City's Landmark Assessment Report (GPA), January 2020

Landmark Assessment Report

Date: January 28, 2020 For: Steve Mizokami, Senior Planner/Landmarks Commission Liaison Subject: 518 Adelaide Drive From: Amanda Duane, Associate Architectural Historian ______Executive Summary

The property at 518 Adelaide Drive is a single-family residence designed in the French Revival style that was constructed in 1925. The property was identified in the 2018 Historic Resources Inventory Update as appearing eligible for Landmark designation for the quality of the design and as the work of the architectural firm Ruoff & Munson. It was nominated as a Santa Monica Landmark on October 31, 2019. As a result, GPA Consulting (GPA) has been retained by the City of Santa Monica (City) to prepare this Landmark Assessment Report to determine if the property is eligible for designation, and if so, under which criteria.

GPA evaluated the property under the six Santa Monica Landmark criteria and assessed its physical integrity. As a result of this analysis, GPA concludes that the property is significant under Criteria 1, 2, and 4, and retains sufficient physical integrity to convey this significance; therefore, it appears to be eligible for designation as a Santa Monica Landmark.

Figure 1: 518 Adelaide Drive, view looking southeast. GPA Consulting, December 17, 2019.

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Introduction

The purpose of this memorandum is to evaluate the residence at 518 Adelaide Drive as a Santa Monica Landmark in response to a designation application received by the City of Santa Monica on October 31, 2019. The residence is located on Adelaide Drive between 4th Street and 7th Street in the City of Santa Monica (see Figure 2). This neighborhood is described as North of Montana or the Adelaide Drive/Adelaide Place neighborhood in the 2018 Historic Resources Inventory Update. The property comprises one legal parcel (Los Angeles County Assessor’s Parcel No. 4293- 001-007).

Figure 2: 518 Adelaide Drive indicated with black outline. Base image courtesy of Google Maps.

Amanda Duane was responsible for the preparation of this memo. She fulfills the qualifications of a historic preservation professional outlined in Title 36 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 61. Her resume is included as Attachment A.

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Methodology

In preparing this report, GPA performed the following tasks:

1. Reviewed existing information provided by the City, including the landmark designation application.

2. Conducted a field inspection of the property to ascertain the general condition and physical integrity of the residence thereon. Digital photographs of the exterior of the residence were taken during this field inspection.

3. Conducted research into the history of the property. Sources referenced included building permit records, city directories, newspaper archives, genealogical databases, and historic maps.

4. Reviewed the 2018 Historic Context Statement to identify and extract the appropriate contexts for the evaluation, including the development of the North of Montana area, specifically Adelaide Drive and Adelaide Place, as well as the French Revival style. Additional specific contextual information relating to the property was compiled, including a discussion on the historic precedent of blending Period Revival styles and the work of the firm of Ruoff & Munson.

5. Reviewed and analyzed ordinances, statutes, regulations, bulletins, and technical materials relating to federal, state, and local historic preservation designations, and assessment processes and programs to evaluate the property for significance as a Santa Monica Landmark.

Previous Evaluations

In 1986, 518 Adelaide Drive was surveyed by Johnson Heumann Associates as part of the Phase II survey for the Santa Monica Historic Preservation Element. At that time, it was evaluated as appearing eligible for listing as a contributor to a potential district, the Adelaide Drive Adelaide Place Grouping, and given the equivalent of a present-day 5D3 status code.1

The evaluation was updated during the 2010 Santa Monica Citywide Historic Resources Inventory Update prepared by ICF International; the evaluation was unchanged and the property was assigned a 5D3 status code for contributing to the Adelaide Drive and Adelaide Place Grouping.2 Records associated with the 1986 and 2010 evaluations, provided by the City of Santa Monica, are included as Appendix D.

1 Architectural Resources Group and Historic Resources Group, City of Santa Monica Citywide Historic Resources Inventory Update Survey Report (Santa Monica: City of Santa Monica Planning and Community Development, August 9, 2019), 2-3; the Office of Historic Preservation refined their system of status codes in 2003. 518 Adelaide Drive was assigned a 5D in 1986, the meaning of which now corresponds to a 5D3 status code following the update. 2 “2010 Historic Resources Inventory,” City of Santa Monica, accessed January 27, 2020, https://www.smgov.net/Departments/PCD/Historic-Resources-Inventory/.

