CITY OF BEVERLY HILLS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT 455 N. Rexford Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90210 Tel. (310) 285-1141 Fax. (310) 858-5966 LANDMARK DESIGNATION PROCEEDINGS (BHMC 1 0-3-321 5) PRELIMINARY EVALUATION Property Address Applicant 427 rth Crescent Drive, Beverly Hills, CA Council-initiated Date of Initiation by Cultural Heritage Commission Date Prelmininary Evaluation Issued PRELIMINARY EVALUATION In consideration of the property as a potential city of Beverly Hills Landmark under the criteria listed in Beverly Hills Municipal Code Section 10-3-3212, the Director preliminarily finds that the property at 427 rth Crescent Drive: l El Appears eligible as a local landmark based on available evidence at this time Appears ineligible as a local landmark based on available evidence at this time The subject property appears to affirmatively satisfy all of the required criteria in BHMC 10-3- 3212 (Landmark Designation Criteria). BACKGROUND Properly Description The subject property is located at the southeast cornet of South Santa Monica Boulevard and rth Crescent Drive, across from the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts and diagonal from Beverly Hills City Hall. Located on the site are a swooping triangular canopy (1965) supported by three concrete piers which covers the gasoline pump stalls, a single-story service building (1978) square concrete blocks and tucked under the canopy, a metal shed storage building, and a pole sign topped with the 76 brand orange ball and gasoline price signage. Gin D. Wong, a partner in the leading architectural firm William Pereira & Associates, conceived of the bold modernist architectural design. Landmark Initiation and mination The City Council discussed commencing landmark proceedings for the property at its Study Session on September 19, 2017, and deferred the matter to the Cultural Heritage Commission to consider landmark initiation. A public hearing is scheduled for the, Cultural Heritage Commission Meeting to consider landmark initiation of the subject property, in conjunction with a preliminary hearing based on this preliminary evaluation. The Cultural Heritage Commission will determine whether sufficient prima facie evidence exists to warrant formal evaluation of the property for nomination onto the Beverly Hills Register of Historic Properties (pursuant to the requirements in Beverly Hills Municipal Code 10-3-3215 A.3). 67
: added Page 2 of 5 FINDINGS The facts supporting the Director s evaluation of eligibility are summarized in Table 1 below. Table 1. Summary of Landmark Designation Criteria (Beverly Hills Municipal Code 10-3- 3212) Criterion Criterion Does the subject property appear. to meet criteria? A landmark must satisfy all of the requirements in Section A: A.1 It is at least forty-five (45) years of age, or is a property of extraordinary significance; Construction of the canopy was completed in 1965, 50 the property is 52 years of age in 2017. It possesses high artistic or aesthetic A.2 value, and embodies the distinctive characteristics of an architectural style or architectural type or architectural period; The highly futuristic modern sweeping canopy design is one of the finest and most recognizable examples of the Googie architectural style in Southern California. The shape, configuration, materials and illumination of the canopy are all key defining features. The simpler rectangular block service building is also a significant on the property as an applied example of International Style architecture interpreted for its southern California location and utilitarian use. A.3 It retains substantial integrity from its period of significance; and The canopy remains largely unaltered from its inception in 1965, and the service station building in 1978 has acquired significance on the site. The property appears to retain all seven aspects of integrity (location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, and association). 68
Page 3 of 5 A.4 It has continued historic value to the community such that its designation as a landmark is reasonable and necessary to promote and further the purposes of this article, The property continues to have historic value to the community due to its stylistic and recognizable design, its association with master architects Gin D. Wong and William Pereira, and for its contributions to the architectural heritage of the city. In addition to the requirements set forth in Section A above, a landmark must satisfy at least one of the following requirements in Section B: B.1 B.2 B.3 B.4 It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places; It is an exceptional work by a Master Architect; It is an exceptional work that was owned and occupied by a person of great importance, and was directly connected to a momentous event in the person s endeavors or the history of the nation. For purposes of this paragraphs, personal events such as birth, death, marriage, social interaction, and the like shall not be deemed to be momentous; It is an exceptional property that was owned and occupied by a person of great The site is not listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The property is considered an exceptional gas station design, was designed by prominent Chinese- American architect Gin D. Wong and is associated with the firm William Pereira and Associates (both are on the City s List of Master Architects). Wong passed at his home in Beverly Hills in September 2017. The property has been featured in countless print publications and periodicals, including Beverly Hills, 7 930-2005 by Marc Wanamaker and Beverly Hills, the First 700 Years by Robbie Anderson. The archival research does not show that the property was owned by any person of great importance. The archival research does not show 69
ILLS Page 4 of 5 B.5 local prominence; It is an iconic property; that the property was owned or by a person of great local prominence. [From BHMC 10-3-3202: An iconic The bold design of an otherwise property is a property that has been prosaic property type has earned this visited and photographed so often by service station its place as a favorite residents and visitors to the city that it has subject of photographers and visitors become inextricably associated with to Beverly Hills. The sweeping Beverly Hills in the popular culture and canopy is a highly recognized icon of forms part of the city s identity to the world Googie architecture and is strongly at large. ] associated with Beverly Hills due to its prominent, visible location on Santa Monica Boulevard. Therefore, it appears that the property satisfies the definition of iconic property. B.6 Or, the landmark designation procedure is initiated, or expressly agreed to, by the owner(s) of the property. The landmark designation procedure has not been expressly agreed to by the owner(s) of the property. Do all criteria in Section A appear to be met? Does at least one criterion in Section B appear to be met? Does the subject property appear to satisfy all the requirements in Beverly Hills Municipal Code 10-3-327 2 to be considered an eligible property for landmark nomination and designation? PRELIMINARY HEARiNG (BHMC 1 0-3-327 5A) Pursuant to BHMC 10-3-3215A, the Cultural Heritage Commission is scheduled to conduct a preliminary hearing based on this preliminary evaluation to consider the property s eligibility under local landmark criteria. The Cultural Heritage Commission shall determine whether sufficient evidence exists to conclude that the subject property satisfies all applicable designation criteria and whether the property merits formal consideration for nomination. Should the Cultural Heritage Commission nominate the subject property as a local landmark at 70
ERL7 Page 5 of 5 a future public hearing, final approval is required by the City Council in order to formally designate the property and list the subject residence on the Local Register of Historic Properties. Should you have any questions on this process during the meantime, please do not hesitate to contact my staff: Preservation Program Manager Mark Odell Urban Designer (310) 285-1116 modell@beverlyhills.org Preservation Program Staff Member Reina Kapadia, AICP Associate Planner (310)285-1129 rkapadia @ beverlyhills.org Sincerely, Susan Healy Keene, AICP Director of Community Development 71