City of San Gabriel STAFF REPORT DATE: November 4, 2020 TO: Historic Preservation and Cultural Resource Commission FROM: Samantha Tewasart, Planning Manager Rebecca Perez, Community Services Director Dale Brown, Preservation Architectural Services SUBJECT: Initial Review for Historic Appropriateness (Early-Stage Conceptual Review) San Gabriel Mission Playhouse (Register) – 320 South Mission Drive Applicant: City of San Gabriel SUMMARY This report is intended to provide information to the Historic Preservation and Cultural Resource Commission (HPCRC) regarding the proposed rehabilitation of the front facade at the San Gabriel Mission Playhouse at 320 South Mission Drive. The project is zoned MDV (Mission District Village) within the Mission District Specific Plan (MDSP) area and has a General Plan Land Use Designation of Mission District Village Commercial. The San Gabriel Mission Playhouse is on the National Register of Historic Places. San Gabriel Municipal Code (SGMC) § 153.614 requires an Initial Review for Historic Appropriateness for any proposed alteration and/or rehabilitation of a property that is listed on the Register. Initial Review for a property on the Register requires a public hearing and noticing; however, before the public hearing a conceptual review allows for preliminary comments and direction on the project approach prior to the hearing. Staff recommends that the HPCRC PROVIDE COMMENTS on the Initial Review of the Mission Playhouse Exterior Restoration Project Phase II Proposal. INTRODUCTION On October 23, 2019, the Historic Preservation and Cultural Resource Commission was provided information on the history of the Mission Playhouse, placement of the Mission Playhouse on the National Register of Historic Places (National Register) on July 22, 2019, and exterior restoration work on the Mission Playhouse. The attached proposal is for Phase II of the exterior restoration work. Phase I was the painting of the entire building (without the decorative details). The restoration project is a phased project due to the availability of funding through foundation grants, donations, and City-allocated funds. ANALYSIS Background According to the 2004 Mission District Specific Plan (MDSP), the Mission Playhouse is identified as a cultural resource, and the Mission Playhouse has since been placed on the National Register. Mission Playhouse Exterior Restoration Project November 4, 2020 Page 2 The MDSP § 5.5.4 (Exterior Preservation, Restoration, and Maintenance Standards) states that, “as a matter of policy, the City of San Gabriel shall decide to restore the exterior or all Structures of Cultural Value that it owns in the Mission District. A time schedule, priority list, and funding program should be established for this work. All work on property listed on the Mission District Inventory of Cultural Value should meet the Secretary of Interior’s Standards for Historic Buildings.” LeGrande Studios, Inc. has been contracted to execute Phase II of the restoration project. Evan Wilson of LeGrande Studios, Inc. designed and executed the original decorative painting on the Mission Playhouse facade. At the October 23, 2019 meeting, Staff clarified that the proposal submitted for Phase II was drafted prior to the Mission Playhouse’s National Register designation and that the proposal would be different if the designation was already in place. Additionally, at the meeting, the City’s Preservation Architect indicated that the embellishment proposal, submitted in July 2019, was considered inappropriate to the period of significance and did not recommend support of the proposed facade improvements, and provided two alternative options. The Preferred Alternative was to undertake a paint analysis study to determine the original paint colors of the entire building. This was recommended as the preferred alternative in order to allow the building to return to the original overall aesthetic and period of significance with the knowledge that substantial changes to the facade have occurred over the years due to seismic damages and repair and recent facade rehabilitation work. An In Lieu of Preferred Alternative was also provided by the City’s Preservation Architect to utilize available historic photographs for color selection and location. The In Lieu Alternative would require the Commission to assist in the paint review and selection process as part of the Initial Review public hearing. Furthermore, at the meeting, the Commission recommended that the proposed design be kept simple since there was seemingly very little, if any, detail on the building originally. The Commission also discussed what colors might have been used and whether or not there might be the possibility of removing some of the paint to determine the original colors of any of the details. The Commission further stated that it was difficult to determine the original colors based on the old photographs and requested to see the paint samples in person rather than rely on the photographs. Revised Proposal Since the October 23, 2019 meeting, City Staff and City Preservation Architect have been working with LeGrande Studios, Inc. on a revised proposal that will fit within the limited budget (considering that preservation and restoration work can be costly), and meet the Secretary of Interior’s Standards for Historic Buildings. The attached revised proposal outlines the scope of services to include an Exterior Paint Analysis to identify original colors and determine paint color designations, and a focus on areas of the building in need of repairs and refurbishments, such as the windows. An on-site mockup of the window color and accent color for the trims and architectural elements (e.g., poster cases, decorative lanterns and scones) will be provided for consideration. The analysis will require the removal of the paint layers and open up windows to expose the original colors of the exterior. This will include the section of several areas at or near the front of the building where, based on historic photographs, contrasting colors were most likely to have been used. The findings of this analysis will help to identify the original paint colors of the exterior façade, in relations to the historical images, and be used as a guide for color usage in the future. An on-site color match under special lighting conditions will be performed to accurately photograph the color match and report the location. A “strike off” card of each color found will be Mission Playhouse Exterior Restoration Project November 4, 2020 Page 3 provided to the City and City’s Historical Preservation Architect. If requested, a sample of the paint layer may also be provided to the City, for any instances the City could decide to send a sample of the paint layer to a lab for further study. The current paint color of the building’s exterior appears brighter than what is shown in the historical images. The facade paint color must be reverted to the original colors, selected after the Exterior Paint Analysis. The project will report its findings, documents, photographs, and will provide color strike offs to match, any and all, colors that are relevant. Funding for the entire repainting of the facade and other areas of the building may not be available. In this case, alternate paint colors for windows, areas of accent colors may be selected in order to for the final appearance to remain similar to the original colors. The current proposal does not intend to alter the architectural style nor the integrity of the Mission Playhouse. The attached proposal plans to use the findings from the Exterior Paint Analysis and referenced historical images to develop a guide that will support the proposed facade improvements. The City’s Preservation Architect recommends that once information about the original paint colors have been determined, selected, and approved, color exterior elevations and/or renderings must be provided with the selected colors applied. The proposed replacements/restoration of doors, windows, trim, decorative elements, and lighting fixtures must closely match to what is shown in the historic images. Provide color and material palette with samples of the façade and other decorative elements. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW This proposed project is exempt from the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act, per Guidelines § 15331, Class 31 which applies to “projects limited in maintenance, repair, stabilization, rehabilitation, restoration, conservation or reconstruction of historical resources in a manner consistent with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties with Guidelines for Preserving, Rehabilitating, Restoring, and Reconstructing Historic Buildings (1995), Weeks and Grimmer.” RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends that the HPCRC PROVIDE COMMENTS on the proposed Initial Review for Historic Appropriateness located at 320 South Mission Drive. FISCAL IMPACT The cost for the Exterior Paint Analysis is $3,450 and mockups is $1,850. ATTACHMENTS A. LeGrande Studios, Inc. Proposal dated October 14, 2020 B. Historic Preservation and Cultural Resource Commission Staff Report dated October 23, 2019 C. Historic Preservation and Cultural Resource Commission Minutes dated October 23, 2019 ATTACHMENT A LeGrande Studios, Inc. Art Murals Painted Decoration Prepared for: 10–14–20 San Gabriel Mission Playhouse City of San Gabriel attn. Rebecca Perez [email protected] Community Services Director attn. Josh Fairman [email protected] 320 South Mission Drive San Gabriel, CA 91778 Proposal