November 5, 2024 The Best Source of News, Culture, Lifestyle for Culver City, Mar Vista, Del Rey, Palms and West Los Angeles

SMa.r.t.-Respecting History or the Wrecking Ball

Today our city is a built out metropolis with almost no vacant lots. However, if you came here 100 years ago, Santa Monica was mostly open fields. In fact the built out edge of the City had only reached about 11th Street with flat dusty open spaces continuing all the way east to the brand new VA at Sawtelle and Wilshire.

There was so much open space that Donald Douglas had his original airplane factory near Douglas Park (Wilshire and 25th). But the City was growing and single family buildings were sprouting up, usually in the California Bungalow or Craftsman style, in waves marching away from the beach. Most of those pre-1925 buildings have long since been demolished and replaced with 2-3 story apartment buildings with the historical densification of our beachside city.

But a small number have survived. In fact there is a cluster of these bungalows along the east side of 11th Street between Wilshire and Arizona that give us a feel of what life was like before the Dingbat apartment buildings and stucco conquered our city.

While this block has the best the collection of pre-1925 bungalows in the original city boundaries (which excludes Ocean Park) there are other scattered clusters elsewhere which may be future districts or individual landmarks.

Covering a span from 1904 to 1925, these were the homes of middle class residents, including three who were major contributors to the development of Santa Monica: Waldo K. Cowan built several bungalows throughout the city as well as on 11th Street and served on several city and organizational boards.

Joseph J. Rowe has been described in staff and architectural consultants’ reports as a master builder inspired by Greene and Greene. Two of his buildings are already Santa Monica Landmarks. Two of his earliest extant works would be included in this future historic district. And finally Kenneth Strickfaden, a Hollywood special effects genius famous for creating the pyrotechnics for the original “Frankenstein,” began his amazing career in his backyard workshop where he lived with his father and brothers at 1223 11th St.

The battle to designate this area of 10 lots as a Historical District has been going on for more than 29 years, starting when there was a massive community mobilization in 1989 to save a historic bungalow at 1253 11th St. While the Landmarks Commission upheld that designation, City Council failed in the subsequent appeal to protect it from demolition and the craftsman was replaced by a huge condo. Today there are still seven other adjacent buildings (2 have been somewhat modified) that would qualify as a historic district. The five unaltered buildings are already on the City’s Historic Resources Inventory. There are also three older apartment/condo buildings in the potential district, so the City’s historical consultant erroneously claimed that the district had no integrity. That is obviously a matter of opinion which will be adjudicated at the next Landmark Commission hearing where the case will be heard probably on May 14.

Before the hearing on the 11th Street Historic District, the Landmarks Commission will also be hearing another item that will have a long-term impact on the Mid-City Neighbors – the landmarking of a Sycamore tree at 1122 California Ave. advocated by a grass roots (or shall we say deep rooted) community group Save our Sycamore (SOS). This imposing, healthy, native specimen probably planted in 1922, is, as always, endangered by a homeowner who may cut it down. Again the Commission was ill-served by a consultant’s report that was erroneously construed to say the tree wasn’t worth landmarking. The Commission heard the neighborhood request for its landmark designation in February and will revisit this issue on April 9, 7 p.m. in City Council Chambers. Everyone is invited to attend and show support for this important tree.

Only five trees have been landmarked in the City and two have died. Trees, unlike buildings, have a limited lifespan, so when a tree achieves the stature of this one, it is well worth protecting as it may live another 200 years.

Our official landmarks are an insignificant number (about 130) compared to the total number of buildings (about 52,000 housing units not to mention other buildings) in Santa Monica. In addition, landmarking is rare, as we have designated only about one Landmark every year since the City’s 1875 founding.

In spite of their trivial numbers, they are our one dependable urban “clock”, ticking away years, decades and centuries, reminding us where our city was and where it is going. Like our few living centenarian residents, these buildings, trees, spaces and even an airport beacon, defied the odds and have survived countless threats of neglect, earthquakes, fire and demolition.

The only way to insure their continued survival is by landmarking them to legally protect them in perpetuity. An Historic District is a form of wholesale landmarking which is always more efficient than fighting each building’s landmark status one at a time. And while only God (for now) can create a tree, only man can landmark it. So I hope you all can attend the next few Landmark Commission meetings to landmark the Sycamore and establish the 11th Street Historic District.