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The most recent Historic Resources Inventory Update took place in 2018 and was conducted by Architectural Resources Group and Historic Resources Group. The 2018 HRI update concluded that the Adelaide Drive and Adelaide Place Grouping no longer retained sufficient integrity to constitute a potential historic district. 518 Adelaide Drive was assigned a status code of 5S3, indicating that it appeared to be individually eligible for local listing.3

Historic Context

The following contexts were identified for the evaluation of the subject property. The indented paragraphs below are excerpted verbatim from the City of Santa Monica Citywide Historic Resources Inventory Update Survey Report prepared by Architectural Resources Group and Historic Resources Group in August 2019.

North of Montana

North of Montana is a residential neighborhood that is located in the northernmost section of Santa Monica. It spans the northern boundary of the city, and is one of its larger neighborhoods. It is roughly bounded by Adelaide Drive, San Vicente Boulevard, and La Mesa Drive on the north, 26th Street on the east, Montana Avenue on the south, and Ocean Avenue on the west. The street grid is generally rectilinear with the exception of San Vicente Boulevard, a large vehicular thoroughfare that is bisected by a landscaped median with mature coral trees. The area’s topography is predominantly flat, but the northern sections have a slight downward slope north of Georgina Avenue. The neighborhood, which is residential in character, is notable for its generous lot sizes, wide streets, broad parkways, and mature street trees. The neighborhoods north of San Vicente Boulevard are slightly different in character than the rest of the city, and are defined by small, winding streets and large, irregularly‐shaped lots. North of Montana is traversed by several major north‐south corridors including 20th Street, 14th Street, 7th Street, and 4th Avenue, which is also bisected by a landscaped median. Georgina Avenue, Marguerita Avenue, and Alta Avenue run through the neighborhood in the east‐ west direction. A landscaped park known as Palisades Park spans the bluff opposite of Ocean Avenue from Adelaide Drive to Montana Avenue.

North of Montana has historically been one of the most affluent neighborhoods of Santa Monica, and it contains several subdivisions that originally targeted the city’s upper‐class citizens. The Palisades Tract, Adelaide Drive/Adelaide Place, Gillette’s Regent Square, and Canyon Vista Park (mostly comprising properties along La Mesa Drive) were just some of the tracts that advertised oversized lots, canyon and ocean views, proximity to the street car line along San Vicente Boulevard, and a general exclusivity not found in other parts of the city. By the 1930s, the neighborhood was mostly built out and contained some of the finest and most architecturally significant residences in the city. Today, the neighborhood remains residential in character, and still contains a notable concentration of 1920s and

3 Architectural Resources Group and Historic Resources Group, Appendix B, Appendix E.

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1930s single‐family houses. Some multi‐family residential development can be found along Ocean Avenue, Montana Avenue, and San Vicente Boulevard, which contains a designated historic district of courtyard apartments west of 7th Street (San Vicente Boulevard Courtyard Apartments Historic District). The neighborhood also contains a stretch of low‐ scale commercial development along Montana Avenue between 7th and 17th Streets and at the corner of 26th Street and San Vicente Boulevard.

Adelaide Drive/Adelaide Place

Situated along the northern rim of the Palisades Tract and the high mesa above the beach, Adelaide Drive offers some of the most spectacular views of the coastline in the city. Not surprisingly, it became home to some of the grandest residences in Santa Monica. Named after the daughter of the pioneering R.C. Gillis family, it stretches from 7th Street on the east to Ocean Avenue on the west.

Building along Adelaide Drive was predominantly concentrated in two time periods. The first lasted from about 1905 to 1911 and includes several notable residences constructed for prominent early residents: the Roy Jones Residence #2 (1907, attributed to Robert Farquhar; City of Santa Monica Landmark #34) at 130 Adelaide Drive; and the R.C. Gillis House (c. 1906-1909, Myron Hunt and Elmer Grey; City of Santa Monica Landmark #26) at 406 Adelaide Drive. Most of the residences from this period are Craftsman in style. The second concentrated period of construction activity was during the great building boom of the 1920s. The remainder of Adelaide Drive was built out in the 1920s and 1930s, and continued to be home to important people in Santa Monica history, many of whom hired significant architects to design their residences. Homes erected during this era were designed in the popular period revival styles of the period, including Spanish Colonial Revival, Monterey Colonial Revival, and Mediterranean Revival. Examples include the Worell “Zuni House” (1923, Robert Stacy Judd; City of Santa Monica Landmark #50) at 710 Adelaide Place; and a residence for the Lucern Corporation (1925, Ruoff & Munson) at 518 Adelaide Drive.

