City Landmark Assessment and Evaluation Report Santa Monica Municipal Bus Lines Garage (Santa Monica Antique Market, Inc.) 1613 Lincoln Boulevard (APN: 4283-001-002) Santa Monica, California Prepared for City of Santa Monica Planning Division Prepared by Margarita Wuellner, Ph.D. Amanda Kainer, M.S. Jon Wilson, M.A., M.Arch. PCR Services Corporation Santa Monica, California October 2012 ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING The subject property, 1613 Lincoln Boulevard, is situated on the east side of Lincoln Boulevard between Colorado Avenue to the north, Olympic Boulevard to the south, Ninth Street to the east, and Seventh Street to the west. The legal description of the property is the Standard Tract, Lot 15. Based on Los Angeles County Tax Assessor records and Santa Monica building permits, it appears that the original improvements to the property, a 18,890 square foot Municipal Bus Garage, were made in 1933. Regulatory Setting The subject property has been identified and assessed under the City’s ongoing survey process on two previous occasions. The Municipal Bus Garage was first identified and recorded as part of the Phase 3 Survey in 1994.1 The subject property was recommended eligible as a Santa Monica Local Landmark and given a California Historic Resources Status Code of 5S1. The subject property was found eligible for its significant historical association with the economic development and transportation industry in Santa Monica, with the period of significance being 1875-1943: This property is significant for its association with the transportation industry in Santa Monica. By the late 19th century, Santa Monica had several trolley lines within the town and was connected to Los Angeles by the Pacific Electric Company. By the late 1920s, however, it was apparent that the automobile would be the dominant form of transportation in the future. Two bus lines were established, one private, one city-owned. This bus barn was built to service the municipal line in 1933. In 1951, the Santa Monica Municipal Bus Lines bought out Bay City Transit, forming the company which still provides service in the City today. The subject property was later reassessed during the 2006-07 Citywide Historic Resources Inventory Update.2 According to the survey, the subject property retained the prior recommendation (appears to be individually eligible for local listing or designation through survey evaluation) and was assigned a California Historic Resources Status Code of 5S3. Records Review PCR Services conducted a review of previous surveys conducted in Santa Monica and the larger Los Angeles Metropolitan Area for pertinent reports on the history of early bus transportation. A Determination of Eligibility Report for the Metro Division 2 Bus Repair Garage (Los Angeles Railway (LARy) 16th Street Bus Repair Garage), constructed in 1927, recommended the Los Angeles Railway (LARy) 16th Street Bus Repair Garage eligible for National Register listing under Criterion A for its association with the transportation history 1 City of Santa Monica Phase 3 Survey (1994). The property was recorded with the address of 1607 Lincoln Boulevard. 2 Historic Resources Inventory Update for the City of Santa Monica (September 30, 1995). City Landmark Assessment and Evaluation Report 1613 Lincoln Boulevard (APN: 4283-001-002) October 2012 Page 1 of Los Angeles and under Criterion C as an example of an important property type, an early bus repair facility.3 PCR also reviewed designated landmarks in Santa Monica and Los Angeles for related mass transit property types. In Los Angeles, there are number of Historic Cultural Monuments related to transportation including, Angel’s Flight, 4th Street and Hill (LAHCM# 4); Palms - Southern Pacific Railroad Depot, 3800 Homer Street (LAHCM# 22); Ivy Substation (LAHCM# 182); Watts Station, 1686-1690 E. 103rd Street, (LAHCM# 36); River Station Area, 1231 N. Spring Street, (LAHCM# 82); Los Angeles Union Station Passenger Terminal and Grounds, 800-850 N. Alameda Street (LAHCM# 101); Mount Washington Cable Car Station, 200-202 W. Avenue 43 (LAHCM# 269); Los Angeles Railway Huron Substation, 2640 N. Huron Street (LAHCM# 404); Canoga Park (original Owensmouth Southern Pacific R.R. Station, 21355 Sherman Way (LAHCM# 488); and Belmont Tunnel / Toluca Substation Yard, 1304 W 2nd St (LAHCM# 790). However, it appears that there are no bus garages designated as Los Angeles Historic Cultural Monuments or Santa Monica Landmarks. ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION The Santa Monica Municipal Bus Lines Garage was designed by architect Charles Burke and constructed by the City of Santa Monica in 1933.4 The floor plan of the building is trapezoidal and the building has scored concrete-slab floors. Structurally, the primary street- fronting elevation has reinforced masonry exterior walls (stuccoed) with engaged masonry piers and the secondary walls are masonry with reinforced, engaged brick piers on the interior supporting the wide-spanning steel trusses. The arched roof with skylights is of built- up wood frame construction and is covered by composite asphalt roofing. The primary façade (Figure 1) is covered in stucco and is structurally divided into five bays by six engaged wall piers topped by stylized pyramidal finials. There is an arched parapet over the large center bay between the engaged wall piers. The parapet was designed to hide the large arched roof behind the parapet and therefore mirrors the shape of roof. While in their original location, the windows and doors in the openings on the front elevation are later replacements. The window openings on the secondary elevations (Figure 2) have been filled with brick or concrete block and are stuccoed. The rear elevation has a reinforced concrete addition (stuccoed). There is a small parking lot in front and a parking lot at the rear of the building. Photographs documenting existing conditions are provided in the attached exhibit. 3 Determination of Eligibility Report for the Metro Division 2 Bus Repair Garage, Los Angeles, California, prepared by ICF Jones & Stokes, September 2009; Historic Property Survey Report for the California Incline, Santa Monica, California, prepared by ICF Jones & Stokes, August, 2010. 4 Research in the historical Los Angeles Times, AIA Historical Directory of American Architects, Avery Index, California Index, Biographical Dictionary of American Architects (Deceased), Imagine Santa Monica, and Santa Monica Historical Resources Inventory Phase 2 Final Report (1985-1986) did not reveal other projects designed by Charles Burke. Charles Burke is listed as the architect on the Santa Monica “Application for Building Permit” Number 5004 for the construction of the Municipal Bus Garage. His address is listed as 2332 5th Street and no state license number is listed. City Landmark Assessment and Evaluation Report 1613 Lincoln Boulevard (APN: 4283-001-002) October 2012 Page 2 Alterations Several alterations and additions have occurred since 1933. On the primary façade, the original bus-sized garage door openings were in-filled with replacement windows and doors and arched awnings were inserted over the openings at an unknown date, most likely during the occupation of the Santa Monica Antique Market, about 1991. During the 1950s, a rear addition was constructed. In 1959, the front elevation was sandblasted and later recoated with a thin layer of stucco. From the comparison of historic photographs with existing conditions, it appears the exterior was originally painted or finished with stucco. In 1965, a building alteration permit records that three windows along the north elevation were in-filled with brick or concrete block. Subsequently all of the windows on the north elevation were in- filled with brick or concrete block. In 1970, Otto Zipper Alfa installed signage on the primary elevation. In 1991, the Santa Monica Antique Market occupied the building and earlier tenant improvements were removed and the interior of the building remodeled. Although the large, open-plan utilitarian garage space now accommodates partitioned commercial uses, the original exposed wide-spanning steel trusses supporting the roof remain extant. The intact arched roof system is still supported by the original steel-reinforced, exposed structural masonry exterior wall system. There are nineteen building permits on record with the City of Santa Monica for the property between 1933 and 1991 (see Table 1 below). Table 1 City of Santa Monica Building Permits for 1613 Lincoln Boulevard No. Date Address Owner Architect Contractor Description Valuation 5004 4/5/1933 1613‐ City of Santa Chas City of Santa Occupant: Municipal 24,000 1621 Monica Burke Monica Bus Line. Masonry Lincoln exterior walls, Blvd composition roof, 27' height, 1 story, 115' x 170', 18,000 sq ft B14815 12/17/1953 1613 General Parr Construction 2 4,500 Lincoln Telephone Construction, interior rooms for Co. storage, 40'x38' and 32'x28' B19873 6/5/1956 1613 General Enlargement of shop 6,500 Lincoln Telephone area within the rear portion of the warehouse B25748 4/3/1959 1613 General Aero ‐‐‐ For sandblasting face Lincoln Telephone of building B28755 10/10/1960 1613 General George H. New partitions to 1,400 Lincoln Telephone Lenell enclose calibration room. Building used for equipment repair. B35846 10/22/1964 1613 General John H. Burt Add wall and ceiling 1,500 Lincoln Telephone RME to 12'x62' interior City Landmark Assessment and Evaluation Report 1613 Lincoln Boulevard (APN: 4283-001-002) October 2012 Page 3 Table 1 City of Santa Monica Building Permits for 1613 Lincoln Boulevard No. Date Address Owner Architect Contractor Description Valuation room. B36371 3/1/1965 1613 Sam Posen Sam Posen Fill in 3 window 150 Lincoln openings with brick or cement block on the secondary north elevation. B39105 4/17/1967 1613 General M&C Enlarge existing room 1,800 Lincoln Telephone Construction inside building. B452128 12/31/1969 1613 Sam Posen Scott E. Installation of 12,000 Lincoln Campbell automatic fire sprinkler system. B42444 4/23/1970 1613 Otto Zipper A‐1 Sign Marquee Sign. 435 Lincoln Alfa Company Supporting structure: 3/16" x 3" brass studs.