HISTORICAL NOMINATION OF THE COSGROVE. RATNER HOUSE 5310 CANTERBURY DRIVE-- KENSINGTON A Chris A. Cosgrove Mid-Century Modern Ranch Home Cosgrove's Signature Flagstone l~ 0 '\ l,{ -= .i r ~ - ·r n Legacy 1061NC. IDSTORICAL NOMINATION OF THE COSGROVE-RATNER HOUSE 5310 CANTERBURY DRIVE- KENSINGTON A 1949 Chris A. Cosgrove Mid Century Modern-Ranch Custom House by Ronald V. May, RPA President and Principal Investigator Dale Ballou May Vice President and Principal Researcher Legacy 106, Inc. P.O. Box 503394 San Diego, CA 92150-3394 Research Assisted by Leland Bibb, M.A., Public Administration Licensed Land Surveyor Lyn Herrington-Ekiss Legal Case Law History Research April 10, 2003 Reviewed and accepted by Research Committee, Historical Sites Board, City of San Diego on 2003 © 2003 Legacy 106, Inc. State of California - The Resources Agency Prima~#__________________ ________________ DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI# PRIMARY RECORD Trinomial ----------------------------------- NRHP Status Code __ _ Other ListinQs Review Code ________ Reviewer ___ _ ______ Date -------------- Page ..L. of _1_ *Resource Name or#: (Assigned by recorder) Cosgrove-Ratner House P1. Other Identifier: Cosgrave-Ratner House *P2. Location: D Not for Publication I8J Unrestricted *a. County San Diego and (P2c, P2e, and P2b or P2d. Attach a Location Map as necessary.) *b. USGS 7.5' Quad La Mesa 7.5' Quad Date April9, 2003 T ; R , f; B.M. c. Address 5310 Canterbury Drive City San Diego Zip 92116 d. UTM: (Give more than one for large and/or linear resources) Zone 11 0489973 mEl 3625869 mN e. Other Locational Data: (e.g., parcel #, directions to resource, elevation, etc., as appropriate) Tax Assessor's Parcel # 440-01 0-09; Lots 254, 255, Map 1948. This location is just west of the intersection of Canterbury Drive and Ridgeway Drive in Kensington Heights. *P3a. Description: (Describe resource and Its major elements. Include design, materials, condition, alterations, size, setting, and boundaries) The Cosgrave-Ratner House is a single-sto~. 54-year old Mid Centu~ Modem Ranch style house with a loop driveway, and flagstone mason~ front fac;ade, chimney, and backyard barbeque. The house exhibits 97% integrity with no additions or changes to the exterior walls. Front windows include wood-framed casements, one multi-paneled bowed out window, and one special canted­ out aluminum framed window. Carved wooden doors are set in ornate native stone and flagstone fac;ade. The west-facing wall is a series of large glass panels, 8-foot square wood-framed sliding glass doors, and bathroom glass transoms facing a swimming pool, cabana, tennis court, and flagstone barbeque. The property involves 9-acres on a canyon rim overlooking Interstate 15 and Mission Valley. The house is in excellent repair. Landscaping has changed over the years, but backyard landscaping is original. The interior has been remodeled, but retains original bathroom elements, room layouts, and bar. The kitchen and dining room have been remodeled. Original doors with unusual Mid Centu~ Modern, centrally-placed doorknobs and starburst doorplates exist throughout the house. *P3b. Resource Attributes: *P4. Resources Present: I8J Building D Structure D Object D Site D District D Element of District D Other (Isolates, etc.) P5b. Description of Photo: View from Canterbury Drive to the west *P6. Date Constructed/Age and Source: I8J Historic D Prehistoric *P7. Owner and Address: Dale and Elizabeth Clegg 5310 Canterbu~ Drive San Diego, CA 92116 *P8. Recorded by: (Name, affiliation, and address) Ronald V. May, RPA, Legacy 106, Inc., P.O. Box 503394, San Diego, CA 92150-3394 *P9. Date Recorded: April 9, 2003 *P10. Survey Type: (Describe) Walked around the house *P11. Report Citation: (Cite survey report and other sources, or enter "none.") Historical Nomination of the Cosgrave-Ratner House, 5310 Canterbury Drive, Kensington Heights, to the City of San Diego for Historic Landmark Status *Attachments: D Location Map Dcontinuation Sheet 18J Building, Structure, and Object Record D Archaeological Record D District Record D Linear Feature Record D Milling Station Record D Rock Art Record D Artifact Record D Photograph Record D Other (List DPR 523A {1/95) *Reauired information State of California -The Resources Agency Primary # DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI# BUILDING, STRUCTURE, AND OBJECT RECORD Page _1_ of _8_ *NRHP Status Code *Resource Name or# Cosgrove-Ratner House 81. Name: Cosgrove-Ratner House 82. Common Name: Cosgrove-Ratner House 83. Original Use: Single family residence 84. Present Use: Single family residence *85. Architectural Style: Mid Century Modem Ranch Style 86. Construction History: (Construction date, alterations, and date of alterations) In 1949, Chris A. Cosgrove constructed this Mid Century Modern Ranch Style house across the street from his in-laws, the Barbachano family. Cosgrove and his wife, Celia, built the house to the best of his ability as their own home. He built about twelve other Ranch style houses on