French Revival

French Revival style architecture in Santa Monica consists of two sub-types, Chateauesque and French Provincial. The Chateauesque style is loosely modeled on the 16th century chateaux of France’s Loire Valley and combines features of French Gothic and Renaissance architecture. The style gained popularity in the United States in the late 19th century and is most closely associated with Richard Morris Hunt, the first American architect to study at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris. The style did not gain popularity in Southern California until the 1920s; it was most frequently used there for luxury apartment buildings and only occasionally for large single-family residences. Chateauesque style buildings are typically two or more stories in height and feature multiple, steeply-pitched hipped roofs with towers, turrets, spires, tall chimneys, and highly ornamented dormers. Exterior walls are

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usually veneered in stone, brick, or scored plaster, and are ornamented with classical pilasters, stringcourses, and cornices. Windows are typically divided light wood casements and are frequently paired or grouped with prominent mullions. The more modest French Provincial style was popularized after World War I and is based upon country houses of the French provinces, including Normandy. Although it shares several basic features with the more elaborate Chateauesque style, the French Provincial style is much simpler in its composition and detailing. It is characterized by a prominent, steeply pitched hipped roof with flared eaves and a classical eave cornice; simple rectangular plan and massing; exterior walls veneered in smooth plaster; and divided light, wood sash casement or double- hung windows, usually with louvered wood shutters. Second floor windows sometimes break the cornice line with shallow dormers. The Norman variation usually features decorative half-timbering and a circular entrance tower with a conical roof.

French Revival was part of the larger Period Revival movement in Southern California that spanned generally between World War I and World War II. Its popularity occurred alongside building booms in growing cities while advances in building technology made a greater variety of construction techniques more widely available. Drawing inspiration from regions in Europe, architects became less concerned with “academic correctness,” and more with the selection of features that could most evoke a mood, emotion, or sense of fantasy. A single design could derive influence from multiple historic periods and cultures, resulting in a range of variations and wholly unique examples within the same Period Revival style.4

The French Provincial or “French Norman” style was often applied to residential buildings. Often, a few characteristic features of vernacular French residences, such as a conical tower or steeply pitched roof, were applied to an otherwise minimalistic building. However, during the 1920s and 1930s, the popularity of period films led to a reimagining of the style, molding the public’s idea of medieval France. Combinations of irregular massing, multiple roof shapes, and exterior cladding were used to create a “village-like” feel, in which a single residence is suggestive of an entire cluster of medieval buildings.5 These variations, bordering on Storybook style with their fanciful detailing and village-like feel, are unique. Known examples can be found in Pasadena and Hollywood.

Ruoff & Munson

The firm of Ruoff & Munson, a partnership between Allen Ruoff and Arthur C. Munson, was identified as notable in the 2018 HRI in a significance statement for the subject property. The firm was active in the Los Angeles area as early as 1922 and appears to have specialized in residential architecture designed in the Period Revival styles popular during the early twentieth century. Known works by the firm include the Raymond C. Brooks House in Claremont (1922, 489 W. 6th

4 Allison Lyons and Teresa Grimes, “Architecture and Engineering, Period Revival, 1919-1950,” Los Angeles Citywide Historic Context Statement (City of Los Angeles Office of Historic Resources, January 2016), 8-10. 5 Lyons and Grimes, 11-12.

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Street, Spanish Colonial Revival) and the William J. Hubbard House in Los Angeles (1923, 811 Norton Avenue, Tudor Revival).6 The firm was dissolved by 1926.7

Working independently, Allen Ruoff designed a number of multi-family residences in Westwood, near the intersection of Wilshire and Beverly Glen Boulevards, as well as the Italian Renaissance Revival building for the Wilshire Branch of the Los Angeles Public Library, and the UCLA Kappa Kappa Gama Sorority House.8 Ruoff passed away in 1945.9

After the dissolution of the firm, Arthur C. Munson designed a Streamline Moderne residence in Northeast Los Angeles (1939, 4421 Richard Circle), the Garner House (1926, Spanish Colonial Revival) and Vortox Building (1928, Spanish Colonial Revival) in Claremont, and South Pasadena City Hall (circa 1939).10

The additional research into Ruoff & Munson conducted for this report revealed little else about their body of work. No other projects within Santa Monica that might have had an impact on the built environment of the city were found. The firm is not included as a known Architect/Builder in the City of Santa Monica’s Historic Resources Inventory Database. No scholarly study or analysis of the firm’s work was found to suggest they had a larger influence on the field or architecture or the work of their peers throughout the larger Southern California region.

