Ostashay & Associates consulting

P.O. Box 542 Long Beach, CA 562.500.9451 [email protected] Memorandum

To: Stephanie Reich, City of Santa Monica Date: 06/28/2021

From: Jan Ostashay, Principal OAC

Re: Peer Review: Designation (Landmark) Application/Assessment Report - 621 San Vicente Blvd

Overview This memorandum (memo) has been prepared at the request of the City of Santa Monica Planning & Community Development Department, City Planning Division (the City). The purpose of the memo is to provide a professional peer review of the updated Designation (Landmark) Application (Landmark Application), dated March 4, 2021, and associated Landmark Assessment Report dated December 18, 2020, that was prepared by GPA Consulting for the 621 San Vicente Boulevard property.

On May 14, 2020, H. Joseph Soleiman, the applicant, submitted a Landmark Designation Application for the 621 San Vicente Boulevard property prepared by GPA Consulting on behalf of the property owner. At the request of the City, a peer review of the landmark application was prepared by Jan Ostashay of OAC, who found the application’s assessment of the property lacking sufficient evidence and compelling arguments to support the proposed landmark designation. The City’s Landmarks Commission reviewed the landmark application, peer review assessment, staff report, and public comments during a public hearing on October 12, 2020 (Landmark Designation Application 20ENT- 0120). Upon deliberation, the Commission motioned to continue the item in order for the applicant to provide additional information on the subject property and the sculpture piece that is attached to the front façade of the building with investigation into Landmark criteria 2 and 4.

An updated Landmark Application and Landmark Assessment Report have been prepared by GPA Consulting in response to the Commission’s request and motion made at that meeting. That material was peer reviewed by OAC and OAC’s findings are discussed herein this memo. In summary, OAC agrees with GPA’s evaluation findings that the property does not satisfy Landmark criteria 3 (association important personages) and 6 (it has a unique location, singular visual characteristic or is an established familiar visual feature). As for findings of significance under Landmark criteria 1, 2, 4, and 5, OAC does not concur with GPA’s findings that the property satisfies these four Landmark criteria for historical associations, artistic and aesthetic qualities, and architecture merit.

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Methodology To complete this peer review memo, Ms. Ostashay completed the following tasks:

• Reviewed the initial Landmark Designation Application (May 27, 2020); reviewed the updated Landmark Designation Application (March 4, 2021) with associated Landmark Assessment Report dated December 18, 2020 prepared by GPA Consulting.

• Reviewed the City’s Landmark Designation Criteria, Landmarks and Historic Districts Ordinance, 2018 Historic Context Statement (HCS), 2018 Historic Resources Inventory (HRI) Update, and other prior city-sponsored historic resources surveys and survey updates.

• Reviewed the staff report, public comment, and minutes of the Landmark Commission hearing of October 12, 2020, at which the subject property was reviewed by the Commission. Also listened to the audio transcript of the Landmarks Commission hearing of October 12, 2020 via the City’s website.

• Conducted additional research on the history of the subject property; its original owner/builder and architect; physical alterations; and past owners and occupants. The scope of the research was limited to what was necessary to assess the validity of the evaluation findings presented in the application and assessment report.

• Reviewed relevant National Park Service (NPS) guidance on evaluating the significance of potential historic properties. Also searched the National Register of Historic Places online database, the City’s online sources, and OAC’s in-house library for any properties evaluated or designated for similar reasons as those outlined in the application and assessment report, i.e. association with multi-family residential development, architecture and aesthetics, master architect, etc.

• Analyzed the assessment findings and researched presented in the application’s landmark assessment report for validity, clarity, and conformance with the basic professional principles and best practices for evaluating the significance of potential historic properties.

• Summarized the results of all of the tasks listed above within this memo.

Landmark Designation Application and Assessment Report

The original Landmark Designation Application, dated April 27, 2020, for the apartment building located at 621 San Vicente Boulevard consisted of the application form along with supporting attachments (attachment “A” describing the property, attachment “B” providing a statement of architectural significance and the identification of character-defining features, attachment “C” the bibliography, attachment “D” photographs of the property, and attachment “E” building permit history).

