Conservancy News

by Sherrill Kushner

As part of the nationwide celebration of Black History Month every February, the City of Santa Monica Santa Monica hosted its 2nd Annual Black Excellence Community Awards program on February 25,^, 2021 through a virtual online program. These awards recognize and honor Black professionals who live or work in Santa Monica for their outstanding leadership and service.

Among those who were honored included Carolyne Edwards, Santa Monica Conservancy board member and her husband Bill. Both Carolyne and Bill have contributed greatly to amassing an archive on local Black history, started with Carolyne’s Uncle Alfred T. Quinn, a prominent Black educator, community leader and icon of the Santa Monica Bay area in the mid- to late-20^th century. To honor his legacy, Carolyn and Bill founded the Quinn Research Center as a resource for people who desire accurate historical information about African Americans in the Santa Monica/Venice Bay Area, from the early 1900’s to the present. The Center has sponsored programs and events to increase knowledge about the contributions of Black members of the community, past and present.

Congratulations to Carolyne and Bill Edwards. We look forward to working with you, especially in our efforts to secure landmark designation for historic properties of African American importance in the once thriving neighborhood of Broadway in Santa Monica.

A recording of the event is now available online.

We are seeking nominations for our 2021 Preservation Awards, which will be announced at our Annual Meeting in late spring. Each year we honor exemplary projects and contributors to the preservation of Santa Monica’s architectural and cultural heritage.

Awarded a 2020 Preservation Award, Villa Vicente is a two-story, 20-unit apartment building built in 1953. The project added long-term life to the historic property and represents the successful use of the Mills Act program in preserving and enhancing the historic resources of Santa Monica. Photo: Corsini Stark Architects

Since 2004, award-winning projects have included residences as well as commercial and institutional buildings of all sizes. These projects have entailed restoration, renovation, rehabilitation and adaptive reuse as well as additions to historic buildings and homes. Awards are also presented to individuals for their stewardship of historic properties as well as for community service as volunteers and advocates of preservation.

To nominate a project, person, structure or group for a 2021 Preservation Award, please download the 2021 Preservation Award Nomination Form and email it to [email protected]. Include the name of the project or person and provide a brief statement about your nomination. The deadline for nominations is March 8, 2021. View all of our past awards here!

Dear Friends,

What a difficult year this has been for all of us. The pandemic has been very hard on our community but the new vaccines are greatly encouraging us in looking forward to returning to normal life. This year we’ve also witnessed a civil rights movement across the nation, which galvanized our Board to develop ways to transform our advocacy, programs and governance to be more equitable and representative.

With the cancellation of our many programs, the Conservancy was also hit hard this year, losing more than a 70% of our earned income, which would have been catastrophic without a dramatic response. In this challenging year, we’re incredibly grateful for adaptability, strength and the encouragement of our members, volunteers and staff.

But the brightest spot in this whole year has been YOU!

You – our members, friends and supporters – have inspired us with your fortitude, flexibility, generosity and deep caring. YOU are simply the reason we’re here and we’re so grateful that you are a part of our preservation community.

With you in mind, at the end of March, we began offering a weekly newsletter with exciting preservation news, virtual events and at-home activities. Many of you have told us just how much you appreciate the wide range of subjects expertly covered each week. With your support, we also launched our Santa Monica Mosaic lecture series, which has reached more than 350 guests and raised awareness about our historic Tongva, African American and Mexican American communities.

When the City made drastic cutbacks in its budget and services, crippling the Landmarks Commission, together we raised our voices about the importance of preservation. The Conservancy also took immediate action to fill these essential gaps. Our Advocacy Committee’s ongoing review of all proposed demolitions helps protect structures of historic value over 40 years old and we continue our strong efforts to save our historic places.

Your passion and commitment to preservation continue to empower us. Our Board, 21^st Century Task Force and newly formed Advisory Council are all hard at work. And our Search Committee is moving forward with plans to hire our first full-time Executive Director in late 2021, which we will share more about in the new year.

We greatly look forward to the day when we can welcome you back to the Annenberg Beach House, our Preservation Resource Center and signature walking tour and programs in historic places along with our many other gatherings. And just as importantly, we can’t wait to have our treasured docents back to share their vast historical knowledge.

Again, thank you for your generosity and commitment. We look forward seeing you in 2021. Have a wonderful and safe new year!

Sincerely,

Tom Cleys
President, Board of Directors