Property Description

The house at 518 Adelaide Drive is a single-family residence constructed in the French Revival style. The one- and two-story building has an irregular plan comprised of a series of staggered rectangular volumes. The roof of the building is a complex combination of steeply pitched front- and side-facing gables, as well as a conical roof with a finial over the entrance. The roof has flush eaves and is clad in composition shingles. The exterior of the building is clad in stucco.

The primary elevation faces northwest toward Adelaide Drive. The front entrance is centered on this elevation, recessed within a full-height rounded tower. The entrance consists of a battened wood door with partial glazing. To the north of the entrance on the ground floor there is a set of

6 “Brooks, Raymond C., House, Claremont, CA,” Pacific Coast Architecture Database, accessed December 11, 2019, http://pcad.lib.washington.edu/building/14160/; “William J. Hubbard Residence,” HistoricPlacesLA, accessed December 11, 2019, http://historicplacesla.org/reports/77605408-1473-4528- a8d0-dbf2694b60af. 7 “Ruoff and Munson, Architects (Partnership),” Pacific Coast Architecture Database, accessed December 11, 2019, http://pcad.lib.washington.edu/firm/586/. 8 “Allen Ruoff,” HistoricPlacesLA, accessed December 19, 2019, http://historicplacesla.org/reports/6a6cdf95-8588-4252-b163-c01bcdbe7ee2; “A Brief Wilshire Branch Library History,” Los Angeles Public Library, accessed December 11, 2019, https://www.lapl.org/branches/wilshire/history. 9 Withy, Henry F., and Elsie Rathburn Withey, Biographical Dictionary of American Architects (Deceased) (Los Angeles: New Age Publishing Co., 1956), 532. 10 “Southaven,” HistoricPlacesLA, accessed December 11, 2019, http://historicplacesla.org/reports/8df179df-7f52-4163-8d24-0ccb2c43d8ac; “Building Claremont: The Early Years (Continued),” The Claremont Courier, December 7, 2018, accessed December 11, 2019, https://www.claremont-courier.com/articles/opinion/t30274-heritage; “Garner House – History,” Claremont Heritage, accessed December 11, 2019, https://claremontheritage.org/garnerhouse.html; “South Pasadena Welcomes Advance in City Hall Plans,” Los Angeles Times, September 19, 1938, A10.

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wood French doors and two pairs of multi-light wood casement windows, one of which has battened wood shutters. At the northwest corner of the building there is a stuccoed wingwall with a globe finial that forms the front edge of a wall enclosing the rear yard. To the south of the front entrance there are three single-light wood windows with battened wood shutters and a set of French doors with a multi-light wood screen. On the second floor of the front elevation there are two sets of French doors that open onto wrought iron balconettes and two pairs of single-light casement windows, one of which has battened wood shutters. At the southernmost end of the front elevation is a two-story garage with a tilt-up wood door. Other features that characterize the front elevation include two large stucco chimneys with terra cotta chimney caps, clay tile attic vents, and decorative stucco screens over leaded glass windows (see Photo 1 Attachment B).

The extension of the garage forms a small L-shaped area on the southwest side of the house. On the southeast-facing wall (the rear wall of the garage) there is a single wood door, a sliding vinyl window and a sliding aluminum window. On the ground floor of the southwest-facing wall (the side of the house) there is a single wood door, a stucco screen over a window, and a jalousie window and sliding vinyl window, both with battened wood shutters. On the second floor of the southwest-facing wall, there are two jalousie windows with battened wood shutters (see Photo 2 of Attachment B). At the westernmost end of this wall there is an arched opening that leads to a covered patio at the rear of the house. The covered patio is covered by a gabled roof and supported by carved wood posts.

There is a battened wood door and a single-light wood door within the patio. To the north of the patio on the ground floor, there is a single-light wood window, three sliding vinyl windows, and a set of French doors. On the second floor, there are three jalousie windows with a battened wood shutters and a pair of single-light wood casement windows with battened wood shutters (see Photo 3 of Attachment B).

