Memorandum. ICF Jones & Stoke Associates, Inc. 811 West 7 th Street, Suite 800 Los Angeles, CA Tel

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1 TO: Scott Albright, City of Santa Monica DATE: December 9, 2009 CC: FROM: Peter Moruzzi, Architectural Historian RE: ADDITIONAL RESEARCH REQUEST: ND STREET LANDMARK ASSESSMENT This research request for additional information related to the Mar Vista Apartments at nd Street has been prepared by ICF Jones & Stokes at the request of City staff. ICF Jones & Stokes initially prepared a City Landmark Assessment Report for the property in October 2009 and concluded that the apartment building appeared to qualify for listing as a local landmark under several designation criteria. Following discussion by the City s Landmarks Commission on November 9, 2009 the commission asked that further research on the building/site be conducted and expanded. Specifically, an analysis of the property s east coast feel as being unusual for Southern California, a search for additional historic photographs, further analysis on the building s brick and metal cornice detailing, an identification of other apartment buildings in the downtown vicinity that were constructed more than 40 years ago, and further clarification on whether the subject property meets the requirements of Criterion #6. East Coast Feel In terms of the subject property having an east coast feel, its heavy massing, window arrangements, fire escapes, brick construction, cornice details and rather understated appearance are perhaps evocative of apartment buildings erected in the eastern seaboard in the 1910s. However, it does not appear that such elements are especially unique to that part of the country because such architectural elements can be found in cities throughout the Midwest and West, including Santa Monica, at that time. As can be seen in historic photographs of downtown streets in Santa Monica, brick was the most popular construction material for single- and multi-story civic, institutional, religious, and commercial buildings erected from the 1880s through the 1920s. In residential architecture, larger multi-family apartment buildings of the period, such as the subject property, were often of brick masonry construction. Yet, what makes the Mar Vista Apartments distinctive is the use of a higher quality variegated buff face brick for the majority of its exterior surfaces. This gives the property its east coast feel in contrast with the use of common brick or red pressed brick often seen on masonry buildings erected throughout greater Los Angeles. No evidence was uncovered during the current research process to suggest that a design reminiscent of an east coast apartment building was intentional. As noted in the Landmark Assessment for this property, original owner Thomas Higgins who hailed from Ireland was a prominent real estate investor in Los Angeles who sold the subject building soon after its completion. Additional research revealed that Higgins fortune was based upon the leasing of mines in America s western states with earnings that continued to accrue even after his arrival in Los Angeles in 1903, at the age of 56. As ICF Jones & Stoke Associates, Inc. 811 West 7 th Street, Suite 800 Los Angeles, CA Tel

2 a result, there is no indication that Higgins would have requested a regionally-based architectural style or particular construction materials such as those found in the east coast. Similarly, given that Higgins primarily utilized Los Angeles-based architects for his numerous projects, no link to east coast influences could be made. Stylistically, large east coast cities such as New York were known for their raised brownstone apartment buildings set slightly back from the street with prominent entry steps. The subject property does not exhibit such qualities. Instead, the Mar Vista apartment building expresses a restrained interpretation of the Italian Renaissance Revival architectural style based upon principles of the Beaux Arts School. These principles would be more thoroughly realized in the 1920s in numerous large multi-story buildings such as those constructed in downtown Los Angeles. Brick Masonry Construction Based upon visual inspection, the subject property appears to be the only remaining masonry building in the Central Business District that incorporates variegated buff face brick for the majority of its exterior surfaces. This type of brick is considered a higher end more expensive material that differs from common brick, red pressed brick, and enameled brick that were popular as surface materials in the 1910s and 1920s. Common brick, as its name suggests, was the most plain and inexpensive brick utilized in building construction. It is orange red, pinkish red, or pale red, mostly uniform in color with a surface exhibiting a light coat of sand; edges are straight and the corners are usually dull. Differing from common brick in its color (orange-red to red), smooth surface, and straight and sharp edges and corners is red pressed brick. In contrast, variegated buff face brick, which is utilized in the primary elevations of the Mar Vista apartments, exhibits color gradations from light buff to dark brown with round brown or black spots up to 1/8 inch across. Such bricks have straight edges and sharp corners and their faces have a slight velour texture. Variegated buff face brick contains sand sized grains of white quartz, cream feldspars, black iron, red particles, and a translucent green mineral. It is iron that gives these bricks the distinctive black spots that are clearly visible in the subject property s exterior surfaces. By selecting similar shades and colors of variegated face brick, interesting architectural elements and decorative details are obtained in buildings. The subject property takes full advantage of these possibilities in its pilasters of header bricks and spandrels utilizing diagonally-patterned bricks centered by concrete diamonds. Note that the Mar Vista Apartment s secondary elevations feature less costly red pressed brick but not the least expensive common brick. Another masonry building utilizing red pressed brick is the Keller Block (227 Broadway) erected in 1893 that, unlike the Mar Vista Apartments, is a strictly commercial building. ICF Jones & Stokes Page 2 December 9, 2009

