Historical Resources Board Nomination for The Giles W. Brown Residence 4617 East Talmadge Drive San Diego, California 92116 Report Prepared By: IS Architecture 5649 La Jolla Boulevard La Jolla, California 92037 (858) 456-8555 August 2006; Revised February 2008 State of California -The Resources Agency Primary#____________________ __ DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#____________ _ PRIMARY RECORD Trinomial, ______________________ NRHP Status Code____________ _ Other Listings---------------------------------------------------- Review Code Reviewer Date Page _1_ of _1Q_ *Resource Name or#: (Assigned by recorder) The Giles \XI. Brown Residence P1 . Other Identifier: *P2. Location: _ Not for Publication X Unrestricted *a. County: San Diego and (P2c, P2e , and P2b or P2d. Attach a Location Map as necessary.) *b. USGS 7.5' Quad: La Mesa Quadrangle Date 1996 T ISs; R 2W; '!. of V. of Sec M.D. B.M. c. Address: 461 7 East Talmadge Drive City: San Diego Zip: 92116 d. UTM: (Give more than one for large and/or li near resources) Zone mE/ mN e. Other Locational Data: (e.g., parcel#, directions to resource, elevation, etc., as appropriate) A P 465-402-02; Lot 76, Map 1869, T almadge Park Subdivision # 1. *P3a. Description: (Describe resource and its major elements. Include design, materials, condition, alterations, size, setting, and boundaries) The two-story Spanjsh Colonial Revival residence, completed in 1928, fa ces southwest onro East Talmadge Drive in the Talmadge Park # 1 Subdivision. The front yard features mature heritage plantings and trees that are consistenr with the neighborhood's historic landscaping. Lots in the subdivisio n are irregular in size and shape due to the layout o f contour streets following the natural topography o f the land. The residence occupies the southern portion of a long, irregularly shaped lot that is o riented along a northeast-southwest axis. An o riginal attached garage sits at the end o f a short driveway in the west corner. A canyon serves as the northeast boundary. The rear portion of the property is terraced and slopes down into the canyon, offering a great deal o f bo th privacy and space. The lots bo unding the residence to the northwest and southeast feature similar, two-story, Spanish ColonjaJ Revival residences. (See Continuation Sheet) *P3b. Resource Attributes: (List attributes and codes) HP2 (Single Family Pro perty) *P4. Resources Present: X Building __Structure __ Object __ Site __ District __Element of District __Other (Isola tes, etc.) ,.-----------------------------------------------------, P5b. Description of Photo: (view, date, accession#) P5a. Photograph or Drawing (Photograph required for buildings, structures, and SW Elevation, February 2008 *P6. Date Constructed/Age and Source: X Historic Prehistoric Both 1928 (NOC) *P7. Owner and Address: Peter D ennehy & Timothy Jackson 461 7 East Talmadge Dr. San Diego, CA 92116 *P8. Recorded by: (Name, affiliation, and address) IS A rchitecture 5649 La J olla Blvd La J olla, CA 92037 *P9. Date Recorded: August 2006; Revised rebruary 2008 *P1 O.Survey Type: (Descri be) Single Property /\ ssessment for Local Designation *P11 . Report Citation: (Cite survey report and other sources, or enter "none.") None *Attachments: NONE X Location Map X Continuation Sheet .X.Building, Structure, and Object Record Archaeological Record District Record Linear Feature Record ___Milling Station Record Rock Art Record Artifact Record Photograph Record ___Other (List): DPR 523A (1/95) *Required information State of California - The Resources Agency Primary#'---'----'--------------­ DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#-__-'---------------­ CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial Page _1._ of _±Q_ *Resource Name or#: (Assigned by recorder) The Giles W. Brown Residence *Recorded by: IS Architecture 'Date August 2006; Revised February 2008 X Continuation _ Update *P3a. (continued) The appearance of the house from the street closely reflects its original 1928 design. The structure sits on a raised concrete foundation with an asymmetrical "L-shaped" footprint. A late 1990s stucco garden wall has been recently reduced in scale by tl1e current owners based upon the recommendations of City HRB staff. The wall encloses a non-historic courtyard located inside the "L" juncttire of the house and garage. Alterations to make the wall more compatible with the original design of the house included reducing its height and removing decorative brick elements. A low-pitched side gabled roof topped with red Mission tile forms the main roof of the residence. As per the Spanish Colonial Revival style, eave overhangs are minimaL The garage features a front gabled roof, also with Mission tile, and a decorative plaster medallion under the gable. The textured stucco on the walls was replaced in kind at some point before 1990 according to previous owner Susan Stewart who purchased the property in 1990. A brick pathway runs from the sidewalk up to a center opening in the garden wall south of the garage. There is a large planting bed and a small