On the ground floor of the side of the house that faces northeast there is a set of French doors, a stucco screen over a window, and another covered patio. This patio is enclosed by stucco walls with large arched openings. Within the patio there is a glazed wood door and a set of French doors. On the second floor of the northeast side of the house there are two single-light wood casement windows with battened shutters, a large multi-light leaded glass window, and a pair of single-light casement windows recessed within the volume of the rounded tower (see Photo 4 and Photo 5 of Attachment B). North of the covered patio on a southeast-facing wall there is a set of French doors. On a northeast-facing wall at the very northern part of the house there is a set of French doors (see Photo 6 of Attachment B).

A hedge along the front edge of the property encloses a deep front lawn. A centralized walkway of concrete pavers and three shallow concrete steps leads to a small wood gate by the front entrance. The front entrance is enclosed by a concrete brick wall. At the southwest edge of the property there is a concrete driveway paved with a decorative geometric design. The driveway is at a lower grade than the front lawn, and a concrete retaining wall creates the boundary between the driveway and the lawn. Mature flowering plants, including birds of paradise and poinsettia, are planted along the north end of the front elevation (see Photo 1 of Attachment B).

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The southeast portion of the property to the rear of the house is occupied by a tennis court (see Photo 7 of Attachment B). The remainder of the rear yard is grass with mature trees and shrubs throughout.

The property appears to be in overall good condition. Alterations to the main house documented in available building permits include the addition of the garage and tennis court in 1968. Other alterations that were determined through visual observation include replacement of windows on the side and rear elevations with jalousie, vinyl, or aluminum sliding windows within their original openings.

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Evaluation for Local Landmark Designation

Per §9.56.100(A) of the Santa Monica Landmarks and Historic Districts Ordinance (adopted in 1976 and later amended in 1987, 1991, and most recently 2015), a property merits consideration as a Landmark if it satisfies one or more of six statutory criteria. The following discussion considers the significance of 518 Adelaide Drive under each criteria.

Criterion 1: It exemplifies, symbolizes, or manifests elements of the cultural, social, economic, political or architectural history.

The house at 518 Adelaide Drive was constructed in 1925. The decade between 1920 and 1930 constituted a major building boom in Santa Monica, particularly for residential development. Between 1921 and 1925 alone, the population grew by 40,000. The huge increase in the number of residences to house these newcomers, many of which were designed by skilled architects in the popular styles of the era, shaped the “atmosphere” of the growing city: it was transitioning from a vacation and resort town to a city full of permanent residents and characterized by Period Revival architecture. This increase in development occurred along Adelaide Drive/Adelaide Place as well. While the earliest houses in the neighborhood were constructed around the turn of the century, the majority were constructed during this boom, resulting in a high concentration of Period Revival homes, including Spanish Colonial Revival, Monterey Revival, and Mediterranean Revival. Over time, many of these residences along Adelaide Drive have been demolished and replaced with larger and more contemporary designs, particularly at the north end of the street. As such, original houses like 518 Adelaide Drive are among the few intact buildings that remain to represent this period in the neighborhood’s architectural development.

The property at 518 Adelaide Drive symbolizes the larger citywide trend of increased residential development during the height of Period Revival popularity, representing both the economic and architectural history of the city. In addition, it is one of the residences along Adelaide Drive that remains intact despite more recent infill construction. Therefore, the property appears to be significant under Criterion 1.

Criterion 2: It has aesthetic or artistic interest or value, or other noteworthy interest or value.

The residence at 518 Adelaide Drive is designed in the French Revival style. The French Revival style is one that includes a great deal of variation due to the wide range of design influences and property types to which it was applied. As a result, several subtypes emerged within the style, including symmetrical, asymmetrical, and towered. Because of its prominent, rounded tower entrance, the residence is one of the towered subtypes. In addition, the residence also features an organic, highly asymmetrical massing, which is evocative of the informal architecture found in French villages that inspired many Period Revival designs.

The property at 518 Adelaide Drive has aesthetic interest and value for its unique characteristics within the French Revival style; therefore, the property appears to be significant under Criterion 2.

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Criterion 3: It is identified with historic personages or with important events in local, state, or national history.

