DEPARTMENT Of L.TY OF LOS ANGELE~ EXECUTIVE OFFICES CITY PlANNING CALIFORNIA OFFICE OF HISTORIC RESOURCES S. GAll GOLDBERG, AlCP 200 N. SPRING STRm, ROOM 620 DIRECTOR (213) 978-1271 LOS ANGELES, CA 90012·4801 (213)978-1200 VINCENT P. BERTONI, AICP CULTURAL HERITAGE COMMISSION DEPUTY DIRECTOR RICHARD BARRON (213)978-1272 PRESIDENT ROELLA H. LOUIE VICE·PRfSIOfNT JOHN M. DUGAN, AICP DfPU1Y DIRECTOR GLEN C. DAKE ANTONIO R. VILLARAIGOSA (213) 978-1274 MIA M. LEHRER MAYOR OZ SCOTT EVA YUAN-McDANIEl DEPUTY DIRECl'OR LOURDES SANCHEZ (213) 978-1273 COMMISSION EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT (213) 978-1300 FAX: (213) 978·1275 INFORMATION (213) 978-1270 wwv-~.ladty.org!PLN November 13, 2008 Los Angeles City Council Room 395, City Hall 200 North Spring Street Los Angeles, California 90012 ATTENTION: Barbara Greaves, Legislative Assistant Planning and Land Use Management Committee CASE NUMBER: CHC-2008-3554-HCM HEERMAN ESTATE 525 SOUTH VAN NESS AVENUE At the Cultural Heritage Commission meeting of October 30, 2008, the Commission moved to include the above property in the list of Historic-Cultural Monuments, subject to adoption by the City Council. As required under the provisions of Section 22.171.10 of the Los Angeles Administrative Code, the Commission has solicited opinions and information from the office of the Council District in which the site is located and from any Department or Bureau of the city whose operations may be affected by the designation of such site as a Historic-Cultural Monument. Such designation in and of itself has no fiscal impact. Future applications for permits may cause minimal administrative costs. The City Council, according to the guidelines set forth in Section 22.171 of the Los Angeles Administrative Code, shall act on the proposed inclusion to the list within 90 days of the Council or Commission action, whichever first occurs. By resolution, the Council may extend the period for good cause for an additional 15 days. The Cultural Heritage Commission would appreciate your inclusion of the subject modification to the list of Historic-Cultural Monuments upon adoption by the City Council. The above Cultural Heritage Commission action was taken by the following vote: Moved: Commissioner Barron Seconded: Commissioner Dake Ayes: Commissioners Barron, Dake, Louie Absent: Commissioners Lehrer, Scott Vote: 3-0 Attachment: Staff Report with Findings c: Councilmember Tom LaBonge, Fourth Council District PLANNING & LAND HoY and Woo J. lm: Owner Concerned Residents of Larchmont: Applicant USE M.ANAGEMENT NOV I 7 2008 AN EQUAL. EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY- AFFIRMATIVE ACTION EMPLOYER @ Los Angeles Department of City Planning RECOMMENDATION REPORT CULTURAL HERITAGE COMMISSION CASE NO.: CHC-2008-3554-HCM HEARING DATE: October 30, 2008 Location: 525 S. Van Ness Avenue TIME: 10:00AM Council District: 4 PLACE: City Hall, Room 350 Community Plan Area: Wilshire 200 N. Spring Street Area Planning Commission: Central Los Angeles, CA Neighborhood Council: Greater Wilshire 90012 Legal Description: Lot 77 of MB 8-76, Henry J. Brown's Wilshire Terrace PROJECT: Historic-Cultural Monument Application for the HEERMAN ESTATE REQUEST: Declare the property a Historic-Cultural Monument APPLICANT: Concerned Residents of Larchmont 140 S. Avenue 57 Los Angeles, CA 90042 OWNER: HoY and Woo J. lm 28 Viewpoint Place Laguna Niguel, CA 92677 RECOMMENDATION That the Cultural Heritage Commission: 1. 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 rnl'U~ Ken Bernstein, AICP, Manager Office of Historic Resources Attachments: July 28, 2008 Historic-Cultural Monument Application ") ::~. fi;._ ''·,; '-, ' -, \,... f525:S.Van Ness Ave. CHC-2008-3554-HCM Page 2 of4 FINDINGS 1. The building "embodies the distinguishing characteristics of an architectural type specimen, inherently valuable for a study of a period style or method of construction" as an example of Colonial Revival residential architecture. 2. The building is assoCiated with a master builder, designer, or architect, as a work by the architects Albert R. Walker and Percy A. Eisen of the firm Walker & Eisen. CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT ("CEQA"l FINDINGS The Commission hereby recommends that Council find the proposed designation of the Heerman Estate as a Historic-Cultural Monument to be exempt from further analysis under the California Environmental Quality Act pursuant to Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations, Sections 15308 (Class 8) and 15331 (Class 31). 