patch of lawn located on e.ithe.t side of the pathway. The main front entrance is located within the courtyard on the southern end of the elevation. The courtyard features a fountain, tropical plants in curvilinear planting beds and paving stones. The southeast wall of the garage bounds the courtyard to the northwest and features a decorative wood window grill with diamond patterning. Original fenestration on the residence primarily includes single and double wood casement windows with divided lights. Awnings with spear point iron hardware are present above select double-casement windows and pairs of French doors. French doors are typical on the first level and on upper level balconies. Iron sconce light fixtures are located next to the front door and on the rear northeast elevation. The heavy wood panel front door has an eyebrow arch and a single pane of glass in the upper section. According to Susan Stewart, the Pippins- the owners previous to the Stewarts, replaced the original door sometime prior to 1990. She hypothesized that the replacement was likely in response to damage caused by a serious but since-corrected drainage problem: water run-off was draining directly into (and under) the house. The hand-made replacement door is of excellent quality, possesses the hardware of the original door, and is consistent with the Spanish Colonial Revival style. The current O"\vners have recently recreated the door's stucco surround in compliance with HRB Staff recommendations. ln the 1990s, the Stewarts secured the strLLcture with shear walls, banding and tie-downs - a job that reqtUred the removal of the original door surround. HRB staff determined that the atypicaUy wide width of the new surround was not historically appropriate. Historic photos of the neighboring house, 4615 East Talmadge, have been found to show a small portion of the residence. One of the images reveals the shape of the original door surround, which the current owners have used as a guide for the in-kind recreation of the feature. Above the front door, on the south end of the elevation, is a balcony supported by corbel brackets. The balcony features an iron railing and is accessed through Prench doors from the interior. Wood louvered blinds are installed on the interior of the doors. To the north of the balcony are two windows concealed behind decorative stucco vents. North of the front door, the lower portion of the wall features a non-historic leaded glass window and an additional set of French doors. Neither northeast nor southeast side elevations are easily viewed from the street. The northwest elevation is bounded by a non-historic wood fence mounted above a low undulating stucco wall. A non-historic wood fence, but no stucco wall, runs along the southeast property line as well. Modern HVAC equipment is installed in the narrow area berw-een the fence and the house on the southeast elevation. A full-height chimney projects above the roofline. Windows are typical three­ light wood casements. There is a crawlspace access well at ground leveL The back portion of a recently added outdoor patio eave wall fireplace extends out from the main wall plane at the far end. DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information State. of California -The Resources Agency Primary#----'------'---'--------~ DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#·--------~----~----~----- CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial Page _3_ of _jQ_ *Resource Name or#: (Assigned by recorder) The Giles W. Brown Residence 'Recorded by: IS Architecture 'Date August 2006; Revised February 2008 X Continuation _ Update *P3a. (continued) The rear northeast elevation-- the most elaborate side of the house, also cannot be viewed from the public right of way. The elevation has an asymmetrical L-shaped plan, multiple level gabled roofs with red l'vfission tile, and an expansive two­ tiered raised patio paved with terra cotta and glazed accent tiles. A tiled central staircase leads down to the sloping backyard. Large planting areas on either side of the stairs are defined by stucco retaining walls. Niature trees, bushes and other large plants constitute the informal backyard landscaping. A new well-executed two-story wing, constructed in 1997-98, is located in the western portion of the rear elevation, not viewable from the street. While staying true to the house's original design, the addition was successful in increasing indoor living space and improving outdoor living space while allowing occupants to continue to enjoy the large lot and dramatic canyon view as was surely originally intended. The original portion of building faces northeast; the second level is set back from the first level and features a side-gabled roof. The majority of the windows are original on this elevation, -with only a few in-ldnd wood window replacements. The new wing bounds the patio to the northwest. It was designed in an architecturally sensitive manner, with a front gabled Nlission tile roof, wood casement and picture windows, and French doors similar to those found on the original structure.