3 Costlier still is enameled face brick that was often utilized in prominent masonry buildings such as Santa Monica s Junipher Building of 1911, a commercial building located at Santa Monica Boulevard. Enameled face brick features straight edges, sharp corners, various color combinations, and, unlike buff face brick, smooth glazed surfaces. The Lido Hotel at th Street features a material known as Old Gold pressed Roman brick, which differs from the variegated face brick found in the subject property. As the following table indicates, of the two brick masonry apartment buildings located within the CBD only the subject property features variegated buff face brick. In addition, the Mar Vista Apartments is the only brick masonry multi-family dwelling in the CBD that is strictly residential (versus mixed use) with no ground floor retail component. Address Common Name Apartment Type Brick nd Street Mar Vista Apartment only Apartments Variegated buff face brick on primary elevations. Red pressed brick on secondary elevations th Street Lido Hotel Mixed use Old Gold pressed Roman brick on primary elevation. Red pressed brick on secondary elevations Sheet Metal Cornice The sheet metal cornice of the Mar Vista Apartments is a decorative element that appears to be the only remaining example of such an architectural detail in the Central Business District. Sheet metal cornices and other architectural sheet metal work appeared in American commercial buildings in the late-19 th century and continued to be used to decorate edifices until the late 1910s when molded art stone, carved stone, or terracotta cornices supplanted the material. The Cycolopedia of Architecture, Carpentry, and Building published in 1912, defines sheet metal cornices as duplications of designs commonly found in wood, which, in turn, were imitations of stone with designs that are satisfactorily executed in sheet metal which are impossible to produce in any other material. 1 The author continues, By the free and judicious application of pressed metal ornaments, a product is obtained that equals carved work. For boldness of figure, sharp and clean-cut lines, sheet-metal work takes the lead of all competitors. 2 In addition to cornices, architectural sheet metal was used 1 James C. et al, Cyclopedia of Architecture, Carpentry, and Building, American Technical Society, volumes 7-10, Ibid. ICF Jones & Stokes Page 3 December 9, 2009

4 for spandrels, friezes, rooftop ornaments, and statuary. 3 Rosettes, feathers, flowers, mythological and historical figures, eagles, lions, griffins, gargoyles, crests, finials, vanes, and intricate scrollwork were all rendered in zinc, brass, and copper. The subject property features elaborate scrolled brackets and stylized lions along its sheet metal cornice. Starting in the middle of the last century, architectural sheet metal elements were systematically removed from buildings as the material deteriorated or was damaged from earthquakes, renovations, or for other reasons. As a result, buildings in Southern California retaining architectural sheet metal ornamentation are exceptionally rare. Despite the deterioration or damage to portions of the subject property s cornice metalwork, it retains a high level of overall integrity of design, materials, and workmanship making it a distinctive and rare example of architectural design and detail that is of great value to the built history of Santa Monica. Apartment Buildings Erected More Than 40 Years Ago As requested by the Commission, a visual inspection was conducted to determine the prevalence of multi-family residences constructed prior to 1969 (over 40 years old) within the traditional boundaries of Santa Monica s Central Business District (CBD). It was found that among apartment buildings there were several varieties: an elegant apartment building such as the Shangri-La, mixed use buildings such as the Lido Hotel and Hotel Carmel, a low-rise masonry apartment building (the subject property), a modest fourplex (1337 Ocean Avenue), a modern high-rise (the Pacific Plaza), and mid-century vernacular modern apartments such as the Pacific Sands annex. It can be concluded, therefore, that there are relatively few apartment buildings in the area and the subject Mar Vista Apartments remains the earliest multi-family dwelling in the CBD, making it especially unique. 3 Bakewell and Mullins. Victorian Architectural Sheet-Metal Ornaments: A Reprint of the 1887 Catalog, Dover Press. Dover Massachusetts: ICF Jones & Stokes Page 4 December 9, 2009