An updated Landmark Designation Application form, dated March 4, 2021, has been submitted to the City along with a Landmark Assessment Report, dated December 18, 2020, as a response to the Commission’s request to provide additional information on the subject property in order to fully assess its historical significance and potential designation as a City Landmark. The Landmark Assessment Report includes an executive summary, introduction, methodology statement on the

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tasks performed, identification of prior evaluations of the subject property, development of a historic context with associated themes presented, a property description narrative (architectural description, construction history, ownership and tenant history), application of City Landmark criteria and evaluation for local landmark designation, analysis of historical integrity, identification of character- defining features, a findings conclusion, and bibliography. The assessment report also includes several supporting attachments (resume of evaluator, current photographs, tenant history and newspaper advertisements, Sanborn Maps, building permit history, and “sample” building plans (original architectural plans).

Peer Review Assessment

OAC has peer reviewed the updated landmark application and associated landmark assessment report prepared by GPA related to the property located at 621 San Vicente Boulevard for overall adequacy and the property’s potential local landmark eligibility. The review analysis by OAC of the designation application, evaluation of historical integrity, and assessment findings for historical significance under the established City Landmark criteria is presented as follows.

Construction History, Alterations, Integrity Assessment

The subject property is a large, rectangular shaped multi-family residential building. The three-story structure was completed in the spring of 1960 and opened for occupancy in the summer of that same year. It with built with a semi-subterranean garage ground floor level with 29 two and three bedroom units on the upper floors (there was also a single one bedroom unit on the first floor probably designed as the manager’s unit). Because of its design and placement on the lot, many of the building features, such as the entry lobby area and staircase, multi-level exterior light courts, enclosed exterior corridors, fenestration, and front entries to the apartment units, are not readily visible from the public rights-of-way. The building was designed by architect Kenneth N. Lind and built by Los Angeles-based Lyons Construction Company for then owners Joseph and Leo Lyons (who owned and operated Lyons Construction).

The apartment building, originally called The Continental, exhibits the typical character-defining features of the Stucco Box apartment typology, a popular building form of the late 1950s, 1960s, and early 1970s, with its multi-story monolithic rectangular form, flat stucco walls, aluminum framed – flush set windows, and integrated parking but with some Mid-Century Modern ornamentation applied to the front façade (south elevation). The pragmatic side and rear elevations of the structure have planar, unornamented features. When initially constructed, the building featured some additional stylistic features of the Mid-Century Modern idiom such as a patterned pre-cast concrete block wall screen behind the swimming pool, recessed stacked terraces open along the side elevations including two floors of open stacked terraces near the large windowless slab wall of the front façade, extensive use of decorative period-appropriate metals railings at the deck edges of the terraces and public visible stairs and lobby area, thin columns to aid in the cantilever effect of the front façade “floating” over the open spaces of the pool area and integrated subterranean garage entry, and a slightly recessed unpainted brick veneer “feature” wall offset to the east on the south (front) elevation, as well as an interesting abstract metal art sculpture affixed to the front façade (the art piece is still intact in its original location).

Many of those high-styled Mid-Century Modern elements were damaged and removed or modified as a result of the 1994 Northridge earthquake (January 17, 1994). Following the earthquake the

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building was inspected by the City for safety on January 19, 1994. Notes on the “Rapid Evaluation Safety Assessment Form” (filed with the permit history) completed by the City’s structural engineer stated the building was evacuated and structural damage was sustained rendering it unsound and uninhabitable. Conditional damage itemized on the form included the collapse and partial collapse of the building and features (not specified), leaning building, severe racking of walls with cracked stucco, and falling hazards (columns). Repairs were made according to a permit dated from April 1994 for the remodel of the front of the building, installation of shear walls, and paint. Photographs included in the GPA Landmark Assessment Report also show damage to the building’s windows, the recessed brick veneer wall on front façade cracked and partially in rubble, collapsed and partially collapsed front support columns at or near front of building, collapsed concrete block screen wall behind pool, and damage to the open lobby space and stairs on the first level, among other conditions.