Canterbury Drive at the same time. He graded the site to set the Ranch style house on two rim lots overlooking Mission Valley to the northwest. The front walls are distinguished by a tan flagstone masonry fa~de that flanks the front door. On the east loop driveway, to the left of the front door is a special aluminum-framed and outward canted window with an indoor fountain. He sited the house facing a backyard swimming pool, stepped-down tennis court, and built a cabana along the south property line, also facing the swimming pool. He built a flagstone barbeque at the north property line, also facing the pool. The roof extends west over the patio deck and is supported with steel poles. Large, 8-foot square glass windows set in wood-frames slide on brass tracks to create a 15-foot opening at the living room to the pool. Afternoon sunlight reflects off the pool and a reflection is captured on the extended roof and inside the living room ceiling. Based on the Tax Assessor's records, the house footprint has not been changed. In the early 1950s, an exterior reflecting pool/fish pond below the canted window had been removed. Original thick, double-glass front doors were replaced in the late 1970s with carved wooden doors. Interior changes are limited to flooring and walls in the kitchen, living, and dining rooms. *87. Moved? [8:1 No D Unknown Date: N/A Original Location: N/A *88. Related Features: Tax Assessor Records document the swimming pool , tennis court, cabana, and barbeque were built in 1949 at the same time as the house. B9a. Architect: unknown b. Builder: Chris A. Cosgrove *810. Significance: Theme: Post-war Mid Century Modem Ranch style associated with Chris A. Cosgrove, Nathaniel Ratner, and David G. Fleet, who were leaders in real estate and clothing industries in San Diego. Ratner co-founded Ratner Clothing and hired up to 2,800 employees in San Diego, National City, and Chula Vista to become a leader in San Diego industry. Prior to purchasing from Ratner, Fleet and his family achieved importance in World War II aircraft production, post-war real estate development, and philanthropic activities to improve the City of San Diego. Cosgrove became a successful Federal Housing Authority real estate developer throughout Southern California and built high-end custom ranch style homes that contributed to shaping post-war San Diego in the late 20th century. Area: Kensington, San Diego Period of Significance 1949-1953 Property Type Residential Applicable Criteria (Discuss importance in terms of historical or architectural context as defined by theme, period, and geographic scope. Also address integrity.) (See continuation sheet for additional criterion.) 811. Additional Resource Attributes: (List attributes and codes) None *812. References: (See Continuation Page 2) 813. Remarks: *814. Evaluator: Ronald V. May, RPA *Date of Evaluation: April 9, 2003 {This space reserved for official comments.) DPR 5238 (1195) *Required information State of Califomla ·The Resources Agency Primary# -----------------­ DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI# CONTINUATION SHEET Page 2..._ of .JL *Resource Name or# (Assigned by recorder) Cosgrove-Ratner House *Recorded by Ronald V. May, RPA *Date April 9, 2003 181 Continuation D Update *Applicable Criteria: (Continued from Page 1) Crjterjon h. The Cosgrove-Ratner House is associated with persons significant to the post World War II San Diego real estate and clothing industries. Chris A. Cosgrove and David Fleet were leaders in the emerging post-war real estate industry throughout the City of San Diego. Ratner family scions of the electrical contracting and clothing industries helped shape San Diego's social and economic history during the same period. The confluence of Chris A. and Celia Barbachano Cosgrove with the Ratner family and Fleet family real estate interests resulted in significant effects on the history of San Diego in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Cosgrove was a significant land developer in San Diego County during the post World War II 1940s and 1950s eastern expansion of the City of San Diego, as well as urbanizing rural areas of the County of San Diego. In his 65-year career, he was a pioneer builder of over 3,000 homes and commercial properties in Point Lorna, College Heights, Talmadge, Rolando, Cosgrove Heights, and Kensington in the City of San Diego. He also built in La Mesa, Alpine, Rancho Santa Fe, Los Angeles, and Palm Springs. He was a recognized custom-home designer, who seized upon the fashionable architectural themes of post-war California modernism and favored his own version of ranch style homes that physically embraced backyard outdoor recreation. At the peak of his career, he and his wife Celia purchased vacant lots and built homes on many of the last undeveloped properties along Canterbury Drive and Kensington Heights. He also built the Ken Cinema and an associated commercial building in the Kensington commercial district on Adams Avenue that exhibits his distinctive flagstone masonry facades.