5 Address Date Built Common Name Comment 1431 Ocean Avenue 1963 Pacific Plaza Modern high-rise with 180 units 1337 Ocean Avenue 1926 None Spanish Colonial Revival with four flats 1327 Ocean Avenue 1951 None Vernacular Modern with 11 units 1301 Ocean Avenue 1940 Shangri-La Hotel Streamline Moderne (now a hotel) 201 Broadway (aka nd St.) 1928 Hotel Carmel Neoclassical, four stories with 93 units nd St Mar Vista Apartments nd St Pacific Sands Motor Hotel annex Subject property. Renaissance Revival. Three stories. No retail component. 48 units Vernacular Modern with 15 units th St Lido Hotel Art Deco. Mixed Use with ground floor retail. Clarification of City Landmark Designation Criterion 6 According to the City Municipal Code Chapter (a)(6) in order to qualify for designation under this criterion a property must be especially unique in its location, singular physical characteristic, or as an established and familiar visual feature of the City. Given the building s lack of a tower, large rooftop or blade sign, or other projection, it does not qualify as having a singular physical characteristic that would make it stand out on its corner location. As relates to the condition established and familiar visual feature is particularly broad and could apply solely to many properties that have existed for a substantial period of time. As a result, in recent years this criterion has been primarily interpreted as applying to properties that are unique in their presence by commanding or dominating their respective locations. Given the Mar Vista Apartment s three-story height it gets lost amidst the enormous concrete eightstory parking structure to its south and the office skyscraper diagonally across the street from it, ICF Jones & Stokes Page 5 December 9, 2009

6 particularly to drivers seeking parking or just motoring by. In addition, the subject building s lack of ground floor commercial space renders it somewhat invisible to drivers and pedestrians who might have otherwise been drawn to it as retail customers. In contrast, a mixed-use building regularly garners foot traffic and greater vehicular attention lending itself to heightened awareness and increased mindshare. Therefore, the Mar Vista Apartments do not meet this criterion. Conclusion The Mar Vista apartment building is unique in many respects. It is the oldest multi-family residence within the Central Business District; it is constructed of the uncommon and relatively expensive variegated buff face brick that gives the property an east coast feel; and it features a surprisingly intact sheet metal cornice that is exceptionally rare in Santa Monica. ICF Jones & Stokes Page 6 December 9, 2009

7 Variegated buff face brick utilized in subject property. ICF Jones & Stokes Page 7 December 9, 2009

8 Subject property brick detail. ICF Jones & Stokes Page 8 December 9, 2009

9 Subject property brick detail. ICF Jones & Stokes Page 9 December 9, 2009

10 Lido Hotel, primary (west) elevation, looking east. Features Old Gold Roman brick. ICF Jones & Stokes Page 10 December 9, 2009

11 Mar Vista Apartments in 1982 Source: Santa Monica Public Library Image Archives. ICF Jones & Stokes Page 11 December 9, 2009

12 Third Street and Broadway, Santa Monica Source: Santa Monica Public Library Image Archives. ICF Jones & Stokes Page 12 December 9, 2009

13 Third Street and Santa Monica Boulevard Source: Santa Monica Public Library Image Archives. ICF Jones & Stokes Page 13 December 9, 2009

14 Santa Monica Outlook. October 2, Page 1 Source: Santa Monica Public Library. ICF Jones & Stokes Page 14 December 9, 2009