Los Angeles City Planning Department
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Los Angeles Department of City Planning RECOMMENDATION REPORT CULTURAL HERITAGE COMMISSION CHC-2016-803-HCM ENV-2016-804-CE Location: 2706 S. Wigtown Road HEARING DATE: March 17, 2016 Council District: 5 TIME: 10:00 AM Community Plan Area: West Los Angeles PLACE: City Hall, Room 1010 Area Planning Commission: West Los Angeles 200 N. Spring Street Neighborhood Council: Westside Los Angeles, CA 90012 Legal Description: TR 7264, Block 4 Lot 9 PROJECT: Historic-Cultural Monument Application for the GAGE HOUSE REQUEST: Declare the property a Historic-Cultural Monument OWNER(S): Sang Ik and Hyeong Sik Hahn 21985 Regnart Road Cupertino, CA 95014 APPLICANT: Daniel Martin 11945 Foxboro Drive Los Angeles, CA 90049 RECOMMENDATION That the Cultural Heritage Commission: 1. Take the property under consideration as a Historic-Cultural Monument per Los Angeles Administrative Code Chapter 9, Division 22, Article 1, Section 22.171.10 because the application and accompanying photo documentation suggest the submittal warrants further investigation. 2. Adopt the report findings. VINCENT P. BERTONI, AICP Director of PlanningN1907 [SIGNED ORIGINAL IN FILE] [SIGNED ORIGINAL IN FILE] Ken Bernstein, AICP, Manager Lambert M. Giessinger, Preservation Architect Office of Historic Resources Office of Historic Resources [SIGNED ORIGINAL IN FILE] Shannon Ryan, City Planning Associate Office of Historic Resources Attachments: Historic-Cultural Monument Application CHC-2016-803-HCM 2706 S. Wigtown Road Page 2 of 3 SUMMARY The 1933 Gage House is located at 2706 Wigtown Road in Cheviot Hills. It was designed by architect William J. Gage for the Knudsen family, owners of the successful Knudsen Dairy Company. On March 11, 1934 The Los Angeles Times published a brief article featuring the house and William Gage. It included a photo showing the front façade, which appears identical to the house as it is today, 82 years later. The two-story, single-family property has an irregular footprint and faces southwest. The house is of wood frame construction that is sheathed in a mixture of half-timbered stucco, clapboard siding, and brick veneer. The Tudor Revival style home retains many of its original features including a steeply pitched roof, brick veneer, half-timbering, projecting window bays, exposed eaves, cantilevered second floor pop-outs, leaded glass windows, attached two car garage, and an overall asymmetrical form. The limited alterations to the house include remodeling of the kitchen. Many original interior features remain including the gabled double height living room with exposed wooden beams, wainscoting, hardwood floors, and built-ins. The property is located within the Cheviot Hills Planning District, which was identified through the citywide historic resources survey, SurveyLA, as a “good example of a residential subdivision from the early 20th century” that “represents residential patterns of development in West Los Angeles.” William J. Gage studied architecture at the University of Illinois before being employed in 1911 by Long, Lamoreaux and Long in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Gage then worked for firms in St. Paul, Minnesota and Fargo, North Dakota before moving to Los Angeles via Seattle. He received his certificate to practice architecture in California in 1921. It was at this time that he formed his partnership with Harry G. Koerner. One of their early works includes the 1928 Durex Model Home, HCM #1025, in Los Feliz that served as the model home in the newly subdivided Los Feliz Hills residential district created by Durex Quality Homes. Koerner and Gage’s best known work is Beverly Hills City Hall, completed 1932. The Spanish Colonial Revival building was believed to be the largest and most costly city hall in the United States at the time. Shortly after the Beverly Hills City Hall construction was completed, Gage was hired to independently design the subject property. CRITERIA The criterion is the Cultural Heritage Ordinance which defines a historical or cultural monument as any site (including significant trees or other plant life located thereon) building or structure of particular historic or cultural significance to the City of Los Angeles, such as historic structures or sites in which the broad cultural, economic, or social history of the nation, State or community is reflected or exemplified, or which are identified with historic personages or with important events in the main currents of national, State or local history or which embody the distinguishing characteristics of an architectural type specimen, inherently valuable for a study of a period style or method of construction, or a notable work of a master builder, designer or architect whose individual genius