Conservancy News

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.

The house where Bertolt Brecht resided between 1942 and 1947 is the first landmark designation in Santa Monica recognizing the home of a major cultural figure. Brecht resided here at a time when our city and adjacent communities became a place of refuge for German writers, artists and intellectuals, many of them Jewish, who fled tyranny and persecution in Hitler-controlled Europe in the years leading up to and during World War II.

The residence at 1063 26th Street was Brecht’s home and workplace for five eventful and productive years. Considered by many to be one of the most influential playwrights of the 20th century, Brecht wrote five plays and a large body of poetry during these years. These included The Life of Galileo, The Caucasian Chalk Circle, and others. During this time, he also wrote the screenplay to Fritz Lang’s anti-Nazi noir classic, Hangmen Also Die.

The home itself is a prominent visual landmark along 26th Street, where it stands out as one of the oldest homes in its immediate area. Architecturally, it is a unique variant of the American Foursquare style, typical for the period 1910-1920. Its distinctive architecture, and its setting on a larger than usual parcel, make it a prominent feature of the neighborhood. With the recognition and protection afforded by its new landmark status, the house stands now as a vivid reminder of an important time in the political and cultural history of our city.

Note: As this news article is written, the house is for sale, a great opportunity to own a house of historic importance on a large, over-sized lot that could accommodate another building. As a Santa Monica landmark, the home is eligible for a Mills Act contract.

The Santa Monica Conservancy’s 2011 Preservation Awards were presented to a host of projects at its Annual Meeting in the historic Church in Ocean Park on January 23.

“It is very gratifying to see the efforts of so many giving our architectural heritage new life,” said Carol Lemlein, President of the Board of the Conservancy. “By recognizing these accomplishments, we provide the community with excellent examples of how historic preservation can contribute to Santa Monica’s vitality and attractiveness.”

The Restoration Award was presented to Myra and Earl Pomerantz for exemplary restoration of their Craftsman Bungalow, known as the landmark John and Anna George House, at 2424 Fourth Street. This project pioneered a growing appreciation for historic preservation in Ocean Park in the early 1980s.

American Commercial Equities LLC, the owner of the historic Edwin Building at 310-312 Wilshire Boulevard, received the Rehabilitation Award for preserving and rehabilitating this small-scale jewel of a commercial building designed by renowned architect Paul Williams in 1928. The building was designated as a city landmark in 2008.

The Renovation Award was presented to Sam Simon, who preserved and renovated Case Study House #20, designed by Richard Neutra in 1948. This landmark of mid-Century design had deteriorated significantly over the years, but thanks to Mr. Simon who rescued and renewed it, the home continues as an important contributor to the architectural heritage.

The Adaptive Reuse Award recognized the Unitarian Universalist Community Church of Santa Monica for converting an adjacent Craftsman Bungalow into classrooms and meeting space for its congregation, choosing preservation and adaptive reuse to retain a link to Santa Monica’s heritage. The church, located at 1260 18th Street, is also architecturally valuable, designed by local architect John Byers in the 1920s.

Deborah Levin received the Stewardship Award for her dedication and leadership in preserving Hollister Court on Fourth Street, a dozen Craftsman Bungalows grouped as a courtyard complex and designated as a city landmark. Since Ms. Levin purchased one of the bungalows 17 years ago, she has worked to save the homes from demolition, protected them from inappropriate remodeling, and provided guidance to other property owners in respectful rehabilitation of the homes.

Recognition for Outstanding Volunteer Service went to the seven docents who lead the Conservancy’s weekly downtown walking tours every Saturday morning: Julie Berger, Winston Chappell, Dorothy Jewel, Kay Pattison, Jerome Robinson, Thomasine Rogas, and Rita Schneir. The popular tour has been in operation since the spring of 2007.

In other business at the Annual Meeting, Ocean Park resident Cristyne Lawson was elected to the Board of Directors and current Board members David Kaplan, Sherrill Kushner, Carol Lemlein and John Zinner were re-elected. The meeting was concluded by an illustrated talk on “Ocean Park and its Amusement Piers” by author and historian Jeffrey Stanton.

The Conservancy’s plans for the relocation and rehabilitation of the Shotgun House as a Preservation Resource Center moved another step forward with approval of project plans at a joint meeting of the Landmarks Commission and the Architectural Review Board on January 26, 2011.

Overall, every commissioner and board member indicated whole-hearted support. The resolutions approving the project came with minor conditions, asking for the identifying sign to be reduced in size , for the house be painted a creamy white rather than a “pure” white, and for some additional landscaping along the west end of the building and the south side of the trash enclosure to help soften the appearance.

The Conservancy signed a 20-year renewable lease for the Shotgun House with the City of Santa Monica in January 2010. Its rehabilitation as a Preservation Resource Center will serve as a model of adaptive reuse and will provide a base from which we can offer expanded educational programming as well as one-on-one support and technical assistance with historic preservation questions.

The next step is an application for California Coastal Commission approval, to will be filed by the City of Santa Monica as owner of both the house and the lot at 2520 2nd Street where it will be located. The Conservancy’s project team, led by Architect Mario Fonda-Bonardi, is now supporting preparation of the application. This is the last discretionary approval required before the Conservancy can apply for a city building permit. It is estimated that these last two steps will take about 6 – 9 months.

Given the recent progress, the Conservancy’s fundraising efforts will be stepping up in the next 18 months. If you would like to help with the rehabilitation of the Shotgun House and the creation of the Preservation Resource Center, please click here to donate online or send a check to the Santa Monica Conservancy, P.O. Box 653, Santa Monica, CA 90406.

The Planning Commission has approved the Conservancy’s application for a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) and variance allowing the Santa Monica Conservancy to relocate the landmark Shotgun House to the parking lot across from the Ocean Park Library and operate it as a Preservation Resource Center for the community. The meeting was held on November 17, 2010.

The CUP is the first major step in a series of reviews required before the project can move forward. The Landmarks Commission, the Architectural Review Board, and the California Coastal Commission must also approve the project at public hearings expected early next year.

The Conservancy signed a 20-year renewable lease for the Shotgun House with the City of Santa Monica in January. Its rehabilitation as a Preservation Resource Center will serve as a model of adaptive reuse and will provide a base from which we can offer expanded educational programming as well as one-on-one support and technical assistance with historic preservation questions.

If you would like to help with the rehabilitation of the Shotgun House and the creation of the Preservation Resource Center, please make us part of your year-end contributions! Click here to donate online or send a check to the Santa Monica Conservancy, P.O. Box 653, Santa Monica, CA 90406.

To volunteer, contact the Conservancy by email or phone today!