It is unclear as to when other changes to the building occurred as there are no permits on file for work completed along the side elevations, but they are visually evident when compared to a rendering of the building that was published in the Los Angeles Times on June 19, 1960. It is also evident that changes occurred to the building upon reviewing the original “sample” architectural building plans of the structure by architect Kenneth N. Lind that appear to date from around 1959 (included in the GPA Landmark Assessment Report), as well as aerial photographs of the property from 1962, 1968, 1971, and 2020. Those changes evident along the side (east/west) elevations include the infill of the original recessed open terraces; removal of terrace railings; and the infill, replacement, resizing, and realignment of some windows frames and window openings.

The extensive seismic repairs made to those areas of the building visible from the public rights-of-way have visually and physically impacted much of its original Mid-Century Modern stylistic design intent as envisioned by its architect Kenneth N. Lind. In addition, as seen from a public right-of-way oblique view, the modification of the thin support columns along the front wall and removal of the stacked recessed open terraces on the side walls adjacent the front elevation have visually and physically impacted the original “floating” aspect or cantilever effect of the second and third floor windowless slab wall of the front façade. The front elevation no longer appears to be “floating” above the void of the pool area and garage entrance. This particular design feature of the building is a very classic expression of the stylistic principles of the Mid-Century Modern idiom. Today, the building retains some original design features from its period of significance (1960) while some have been substantially modified or removed.

In considering the alterations that have occurred to the building, an analysis of its historic integrity is important. Historic integrity is the ability of a property to convey its significance and is defined as the “authenticity of a property’s historic identity, evidenced by the survival of physical characteristics that existed during the property’s…historic period.”1 A property eligible for local designation must satisfy the applicable significance criteria and should retain enough of its historic character and original appearance to be recognizable as a historical resource. The seven qualities or aspects of historical integrity are defined as follows:

• Location is the place where the historic property was constructed or the place where the historic event occurred.

1 National Register Bulletin No 15: How to Apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation, (Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places, 1995).

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• Design is the combination of elements that create the form, plan, space, structure, and style of a property.

• Setting is the physical environment of a historic property.

• Materials are 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.

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

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

• Association is the direct link between an important historic event or person and a historic property.

In assessing the property’s alterations and historical integrity, it is OAC’s professional opinion that the building has compromised integrity of design, materials, workmanship, and feeling to consider it an excellent example of its type and architecture. Therefore, OAC does not concur with the findings made in the GPA Landmark Assessment Report that the property retains all seven qualities of integrity.

Landmark Findings

Historic preservation in Santa Monica is governed by Chapter 9.56 (Landmarks and Historic Districts Ordinance) of the City of Santa Monica Municipal Code. The Ordinance includes criteria and procedures for designating City of Santa Monica Landmarks, Structures of Merit, and Historic Districts. Landmarks may include structures, natural features, or any type of improvement to a property that is found to have particular architectural or historical significance to the City.

Pursuant to Section 9.56.100(A) of the Ordinance, a property merits consideration as a City Landmark if it satisfies one or more of the following six criteria:

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

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

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

4. It embodies distinguishing architectural 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 style valuable to such a study.

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

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

Criterion 1

The GPA Landmark Assessment Report concludes that the subject property is significant under Criterion 1 for symbolizing the larger citywide trend of increased density and the early results of the change in the City’s zoning ordinance in 1959, which allowed for the area to resemble what it is today. GPA also found the property to be significant as an early, intact example of the Stucco Box multi- family infill development that exemplifies the number of well-designed, mid-scale modern apartment complexes in the City and represents both its economic and architectural history in the neighborhood’s architectural development.

The eligibility standards of the Santa Monica Citywide Historic Context Statement indicate that multi- family residential properties eligible under Criterion 1 may be significant as the site of an important event in history; for exemplifying an important trend, pattern, or type of multi-family residential development; or as an early rare, or excellent example of a multi-family residential property type.2

The apartment building at 621 San Vicente Boulevard, completed in 1960, is one of numerous multi- family residential properties constructed in the postwar period to meet the need for housing. The design rational for these ubiquitous postwar multi-family residences was to provide inexpensive housing using mass-produced building materials. The subject property was part of a trend that was occurring at the time, not only in Santa Monica, but elsewhere in the Southland and beyond. The subject property itself was not the impetus for this trend nor was a seminal representative of multi- family postwar development. As such, the building is not an early, rare, or excellent example of its type or of multi-family residential development within the City. It, along with many others in the community, represents a continued and popular residential development pattern in the postwar period within the City. Although the construction of the property is associated with City’s postwar development period, it cannot be said that this single building alone exemplifies, symbolizes, or manifests a pivotal multi-family residential development pattern of history in the City. Further, the apartment building has undergone considerable modifications to its primary (front, south) and secondary elevations thereby impacting its historical integrity of design, workmanship, material, and feeling. Therefore, it does not accurately convey its original design intent to fully exemplify, symbolize, or manifest elements of the economic, social, or architectural history of the City.

