Los Angeles Department of City Planning RECOMMENDATION REPORT CULTURAL HERITAGE COMMISSION CASE NO.: CHC -2009 -404 -HCM ENV-2009-405-CE HEARING DATE: March 19, 2009 Location: 5610 York Blvd, 5625 Buchanan St. TIME: 10:00 AM Council Districts: 1 and 14 PLACE : City Hall, Room 1010 Community Plan Area: Northeast Los Angeles 200 N. Spring Street Area Planning Commission: East Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA Neighborhood Council: Historic Highland Park 90012 Legal Description: Lot 8 and 17 of Block 15 of Grider and Hamilton’s Highland Park Tract PROJECT: Historic-Cultural Monument Application for the HIGHLAND PARK SAFEWAY STORE REQUEST: Declare the property a Historic-Cultural Monument OWNER: Schwab, Robert H and Louis H. Trust, Schwab, R Trust, H. Schwab Trust c/o R and L Properties 10940 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 2250 Los Angeles, CA 90024-3954 APPLICANT: Charles J. Fisher Highland Park Heritage Trust 140 South Avenue 57 Los Angeles, CA 90042 RECOMMENDATION That the Cultural Heritage Commission: 1. Not declare the property a Historic-Cultural Monument per Los Angeles Administrative Code Chapter 9, Division 22, Article 1, Section 22.171.7 2. Adopt the report findings. S. GAIL GOLDBERG, AICP Director of Planning [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 Prepared by: [SIGNED ORIGINAL IN FILE] ________________________ Edgar Garcia, Preservation Planner Office of Historic Resources Attachments: January, 2009 Historic-Cultural Monument Application ZIMAS Report 5610 York Boulevard CHC-2009-404-HCM Page 2 of 3 SUMMARY Built in 1967 and located in the Highland Park community, this two-story rectangular-planned commercial building exhibited character-defining features of the Late Modern style. Built as a supermarket, the subject building is set back from York Boulevard to allow for a parking lot. Symmetrically composed, the building features a front-facing reinforced concrete arched roof covered with rolled composition. A large arched beam forms the fascia at the base of the roof, extending beyond the side eaves. This roof structure forms the primary architectural feature of the subject building. The exterior walls are glass, aluminum, and steel flanked by stone covered wings with vertical banding. Large plate glass windows with off-center entrances bisected by a centrally located sign board compose the main façade. The back elevation of the subject building features the roof arch form with unadorned concrete walls. The interior features an open space with an undulating arched ceiling and exposed I-beams. Secondary structures on the subject property include a large pole sign. The proposed Highland Park Safeway Store historic monument was designed by the firm Novikoff Engineers and built by the Safeway Company. The Safeway market chain was established in 1914 in Southern California and quickly grew as a major supermarket chain throughout the state of California, eventually becoming the world’s largest chain of retail food stores. In 1967, the company opened a location at the subject site using one of their standardized prototypical designs, known as the “Marina Plan.” The “Marina Plan” was roughly a design scheme that consisted of a main central arch, high beamed ceiling, and a glass façade. This style was typical of their supermarket stores throughout California and the United States. The subject building was converted to a “Pic N Save” store sometime in the 1980s and later “Big Lots.” The subject building is currently vacant. 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. FINDINGS The written nomination argues that the property meets two of the specified Historic-Cultural Monument criteria: 1) “embodies the distinguishing characteristics of an architectural type specimen, inherently valuable for a study of a period style or method of construction,” and 2) reflects “the broad cultural, economic, or social history of the nation, State or community.” Analysis of the subject property by staff has determined that the subject building’s design does not represent an example of Late Modern-style architecture that meets criteria for designation as a Historic-Cultural Monument. Although the subject building exhibits character-defining features of Late Modern-style commercial architecture typical of the 1960s-70s such as stone 5610 York Boulevard CHC-2009-404-HCM Page 3 of 3 covered wall surfaces, large glass windows, and a distinctive roof form, this building does not constitute a particularly outstanding or distinctive example of this style. Although having a distinctive roof form, the subject building’s design as a whole does not appear to be a highly significant example of Late Modern design. The nomination argues that the subject building’s association with the “Marina Style,” a standardized design for supermarkets used by the Safeway Company, renders it eligible for designation. Although this design is clearly associated with the development of the company, this prototype design appears to have only been a loose set of design features. The subject building appears to have only been a modestly representative example, incorporating some design elements of the “Marina Style.” Other examples of this style presented in the application material do appear to more successfully embody this design standard. The nomination also argues that the subject building is eligible for local designation based on its association with the Safeway Company. As the company constructed hundreds of supermarket locations throughout the United States, the subject building does not appear to have any particular distinction from the other Safeway supermarkets. Although the company was founded in Los Angeles in 1914, the subject building and its location do not have any specific links with the original establishment of the company. Because of legally permitted demolition and renovation work performed on the building prior to the consideration hearing with the Cultural Heritage Commission, the subject building exhibits severe integrity issues relative to its original architectural design and extant fabric. While the Cultural Heritage Ordinance does not have a specific test of “integrity,” a potential resource evaluated against the ordinance’s architectural criterion should retain the character-defining features that enable it to embody a particular architectural style. Although the subject building retains its essential form owing to its intact roof, the extent of renovations and removal of original building fabric have ultimately compromised its original design. Should the subject building have maintained a high degree of intact architectural integrity, the Late Modern architectural design itself would not have rendered it eligible for local designation. Based on the specified criteria, the subject property does not meet criteria for designation as a Historic-Cultural Monument. BACKGROUND At its meeting of February 19, 2009, the Cultural Heritage Commission voted to take the application under consideration. On March 5, 2009, the Cultural Heritage Commission toured the subject property. Los Angeles Department of City Planning RECOMMENDATION REPORT CULTURAL HERITAGE COMMISSION CASE NO.: CHC -2009 -404 -HCM ENV-2009-405-CE HEARING DATE: February 19, 2009 Location: 5610 York Blvd, 5625 Buchanan St. TIME: 10:00 AM Council District: 1/14 PLACE : City Hall, Room 1010 Community Plan Area: Northeast Los Angeles 200 N. Spring Street Area Planning Commission: East Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA Neighborhood Council: Historic Highland Park 90012 Legal Description: Lot 8 and 17 of Block 15 of Grider and Hamilton’s Highland Park Tract PROJECT: Historic-Cultural Monument Application for the HIGHLAND PARK SAFEWAY STORE REQUEST: Declare the property a Historic-Cultural Monument OWNER: Schwab, Robert H and Louis H. Trust, Schwab, R Trust, H. Schwab Trust c/o R and L Properties 10940 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 2250 Los Angeles, CA 90024-3954 APPLICANT: Charles J. Fisher Highland Park Heritage Trust 140 South Avenue 57 Los Angeles, CA 90042 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 may warrant further investigation. 2. Adopt the report findings. S. GAIL GOLDBERG, AICP Director of Planning [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 Prepared by: [SIGNED ORIGINAL IN FILE] ________________________