The following residents of 518 Adelaide Drive were identified through City Directory research. Kenneth and Ruby Brainard lived at the address in 1928. Listings revealed that the Brainards owned many residences throughout Southern California, including Pasadena and West Los Angeles. Kenneth is listed in area directories as working as a salesman and realtor.11

Between 1930 and 1931, Edward and Mary Clark lived at the address. At the time, the couple were in their late 60s and no occupations were listed.12 Ten years earlier, Edward Clark is listed as an orange and lemon farmer in Glendora. The Clarks ostensibly retired to Santa Monica.13

As early as 1936, Maury and Anita Webster lived at the address. Maury Webster’s occupation was listed as an engineer; however, research did not reveal any additional information, such as what type of engineer or a company with which he was affiliated. The Websters lived at the house together until at least 1948. Sometime between 1948 and 1952, Maury is presumed to have passed away, as Anita alone is listed at the address from 1952 to 1960.14

Research did not reveal any evidence that the residents discussed above would be considered historic personages, or that they made any demonstrably significant contributions to local, state, or national history while working in their respective fields. The current owners have occupied the property since as early as 1968. Typically, associations with living persons are not considered, as insufficient time has passed to assess any possible historic contributions.

Research also did not reveal any evidence of association with a historic event. Therefore, 518 Adelaide Drive does not appear to be significant under Criterion 3.

Criterion 4: It embodies the distinguishing characteristics valuable to a study of a period, style, method of construction, or the use of indigenous materials or craftsmanship, or is a unique or rare example of an architectural design, detail or historical type valuable to such a study.

518 Adelaide Drive embodies the distinguishing characteristics of the French Revival style and possesses features of both the Chateauesque and Provincial substyles. The style is expressed through the complex massing, multiple steeply pitched roofs, rounded tower, multi-light wood casement windows, smooth stucco exterior, and battened wood shutters. Other features include wrought iron detailing, decorative grilles, and two large chimneys with decorative caps. The complex massing and multiple roof forms suggest a cluster of smaller buildings rather than one

11 “City and Area Directories,” collection on Ancestry.com, accessed December 11, 2019, https://www.ancestry.com/search/categories/dir_city/. 12 “1930 United States Federal Census,” Ancestry.com, accessed December 11, 2019, https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&db=1930usfedcen&h=91141459; “1920 United States Federal Census,” Ancestry.com, accessed December 11, 2019, https://search.ancestry.com/cgi- bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&db=1920usfedcen&h=166102. 13 “1920 United States Federal Census.” 14 “California Voter Registrations, 1900-1968,” Ancestry.com, accessed December 11, 2019, https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&db=CAVoterRosetta&h=15650199.

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larger building, lending a “village-like” feel to the design that evokes more fantasy than the majority of its counterparts.

Therefore, 518 Adelaide Drive appears to be significant under Criterion 4 as an excellent example of French Revival architecture in Santa Monica that is valuable to a study of architecture. The residence is a unique combination of elements from multiple substyles that represents an evolution of the French Revival style during the Period Revival Movement.

Criterion 5: It is a significant or a representative example of the work or product of a notable builder, designer, or architect.

518 Adelaide Drive was designed by the firm of Ruoff & Munson. Research did not reveal much in the way of scholarly exploration into their body of work or evidence to suggest that they would be considered especially notable. It appears that the short-lived firm specialized in large-scale residences designed in Period Revival styles; although the designs are successful, including the subject property, it is unlikely that the work of Ruoff & Munson had a major impact on the field of architecture as they produced competent designs in styles that were already widely popular. As such, the residence does not appear to be significant under Criterion 5; scholarly evidence does not support an argument that the architects would not be considered notable.

Criterion 6: It has a unique location, a singular visual characteristic, or is an established and familiar visual feature of a neighborhood, community, or the City.

The residence is located on Adelaide Drive and is surrounded by houses of similar scale, including some designed in Period Revival styles. As such, the location of the subject property is not in itself unique. While architecturally significant, the building does not have a visual characteristic that is singular within the city. Lastly, the subject property is not a familiar visual feature of the city. Therefore, 518 Adelaide Drive does not appear to be significant under Criterion 6.

Summary

518 Adelaide Drive appears to be significant under Santa Monica Landmark Criteria 1, 2, and 4. The property’s period of significance is 1925, the year of construction. Integrity Analysis

It is standard practice to assess a property’s integrity as part of a historic evaluation. Integrity is a property’s ability to convey its historic significance through its physical features. National Register Bulletin #15 defines seven aspects of integrity: Location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, and association. In order to convey significance, a property must retain some combination of these aspects of integrity from its period of significance. The aspects of integrity that are essential vary depending on the significance of the resource.