It is OAC’s professional opinion that the subject property does not appear to satisfy Criterion 1. Therefore, OAC does not concur with the findings made in the GPA Landmark Assessment Report that the property appears significant under Criterion 1.

Criterion 2

The apartment building under review is a good, but altered example of its type, design, and style. With the alterations made to the structure it no longer fully conveys the breadth of features and aesthetic qualities that would further enrich and define it as an excellent example of the Mid-Century Modern style and stucco box topology.

2 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).

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The abstract art piece attached onto the front façade of the building is a complementary feature to the style of the apartment building. In reviewing the updated GPA assessment report no artist was identified with the design and crafting of the piece and no information on the artist was uncovered by OAC as part of their research on the property. Created to reflect aspects of the Modernist tenents and complement the style of the building, the piece is a good example of its type and period, but is an external part of the building as decorative ornamentation. While it does have artistic and aesthetic interest it is an integral embellishment feature of the building, similar to the ornamental embellishments commonly found on Dingbat apartment buildings of the late 1950s and 1960s. Its application to the building adds to the Modernist style of the property, but does not raise it to level that satisfies Landmark Criterion 2.

According to the guidance from the NPS, “a property is eligible for its high artistic value if it so fully articulates a particular concept of design that it expresses an aesthetic ideal. A property is not eligible; however, it if does not express aesthetic ideals or design concepts more fully than other properties of its type.”3 It is OAC’s professional opinion that the subject property does not possess sufficient aesthetic interest or value to render it eligible under Criterion 2. Hence, OAC does not concur with the findings made in the GPA Landmark Assessment Report that the property appears eligible under Criterion 2.

Criterion 3

OAC concurs with GPA’s finding that the subject property does not satisfy Landmark Criterion 3.

Criterion 4

The 621 San Vicente Boulevard building is an altered Mid-Century Modern designed multi-family residence with Stucco Box apartment topology. The subject property was built during the postwar period, when quick and cost-effective construction was valued to meet unprecedented demand for housing. As such, the materials and methods used are common to postwar buildings in Santa Monica and throughout the region. The subject property, like many others of this type and period, would not individually be valuable to a study of a period, style, method of construction, or craftsmanship nor would it be considered a rare or unique example of an architectural design, detail, or historical type.

According to the registration requirements in the 2018 historic context statement, properties eligible for their architectural style “may be significant as an excellent or rare example of an architectural style, property type, or designed landscape.” The document emphasizes that “due to the quality of architecture in Santa Monica, there is a high threshold for properties that are eligible under this context. Eligible examples exhibit high quality of design and distinctive features.”4

The subject building exhibits qualities of both the Mid-Century Modern style and Stucco Box apartment topology; however, it is not considered an excellent example of the type or style due to alterations made to some notable original character-defining features, as discussed in the above paragraphs. While the building reflects the basic tenets of the Stucco Box apartment, Mid-Century Modern idiom it is one of the most ubiquitous and common multi-family residential property types in Santa Monica. It is OAC’s professional opinion that the apartment building is not a unique or rare

3 U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service. National Register Bulletin 15: How to Apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation, Washington, DC: National Park Service, 1997. 4 Architectural Resources Group and Historic Resources Group.

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example of its type and design and as such is not considered valuable to a study of a period, style, method of construction, or architecture. Therefore, OAC does not concur with GPA’s finding that the 621 San Vicente Boulevard property satisfies Landmark Criterion 4.

