Built Environment Evaluation Report for Properties on Terminal Island, Port of Los Angeles, City and County of Los Angeles, California
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Built Environment Evaluation Report for Properties on Terminal Island, Port of Los Angeles, City and County of Los Angeles, California ADP No. 110518-060 Agreement No. 10-2922 PD No. 5 Prepared for: CDM Prepared by: SWCA Environmental Consultants December 2011 BUILT ENVIRONMENT EVALUATION REPORT FOR PROPERTIES ON TERMINAL ISLAND, PORT OF LOS ANGELES, CITY AND COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA ADP No. 110518-060 Agreement No. 10-2922 PD No. 5 Prepared for CDM 111 Academy, Suite 150 Irvine, California 92617 Prepared by Samantha Murray, B.A., Steven Treffers, B.A., Mary Ringhoff, M.A., and Jan Ostashay, B.A. SWCA Environmental Consultants 150 South Arroyo Parkway, 2nd Floor Pasadena, California 91105 (626) 240-0587 www.swca.com USGS 7.5-minute Topographic Quadrangle San Pedro, California SWCA Project No. 021135.00 SWCA Cultural Resources Report Database No. 2011-379 Final December 2011 Keywords: CEQA, built environment evaluation, historic building evaluation, historic context, industrial properties, institutional properties, intensive survey, Terminal Island, Port of Los Angeles, positive results Built Environment Evaluation Report Terminal Island, Port of Los Angeles MANAGEMENT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT Purpose and Scope: This report contains results of the built environment evaluation conducted for properties on Terminal Island, located at the Port of Los Angeles in the city and county of Los Angeles, California. Under contract to CDM, SWCA Environmental Consultants (SWCA) prepared a built environment evaluation report to identify built environment resources on Terminal Island to assess whether properties are eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP), the California Register of Historical Resources (CRHR), or as a City of Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument (HCM) or Historic Preservation Overlay Zone (HPOZ). The scope of work for this project includes an initial windshield survey of the entire project area, including inspection of all buildings, structures, and associated features, followed by an intensive-level survey of properties on Terminal Island. Property research for the project includes a review of previous built environment studies conducted on Terminal Island, archival research, and completion of a draft and final report detailing the results of the intensive survey and subsequent property evaluations, as well as a historic context statement. Finally, data and maps collected through field surveys, research, and the significance evaluations will be submitted to the City of Los Angeles Office of Historic Resources (OHR) for review and approval. Dates of Investigation: SWCA conducted the initial windshield survey of Terminal Island on August 3, 2011, followed by intensive-level surveys on August 24 and October 4, 2011. SWCA conducted archival research and preparation of the historic context throughout the months of July, August, and September 2011. Finally, SWCA completed and submitted a draft report in November 2011 and a final report in December 2011. Summary of Findings: As a result of the built environment surveys, 48 properties were identified within the project area. Of these, 16 were recorded and evaluated for NRHP and CRHR eligibility, as well as local designation as a City of Los Angeles HCM or HPOZ. Of the 16 properties evaluated for historic significance, four appear to be eligible for listing in the NRHP as an individual property (status code 3S); one appears to be eligible for listing in the CRHR as an individual property (status code 3CS); one appears to be eligible for local listing or designation (status code 5S3); and 10 were found to be ineligible for the NRHP, CRHR, or for local designation (status code 6Z). The remaining 32 properties were exempt from further evaluation for one of two reasons: (1) the property was recently evaluated for historic significance (within the past five years); or (2) the property is of the recent past and not enough time has passed to adequately evaluate it for historic significance. Investigation Constraints: Some of the properties evaluated as part of this study required permission to access. While most of the intensive-level survey was completed on August 24, 2011, additional survey was required on October 4, 2011, to photograph and evaluate those properties that could not be accessed in August. These constraints did not affect adequacy or completion of this evaluation report. Management Recommendations: SWCA recommends that the results of this study be used to guide future planning efforts that may impact Port of Los Angeles–owned properties on Terminal Island. It is further recommended that Port of Los Angeles-owned properties on Terminal Island be subject to updated survey and evaluation overtime, and that more recently constructed properties continue to be identified and considered in the planning process. If a survey is more than five years old, it should be updated to determine if any historical resources have become eligible or ineligible due to changing circumstances or new documentation. Because the Port of Los Angeles Land Use Plan is anticipated to be in effect until the year 2030, any associated projects that have the potential to impact historical resources should be identified and considered early on in the planning process. i Built Environment Evaluation Report Terminal Island, Port of Los Angeles Disposition of Data: This report and any subsequent related reports will be filed with CDM; the Port of Los Angeles Environmental Management Division; the City of Los Angeles OHR; the South Central Coastal Information Center (SCCIC) at California State University, Fullerton; and SWCA’s Pasadena office. All field notes, photographs, and records related to the current study are on file at the SWCA Pasadena, California, office. ii Built Environment Evaluation Report Terminal Island, Port of Los Angeles CONTENTS Management Summary/Abstract ............................................................................................................... i Introduction ................................................................................................................................................. 1 Project Location and Description .............................................................................................................. 1 Regulatory Setting ...................................................................................................................................... 5 Federal ....................................................................................................................................................... 5 State ........................................................................................................................................................... 7 Local ......................................................................................................................................................... 7 Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monuments .......................................................................................... 7 Historic Preservation Overlay Zones .................................................................................................... 8 Substantial Adverse Change ..................................................................................................................... 9 Methodology .............................................................................................................................................. 10 Developing the Historic Context ............................................................................................................. 10 Background Research ............................................................................................................................. 10 Built Environment Surveys ..................................................................................................................... 11 Property Significance Evaluations .......................................................................................................... 11 Historic Context ........................................................................................................................................ 12 Early Harbor Development, –1897 ......................................................................................................... 12 Development and Occupation of the Harbor and Terminal Island, 1897–1918 ..................................... 13 World War I – World War II .................................................................................................................. 14 Wartime Changes, 1941–1945 ................................................................................................................ 18 Containerization and Other Postwar Developments ............................................................................... 18 Results ........................................................................................................................................................ 21 Background Research ............................................................................................................................. 21 Built Environment Survey ...................................................................................................................... 22 Property Significance Evaluations .......................................................................................................... 22 Properties