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. SUMMARY Built in 1908 and altered several times from 1919-1942, this two-story single-family residential building exhibits character-defining features of Colonial Revival architecture. It is T-shaped in plan with a gabled roof sheathed in composition shingles. A single transverse gable covers the central portion of the house. The entry, located under a porte-cochere on the right side of the building, features a classic surround and brick porch with a multi-paneled wooden door and two sets of twin fluted pilasters each with four pane windows. The exterior is clad in wood clapboard siding. The fagade has multi-light, casement, double-hung, and fixed windows composed of glass and wood. A large Regency-style window bay is on a recessed fagade to the left of the main gable and chimney. Multiple sets of double hung windows flank the large brick chimney. Additional character-defining elements include boxed eaves and a cornice along the roof with broken cornices on gable pediments, circular attic vents are found in each gable end. The estate is surrounded on three sides with brick walls and has a front gate flanked by brick towers. Secondary buildings consist of the original carriage house/chauffeur's quarters, a second garage constructed in brick, a tennis court and brick pavilion, and a swimming pool. The architects of the 1919 remodel of the proposed Heerman Estate historic monument are Albert R. Walker and Percy A. Eisen. This remodel was one of the first commissions for the pair of native Californians who went on to gain prominence in commercial design with landmarks such as the Fine Arts Building (HCM 125), the United Artists Theatre Building (HCM 523), the Hollywood Plaza Hotel (HCM 665), the Taft Building (HCM 666), the Edwards-Wildey Building (HCM 786), the "810 South Spring Building" (HCM 871) as well as the Beverly Wilshire Hotel 525 S. Van Ness Ave. CHC-2008-3554-HCM Page 3 of4 and others. The remodel of the Heerman Estate appears to be one of the only examples of domestic architecture by Walker and Eisen. The third owners of the estate ( 1923--1977) were Victor and Sarah Heerman who were screenwriters for many early films, including the adaptation of "Little Women", which earned both ah Academy Award. Victor Heerman also directed twenty-one motion pictures. They both retired in 1954 after their work on the screenplay for "Magnificent Obsession". The house is listed as a contributor to the Windsor Square Historic Preservation Overlay Zone, which was re-established in April2007. Alterations to the property include Walker and Eisen's 1919 remodel which enlarged the living room and added a bathroom, the chimney, and the brick walls which surround much of the property. Between 1923-1942, the Heermans installed a plumbing system, cellar, tennis court · and pavilion, second garage, and Lath house (to grow cymbidium orchids), and altered the interior. DISCUSSION The Heerman Estate property successfully 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) is associated with a master builder, designer, or architect. As a residential building designed in the Colonial Revival style by the noteworthy architectural firm of Walker & Eisen, the property qualifies for designation as a Historic-Cultural Monument based on these criteria. The subject property appears to be one of the few documented residential works of the prominent architectural firm of Walker & Eisen, responsible for the design of many Los Angeles landmarks, several of which are Historic-Cultural Monuments. BACKGROUND At its meeting of September 4, 2008, the Cultural Heritage Commission voted to take the application under consideration. On October 16, 2008, the Cultural Heritage Commission toured the subject property. CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT ("CEQA"l REVIEW State of California CEQA Guidelines, Article 19, Section 15308, Class 8 "consists of actions taken by regulatory agencies, as authorized by state or local ordinance, to assure