of Santa Monica. Its boundaries encompass the south side of Ocean Park Boulevard between 16 th Street on the east and 17 th Street on the west, and both sides of Ocean Park Boulevard between 17 th Street on the east and 18 th Street on the west. The district contains 24 properties and is linear in ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 93

100 shape. Its topography is flat. It is primarily composed of modest, vernacular commercial buildings that were constructed between the 1930s and the 1950s. Most of these buildings are occupied by retail stores, restaurants, financial institutions, and commercial uses that are compatible with its character as a neighborhood oriented shopping district. Buildings are flush with the street, are one story in height, and do not represent any particular architectural style. Buildings within the district typically feature primary entrances that are flush or slightly recessed from the street, plate glass display windows, bulkheads, and projecting blade signs. Most of the individual buildings have been altered; however, as a whole the district retains its essential form, scale, and character. This stretch of Ocean Park Boulevard is a linear corridor that generally travels in an east west direction. The street is flanked by concrete sidewalks and lined by young street trees. Surface parking can be found at the rear of the parcels and is accessed by rear alleyways that parallel the axis of the street. Figure 41. Ocean Park Boulevard Commercial Conservation District boundaries (ARG, 2017). ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 94

101 Pico Boulevard Commercial Conservation District Figure 42. Overview of the Pico Boulevard Commercial Conservation District (HRG, 2017). The Pico Boulevard Commercial Conservation District was newly identified as part of this HRI Update. It was identified through the Historic Context Statement s narrative about commercial development patterns in the mid twentieth century. The Conservation District was identified as a good example of a neighborhoodoriented commercial center in Santa Monica, developed largely in the pre World War II period. The Conservation District contains a concentration of commercial storefronts constructed during the 1930s, 40s, and 50s that exhibit consistent character, massing, scale and use. Due to alterations to a majority of individual buildings within the district boundaries, the area does not possess sufficient integrity to qualify as a Historic District. However, since it retains consistent visual characteristics that convey early periods of commercial development in Santa Monica, it may warrant special consideration in the local planning process. The Conservation District is located in the Pico neighborhood of Santa Monica and includes properties on the north side of Pico Boulevard, between Stewart Street on the west and 34th Street on the east. The district is linear in its configuration, stretching six blocks along the north side of Pico Boulevard, and ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 95

102 occupying generally flat topography. The district is primarily commercial in its development, with a mix of primarily one and two story retail and mixed use commercial buildings. Original development dates from the first half of the twentieth century, and displays a range of architectural styles. Most buildings are situated at the sidewalk with no front setback and a pedestrian orientation, and feature no dedicated off street parking. Some later development does incorporate surface parking. Today, this stretch of Pico Boulevard is home to a wide variety of uses, from restaurants and retail stores, to automotive repair shops and one example of multi family housing. District features include concrete curbs and sidewalks, and mature street trees. There are no parkways. More recent street improvements including streetlights, bus stops, benches, corner bump outs, and a landscaped median help define this stretch of Pico Boulevard as an important node of commercial activity within the Pico neighborhood. Figure 43. Pico Boulevard Commercial Conservation District boundaries (ARG, 2017). ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP 96