influenced his age. CHC-2016-803-HCM 2706 S. Wigtown Road Page 3 of 3 FINDINGS Based on the facts set forth in the summary and application, the Commission determines that the application is complete and that the property may be significant enough to warrant further investigation as a potential Historic-Cultural Monument. CITY OF LOS ANGELES Office of Historic Resources/Cultural Heritage Commission H ~T) IC-CULTU") L MONLJMENT NOMINATION FORM 1. PROPERTY IDENTIFICATION l Proposed Monument Name: Gage House I Notable architect/builder I I Other Associated Names: Wigtown House I Street Address: 2706 Wigtown Road Zip: 90064 I Council District: 5 I Range of Addresses on Property: 1 Community Name: Cheviot Hills I Assessor Parcel Number: 4318017008 j Tract: TR 7264 Block: 4 1 Lot: 9 I Identification cont'd: Proposed Monument I Natural I Building Structure Object Site/Open Space Property Type: Feature • I I I I .. 2. CONSTRUCTION HISTORY & CURRENT STATUS I Year built: 1933 Factual Estimated Threatened? Private Development • I Architect/Designer: William J. Gage I Contractor: Harold Hansen Original Use: Private Residence i Present Use : Private Residence Is the Proposed Monument on its Original Site? • Yes No (explain in section 7) Unknown (explain in section 7) I 3. STYLE & MATERIALS Architectural Style: Tudor Revival Stories: 2 Plan Shape: Irregular I I I I FEATURE PRIMARY SECONDARY I CONSTRUCTION Type : Wood Type: Brick CLADDING Material: Half timbering Material: Select Type : Gable Type : Select ROOF Material: Ceramic tile Material: Select Type : Fixed Type: Select WINDOWS Material: Wood Material: Select ENTRY Style: Centered Style: Select DOOR Type: Plank Type: Select CITY OF LOS ANGELES Office of Historic Resources/Cultural Heritage Commission 'I l T JMFNT NOMINATION FORM 4. ALTERATION HISTORY List date and write a brief description of any major alterations or additions. This section may also be completed on a separate document. 1 Include copies of permits in the nomination packet. Make sure to list any major alterations for which there are no permits, as well. 111/14/33 Lay interior tile in kitchen and bathrooms - ~ 1 01/15/54 Remove and replace kitchen cabinets, sink and two windows in kitchen and breakfast nook. 101/15/54 Install electrical plugs in kitchen and oven range over head fan. I 04/26/01 I Replace roof tiles. 12/15/09 Replace electrical wiring and staircase handrail. !-------+--------------------------- -- -- ---------~-----4 S. EXISTING HISTORIC RESOURCE IDENTIFICATION (if known) Listed in the National Register of Historic Places Listed in the California Register of Historical Resources Formally determined eligible for the National and/or California Registers Contributing feature Located in an Historic Preservation Overlay Zone (HPOZ) Non-contributing feature Survey Name(s): Determined eligible for national, state, or local landmark status by an historic resources survey(s) !..______________________________ ..___________________ ~ Other historical or cultural resource des ignations: 6. APPLICABLE HISTORIC-CULTURAL MONUMENT CRITERIA IThe proposed monument exemplifies the following Cultural Heritage Ordinance Criteria (Section 22 .171.7): Reflects the broad cultural, economic, or social history of the nation, state, or community Is identified with historic personages or with important events in the main currents of national, state, or local history Embodies the distinguising characteristics of an architectural-type specimen, inherently valuable for study of a period, style, or method of construction A notable work of a master builder, designer, or architect whose individual genius influenced his or her age CI TY OF LOS ANG ELES Office of Historic Resources/Cultural Heritage Commission ilST Rlr:: r LT F ...., JJMEN r NOMINATION FORM 7. WRITTEN STATEMENTS This section allows you to discuss at length the significance of the proposed monument and why it should be designated an Historic-Cultural Monument. Type your response on separate documents and attech them to this form. A. Proposed Monument Description - Describe the proposed monument's physical characteristics and relationship to its surrounding environment. Expand on sections 2 and 3 with a more detailed descrip tion of the site. Expand on section 4 and discuss the construction/alteration history in detail if that is necessary to explain the proposed monument's current form. Identify and describe any character defining elements, structures, interior spaces, or landscape features. B. Statement of Significance - Address the proposed monument's historic, cultural, and/or architec tural significance by discussing how it satisfies the HCM criteria you selected in Section 6. You must support your argument with substantial evidence and analysis. The Statement of Significance is your main argument for designation so it