APPENDIX B HISTORIC RESOURCES ASSESSMENT Historic Resource Assessment 124-134 E. Wheeler Avenue and 117-129 E. Huntington Drive Arcadia, CA 91006 Prepared for: Psomas Prepared by: Kathryn McGee November 2018, revised January 2020 122-134 E. Wheeler Avenue and 117-129 E. Huntington Drive, Arcadia, California TABLE OF CONTENTS I. Introduction and Executive Summary ............................................................ 1 II. Consultant Qualifications............................................................................... 2 III. Methodology ................................................................................................. 3 IV. Regulatory Setting ......................................................................................... 4 National Register ..................................................................................... 4 California Register .................................................................................. 4 CEQA ..................................................................................................... 5 City of Arcadia ........................................................................................ 6 V. Property Description and History ................................................................... 8 Site.......................................................................................................... 8 Building A .............................................................................................. 10 Building B ............................................................................................... 15 Building C ............................................................................................... 19 Building D .............................................................................................. 22 Building E ............................................................................................... 25 VI. Historic Context ............................................................................................ 28 City of Arcadia ........................................................................................ 28 Route 66.................................................................................................. 37 VII. Historic Resource Assessment ....................................................................... 40 Significance ............................................................................................ 40 VIII. Conclusion .................................................................................................... 44 IX. Bibliography.................................................................................................. 45 Appendix A: Tables of Building Permits Attachments Attachment 1: Current Maps and Aerials Attachment 2: Historic Maps and Aerials Attachment 3: Current Photographs of Subject Property Attachment 4: Current Photographs of Setting Attachment 5: Historic Photographs of Subject Property Page 0 122-134 E. Wheeler Avenue and 117-129 E. Huntington Drive, Arcadia, California I. INTRODUCTION AND EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This report provides an historic resource assessment of the eight properties located at 124-134 Wheeler Avenue (Assessor Parcel Numbers 5773-010-900, -018, -019, -020, -021, and -901) and 117-129 E. Huntington Drive (Assessor Parcel Numbers 5773-010-007 and -008) in the City of Arcadia, California (referred to hereinafter as “subject properties”). The subject properties contain surface parking lots and a total of 5 commercial buildings, referred to as the following in this report: • Building A (124 Wheeler Avenue, constructed 1953); • Building B (126 Wheeler Avenue, constructed 1945); • Building C (134 Wheeler Avenue, constructed 1954); • Building D (117 E. Huntington Drive, constructed 1946-1947); and, • Building E (129 E. Huntington Drive, constructed 1948). The subject properties do not appear to have been previously evaluated, as they were not identified in the City of Arcadia’s recent historic resource survey and do not appear in the Los Angeles County Historic Property Data File (HPDF). A project involving demolition of the existing buildings and redevelopment of the subject properties is currently proposed. Evaluation of whether or not there are historical resources present is required for purposes of California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and local project review. This report provides the required historic resource assessment, evaluating each existing building, including histories of construction and alterations, as well as property owners and tenants. Relevant historic contexts are also included, and each building is evaluated for potential significance under the appropriate local, state, and federal criteria for evaluation. This report finds that none of the subject properties appear to be historically significant. Therefore, the subject properties do not appear to qualify as historical resources under CEQA. This report was initially prepared in November 2018 and was revised in January 2020 to include information from the City of Arcadia’s newly adopted historic preservation ordinance. Page 1 122-134 E. Wheeler Avenue and 117-129 E. Huntington Drive, Arcadia, California II. CONSULTANT QUALIFICATIONS This report was prepared by Kathryn McGee with editorial assistance from Jenna Snow. Ms. McGee visited and photographed the subject properties on September 27, 2018. Kathryn McGee Ms. McGee is an architectural historian and historic preservation planner based in Los Angeles. With over eleven years of experience, she meets the Secretary of the Interior’s Professional Qualification Standards in Architectural History. Ms. McGee launched an independent practice in 2015. She previously worked as a Senior Associate at historic preservation consulting firm, Chattel, Inc. Her educational background includes a Bachelor of Arts degree in architectural history from the University of California, Santa Barbara and a Master of Urban and Regional Planning degree from the University of California, Irvine. She has also completed the Summer Program in Historic Preservation at the University of Southern California and is a LEED Accredited Professional with specialty in Neighborhood Development. Her consulting work entails writing reports for purposes of environmental and local project review; preparation of historic resource assessments and surveys; preparation of technical reports for General Plan Updates; evaluation of properties seeking or complying with Mills Act Contracts; and consultation on adaptive reuse and federal Investment Tax Credit projects. Jenna Snow In January 2015, Jenna Snow launched an independent historic preservation consulting practice offices in Los Angeles. With over fifteen years of professional experience, Ms. Snow has a strong and broad understanding of best historic preservation practice, including federal, state, and local regulations. She has worked on a wide range of projects on both the east and west coasts, as well as internationally. Ms. Snow holds a M.S. in Historic Preservation from Columbia University and a B.A. in Fine Arts focusing on architectural history from Brandeis University. She meets the Secretary of the Interior’s Professional Qualifications Standards in Architectural History. Throughout her career, Ms. Snow has authored, co-authored, and/or served as project manager for nearly 100 historic preservation projects, including a wide variety of historic resource assessments, National Register nominations, and historic resources surveys. She regularly contributes to environmental impact reports, historic preservation certification applications, Section 106 reviews and other work associated with historic building rehabilitation and preservation planning. Ms. Snow has prepared multiple National Register nominations, including the Twohy Building in San José, CA; the Beverly Hills Women’s Club in Beverly Hills, CA; the Sam and Alfreda Maloof Compound in Rancho Cucamonga, CA; the Boyle Hotel/Cummings Block in Los Angeles, CA; the West Los Angeles Veterans Affairs Historic District in Los Angeles, CA, and Temple Ohave Israel in Brownsville, PA. She has completed historic resources surveys, including coauthoring historic context statements in Hollywood, Whittier, CA, and South Los Angeles. Prior to her consulting work, Ms. Snow worked for the New York City Department of Design and Construction in New York, NY, the Freedom Trail Foundation in Boston, MA, and the Neighborhood Preservation Center in New York, NY. Page 2 122-134 E. Wheeler Avenue and 117-129 E. Huntington Drive, Arcadia, California III. METHODOLOGY Project methodology involved research in a variety of databases and repositories, as described below. Historic Property Data File: The California State Office of Historic Preservation (OHP) keeps statewide records on historic properties. Records for Arcadia are indexed in the Los Angeles County Historic Property Data File (HPDF). There are no entries for the subject properties, indicating the properties have not been previously identified. City of Arcadia Historic Resource Survey: The City of Arcadia recently completed a citywide historic resource survey in 2015. The historic context statement prepared for the survey is referenced in this report. The subject properties were not identified as historical resources in the survey. Sanborn Maps: An historic Sanborn fire insurance map report for the subject property was ordered from Environmental Data Resources, Inc. Sanborn map coverage