Location: The place where the historic property was constructed or the place where the historic event occurred.

The property retains integrity of location as there is no evidence to suggest the property has been moved since it was constructed in 1925.

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Design: The combination of elements that create the form, plan, space, structure, and style of the property.

The property retains integrity of design. Existing characteristics of the building, including its complex massing and irregular plan, decorative detailing and extensive use of wood and stucco reflect its original aesthetic, style, and function.

Setting: The physical environment of a historic property.

The integrity of setting has been compromised through cumulative alterations and contemporary infill construction along Adelaide Drive. Furthermore, the immediate setting has been altered with the addition of a tennis court that takes up the majority of the rear yard. Historic aerials indicate this area was originally a larger yard.

Materials: The physical elements that were combined or deposited during a particular period of time and in a particular pattern or configuration to form a historic property.

The property retains integrity of materials. The key exterior materials are present, including wood windows, stucco exterior, and wrought iron and terra cotta detailing. Some windows, particularly on the rear have been replaced; however, there are sufficient original windows remaining to convey the residence’s original materials palette.

Workmanship: The physical evidence or the crafts of a particular culture or people during any given period in history or prehistory.

The property retains integrity of workmanship which is conveyed through the construction techniques that made the complex configuration of the property possible, as well as more minute details including the troweled and stamped texture of the stucco, the saw marks on the battened wood shutters, and the small rivets on the wrought iron balconettes.

Feeling: A property’s expression of the aesthetic or historic sense of a particular period of time.

The property retains integrity of feeling, as the combination of its intact location, design, setting, materials, and workmanship evoke the sense of a 1920s Period Revival residence.

Association: The direct link between an important historic event or person and a historic property.

The integrity of association is intact, as the property retains sufficient physical integrity to convey its significance under Criterion 1, 2, and 4.

Character-Defining Features

Character-defining features are the architectural components that contribute to a building’s sense of time and place. Character-defining features can generally be grouped into three categories: the overall visual character of a building, the exterior materials and craftsmanship, and the interior spaces, features, and finishes. The relative importance of character-defining features depends on the level of craftsmanship, visibility, and integrity. In addition, some character-defining features are more important than others in conveying the significance of the

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building. The character-defining features identified below are considered the most important elements contributing to the significance of the property, and generally include features that date from the period of significance, directly relate to the original use, type, and style, display craftsmanship, are highly visible, and retain integrity.

The list of character-defining features for 518 Adelaide Drive are restricted to the exterior only, as the City’s ordinance does not include the interiors of private residences.

Overall Visual Character

• One- and two-story height • Complex massing, including large chimneys, rounded entrance tower, and exterior porches • Steeply pitched gabled and conical roof forms • French doors, single-light wood and casement windows • Balconettes • Stuccoed wingwall

Exterior Materials and Craftsmanship

• Troweled and textured stucco cladding • Wood windows, doors, and shutters • Wrought iron balconettes • Clay tile attic vents • Terra cotta chimney caps

Conclusions

The residence at 518 Adelaide Drive is significant as an example of French Revival architecture in the Adelaide Drive neighborhood. It retains integrity of location, design, materials, workmanship, feeling, and association, and therefore has sufficient physical integrity to convey its historical significance. As such, the residence appears to be eligible for listing as a Santa Monica Landmark under Criteria 1, 2, and 4.

Sources

Ancestry.com. Various digital collections.

Architectural Resources Group and Historic Resources Group. City of Santa Monica Citywide Historic Resources Inventory Update Survey Report. Santa Monica: City of Santa Monica Planning and Community Development, August 9, 2019.

“Building Claremont: The Early Years (Continued).” The Claremont Courier. December 7, 2018. Accessed December 11, 2019. https://www.claremont-courier.com/articles/opinion/t30274-heritage.

Claremont Heritage. “Garner House – History.” Accessed December 11, 2019. https://claremontheritage.org/garnerhouse.html.

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HistoricPlacesLA. “Allen Ruoff.” Accessed December 11, 2019. http://historicplacesla.org/reports/6a6cdf95-8588-4252-b163-c01bcdbe7ee2.

HistoricPlacesLA. “Southaven.” Accessed December 11, 2019. http://historicplacesla.org/reports/8df179df-7f52-4163-8d24-0ccb2c43d8ac.

