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The Santa Monica Conservancy has been awarded a $7500 grant by the National Trust for Historic Preservation from its Los Angeles County Preservation Fund. The funds will be used to to support a portion of the rehabilitation costs for the adaptive reuse of Santa Monica’s 1890s Shotgun House as a Preservation Resource Center.

The Shotgun House is a survivor from the early days of Ocean Park when many simple cottages were built for the visitors and new residents attracted by the City’s beaches and coastal climate. The small board and batten structure was formerly located on private property at 2712 Second Street and was landmarked by the City of Santa Monica in 1999. It will be moved out of storage to City-owned property at Norman Place and Second Street, only two blocks from its original site. When the rehabilitation is complete, the new Center will be a base of operations for the Conservancy, offering programs and resources to help the Santa Monica community and its visitors understand the methods and benefits of historic preservation.

“We are delighted with this grant from the National Trust for Historic Preservation,” said Conservancy President Carol Lemlein. “The rehabilitation and adaptive reuse of the Shotgun House speaks to a core value that we share with preservationists everywhere: even the simplest structure can be repurposed to fill present-day needs, preserving the character of our neighborhoods while minimizing the impact of demolition and new construction on our environment. The grant from this prestigious national organization is intended as a fundraising catalyst and is a huge vote of confidence in the Conservancy’s plans.”

According to board member and project architect Mario Fonda-Bonardi, “the grant will be applied toward costs such as protection and rehabilitation of historic interior surfaces rehabilitation of the porch including replacement of the missing corbels, and new double-hung windows compatible with the one remaining original window.” Fonda-Bonardi recently submitted plans to the City of Santa Monica in order to obtain building permits for the relocation of the Shotgun House to the parking lot adjacent to the Ocean Park Library, where it will be rehabilitated. A small addition will be built on the rear of the structure to support its use as a Preservation Resource Center.

Rendering of the Preservation Resource Center at the Shotgun House, Fonda-Bonardi and Hohman Architects.

Individuals or organizations who are able to help with this project in any capacity – as volunteers, by providing in-kind services and materials, or as early financial contributors – may contact the Conservancy at 310-496-3146 or by email to [email protected].

About the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the Los Angeles County Preservation Fund

The National Trust for Historic Preservation, a privately-funded nonprofit organization, works to save America’s historic places to enrich our future. The Trust’s Los Angeles County Preservation Fund was established in 2009 by a gift from the Getty Foundation, with subsequent gifts from the Ahmanson Foundation, the Ralph M. Parsons Foundation, and the National Trust Board of Advisors. Funding for the current round of grants was provided by a further gift from the Ahmanson Foundation, as well as an individual gift.

The Santa Monica Conservancy was one of 12 organizations selected in a competitive process that included applications from historic and culturally significant sites and programs across Los Angeles. Other grant recipients include the Episcopal Church of the Advent in the West Adams district, the Charles and Ray Eames House Preservation Foundation, Hollywood Heritage, and the Friends of the Chinese American Museum of Los Angeles. The grants are intended as fundraising catalysts, to give momentum to community preservation projects by providing capital in early stages and at critical junctures.
Further information on the National Trust and the Los Angeles County Preservation Fund may be found at www.PreservationNation.org.

 

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