While these initiatives already have massive community support from a full spectrum of organizations, for the Landmarks Commission to do their job properly they need massive community input. SM.a.r.t. hopes you can all be there April 9 and May 14. by Mario Fonda-Bonardi AIA for Santa Monica Architects for a Responsible Tomorrow.

Santa Monica’s Pier Avenue in 1904.

 

 

 

 

 

Sam Tolkin, Architect; Dan Jansenson Building and Safety Commissioner, Architect; Mario Fonda-Bonardi, AIA, Planning Commissioner; Ron Goldman, FAIA; Thane Roberts, AIA; Bob. Taylor, AIA; Phil Brock, Arts Commissioner.

Related Posts

Election Day Freebies and Discounts: Where to Eat, Drink, and Watch Election Results

November 4, 2024

November 4, 2024

From Free Doughnuts To Watch Parties, How To Unwind With Election Night Deals With this election day being one of...

Early Morning Call From Community Leads to Burglary Arrest in Culver City

November 4, 2024

November 4, 2024

Police Respond To Suspicious Activity Call, Arrest Suspect With Pickaxe Culver City police arrested a man early Friday morning in...

Culver City Police Department is Prepared to Ensure Community Safety During Election Week

November 4, 2024

November 4, 2024

Enhanced Patrols, Activated Emergency Center Ready, Culver City Voting Center is Open The Culver City Police Department has announced an...

Legendary Music Icon Quincy Jones Dies at 91 in Bel Air

November 4, 2024

November 4, 2024

Celebrated Musician, Producer Leaves an Indelible Legacy By Dolores Quintana Legendary musician, music producer, film and television producer, composer of...

Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Lays Off Longtime Archive and Library Staff

November 4, 2024

November 4, 2024

Downsizing and Restructuring Continue, Affecting Employees with Decades of Service By Dolores Quintana Last week, the Academy of Motion Picture...

LA County Opens 526 New Vote Centers for Early Voting, Announces Conditional Voting for Unregistered Residents

November 3, 2024

November 3, 2024

Metro LA Offers Free Rides on Election Day to Help Residents Get to the Polls Los Angeles County opened an...

New Aviation/Century Station Opens, Linking Metro’s C and K Lines

November 3, 2024

November 3, 2024

Metro’s Newest Station Paves the Way for Future LAX Transit Center The new Aviation/Century Station officially opened this week, marking...

H5N1 Detected in LA County Wastewater, Health Officials Urge Precautions for Residents

November 3, 2024

November 3, 2024

Los Angeles County Investigates Low-Level H5 Avian Flu Detected in Wastewater The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is...

Two Events in Culver City This Weekend: Bike Registration and Dance Performance

November 1, 2024

November 1, 2024

Put the Brakes on Bicycle Theft and Enjoy an Evening of Dance and Interactive Art The Culver City Police Department...

All You Need to Know to Attend the Dodgers Victory Parade Tomorrow in DTLA

November 1, 2024

November 1, 2024

World Champions and LA’s Team to Greet Angelenos After Win of NY Yankees The Los Angeles Dodgers announced that their...

Beverly Hills City Government Agrees to a Stipulated Judgment After Blocking Abortion Clinic Opening

November 1, 2024

November 1, 2024

City to Implement Training, Oversight on Reproductive Rights Following Legal Settlement  California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced a legal agreement...

Dia De Los Muertos 2024: Here’s Where To Celebrate The Holiday Tradition This Weekend

October 31, 2024

October 31, 2024

Los Angeles Has a Variety of Ways to Explore Latino Culture and Honor Ancestors Starting just after Halloween, Dia de...

(Video) Downtown L.A. Reacts to World Series Victory

October 31, 2024

October 31, 2024

The Dodgers Are World Series Champs For The Eighth Time https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTFtyDDKn/

Halloween Pre-Game Party Brings Chills and Spooky Thrills to The Rose Venice

October 31, 2024

October 31, 2024

Enjoy Halloween With Festive Cocktails, Appetizers, and a Costume Contest The Rose Venice in Venice is set to host a...

(Video) Something About Her’s First Tea Time Was a Big Hit

October 31, 2024

October 31, 2024

The Next Date is November Third. Beautiful vibes, deciduous food and drink. Don’t miss it. @Something About Her @culvercitywlanews Something...