Criterion 5

The architect of record for the 621 San Vicente Boulevard apartment building as listed on the original permit is Kenneth Nels Lind (1909-1975). Because of the quality and breadth of design work by Lind he is recognized as a prominent practitioner of Mid-Century Modern architecture in the Los Angeles region, particularly in the late 1940s and 1950s. His designs cover a broad range and include apartments, hotels, private residences, senior public housing, community centers, and religious buildings. He also taught design and planning at USC and the University of Illinois and had some of his early work published in various architectural journals and design publications. While Lind was a notable architect of the Modernistic idiom, the subject property has compromised integrity of design, materials, workmanship, and feeling. As such, it no longer reflects his original design intent and does not adequately represent the high-quality body of work associated with the architect. There are better extant and intact examples of his work elsewhere in the City that better represent Lind’s overall theory of Modern design and practice.5 It is OAC’s professional opinion that the subject property is not a significant or representative example of the work by notable architect Kenneth N. Lind and, therefore, does not satisfy Landmark Criterion 5. As such, OAC does not concur with GPA’s finding that the subject property satisfies Landmark Criterion 5.

Criterion 6

OAC concurs with the GPA finding that the 621 San Vicente Boulevard property is ineligible for landmark listing under Criterion 6.

Conclusion OAC has completed a professional peer review of the updated Landmark Designation Application, dated March 4, 2021, and associated Landmark Assessment Report, dated December 18, 2020, that was prepared by GPA Consulting for the 621 San Vicente Boulevard property. The peer review was conducted by OAC to ensure that the current identification and evaluation efforts of the subject property for historical significance are adequate and that the findings of the GPA assessment report are sound and well justified.

In addition to reviewing and assessing evaluation findings, an important element of peer reviews is the assessment of the clarity of material presented, the adequacy of the research and context development, the understanding and application of significance criteria, and the consideration of historical integrity for which the report findings are based. OAC found the application and assessment report to be rather clear and somewhat adequate researched and logically supported despite some typographical errors and narrative discrepancies of information. The general content and format of the GPA report are professionally sound and well organized. The recognized and accepted standardized practices and guidelines for such survey assessment work appear to have been followed with the development of an organized and defined historic context, a straightforward property description, the identification of character-defining features, assessment of historical integrity, the

5 Known work in Santa Monica designed by Kenneth N. Lind includes 717 9th Street (1947), 130 Alta Avenue (1955), and 633 Ocean Avenue (1956).

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reasonable application of the City’s Landmark (significance) criteria, and the inclusion of relevant supporting material as attachments.

Based on the background research data, photographs, additional historical archival material collected and reviewed as well as the information and supporting materials provided in the GPA assessment report (including original “sample” architectural design plans), OAC does not concur with their assessment findings of the property’s historical integrity. Because of the modifications made to the building’s front façade and along the side elevations (particularly those portions of the side elevations adjacent the front façade and visually evident from the public rights-of-way) OAC believes there is compromised integrity of design, materials, workmanship, and feeling. Because the property lacks sufficient historical integrity the property does not fully epitomize the distinctive and unique architectural characteristics of the Stucco Box apartment topology, Mid-Century Modern style nor does it accurately reflect the architect’s original design intent.

As summary, OAC agrees with GPA’s evaluation findings that the property does not satisfy Landmark criteria 3 (association important personages) and 6 (it has a unique location, singular visual characteristic or is an established familiar visual feature). As for findings of significance under Landmark criteria 1, 2, 4, and 5, OAC does not concur with GPA’s findings that the property satisfies these four Landmark criteria for historical associations, artistic and aesthetic qualities, and architecture merit for the reasons discussed in the above paragraphs.

This concludes the peer review assessment of the updated Landmark Designation Application and associated Landmark Assessment Report prepared by GPA Consulting. If you have any questions regarding the comments herein or need additional information please do not hesitate to contact me.

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ATTACHMENT A:

City of Santa Monica – City Planning Division, Designation (Landmark) Application 621 San Vicente Boulevard, Santa Monica, CA 90402 March 4, 2021 (Applicant: H. Joseph Soleiman, XYZ Rent, Santa Monica, CA)

Landmark Assessment Report 621 San Vicente Boulevard, Santa Monica, CA 90402 December 18, 2020 (Prepared by GPA Consulting, Los Angeles, CA)

[UNDER SEPARATE COVER]

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