HistoricPlacesLA. “William J. Hubbard Residence.” Accessed December 11, 2019. http://historicplacesla.org/reports/77605408-1473-4528-a8d0-dbf2694b60af.

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Attachments

Attachment A: Résumé

Attachment B: Photographs

Attachment C: City Directory Listings

Attachment D: Previous Evaluations

Attachment E: Building Permits

Landmark Assessment Report – 518 Adelaide Drive, Santa Monica, CA 15 ______

Attachment A: Résumé

AMANDA DUANE is an Associate Architectural Historian at GPA. She has been involved in the field of historic preservation since 2011. Amanda graduated from the Savannah College of Art and Design with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Historic Preservation. She has since worked in private historic preservation consulting in California. Amanda joined GPA in 2012 and her experience has included the preparation of environmental compliance documents in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act and Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act; Historic American Buildings Survey/Historic American Engineering Record recordation; large-scale historic resources surveys; Federal Rehabilitation Tax Credit and Mills Act Property Contract applications; National Register of Historic Place nominations; local landmark nominations; historic context statements; and evaluations of eligibility for a wide variety of projects and property types throughout California. Her experience also includes working with local governments to develop design guidelines for administering local design review. Educational Background: Selected Projects: ▪ B.F.A, Historic Preservation, Savannah ▪ Mar Vista Gardens, Los Angeles, National College of Art and Design, 2011 Register Nomination, 2019 Professional Experience: ▪ Million Dollar Theatre, Los Angeles, Historic- ▪ GPA Consulting, Associate Architectural Cultural Monument Nomination, 2019 Historian, 2012-Present ▪ Grand Central Market/Homer Laughlin ▪ Architectural Resources Group, Intern, Building, Los Angeles, Historic-Cultural 2012 Monument Nomination, 2019 ▪ City of Los Angeles, Office of Historic ▪ Drake Park/Wilmore City Historic District Resources, Intern, 2011-2012 Update, Long Beach, 2018-2019 Qualifications: ▪ Nirvana Apartments, Los Angeles, Federal Tax ▪ Meets the Secretary of the Interior’s Credit Application, Part 1, 2018 Professional Qualifications Standards for ▪ 1527 17th Street, Santa Monica, Landmark architectural history pursuant to the Nomination, 2018 Code of Federal Regulations, 36 CFR ▪ Bank of Italy, Los Angeles, National Register Part 61, Appendix A. Nomination, 2018 ▪ National Preservation Institute, Section ▪ Agfa-Ansco Corporation Building, Los Angeles, 106: An Introduction Historic-Cultural Monument Nomination, 2018 Professional Activities: ▪ Community Laundry Company Building, Los ▪ California Preservation Foundation Angeles, Historic-Cultural Monument Conference Programs Committee, 2017 Nomination, 2018 ▪ Immanuel Baptist Church, Long Beach, Landmark Nomination, 2017 ▪ Forsythe Memorial School for Girls, Los Angeles, National Register Nomination, 2015 ▪ Bartlett Building, Los Angeles, Historic-Cultural Monument Nomination and Mills Act Application, 2015

Memorandum – 518 Adelaide Drive, Santa Monica, CA Attachment C ______

Attachment B: Photographs

Photo 1: Front elevation, view looking northeast. GPA Consulting, December 17, 2019.

Photo 2: L-shaped area formed between garage and house, view looking north. GPA Consulting, December 17, 2019.

Memorandum – 518 Adelaide Drive, Santa Monica, CA Attachment A ______

Photo 3: Rear of house and covered patio (at left), view looking northwest. GPA Consulting, December 17, 2019.

Photo 4: Northeast-facing side of the house. Covered patio partially obscured by tree at right. GPA Consulting, December 17, 2019.

Memorandum – 518 Adelaide Drive, Santa Monica, CA Attachment A ______

Photo 5: Rear of house north of covered patio, at center. GPA Consulting, December 17, 2019.

Photo 6: Set of French doors on northeast-facing wall at north end of house. GPA Consulting, December 17, 2019.

Memorandum – 518 Adelaide Drive, Santa Monica, CA Attachment A ______

Photo 7: Tennis court to the rear of the house, view looking south. GPA Consulting, December 17, 2019.

Memorandum – 518 Adelaide Drive, Santa Monica, CA Attachment A ______

Attachment C: City Directory Listings

1928 (Ancestry.com)