ITEM 6 LPC 08-05-21 L ANDMARKS P RESERVATION C OMMISSION S t a f f R e p o r t FOR COMMISSION ACTION AUGUST 5, 2021 1325 Arch Street – The Schneider/Kroeber House Landmark application #LMIN2020-0008 for the consideration of City Landmark or Structure of Merit designation status for a single-family residence constructed in 1907 – APN 060-2465-027-00 I. Application Basics A. Land Use Designations: Zoning: R-1(H), Single-Family Residential/Hillside Overlay B. CEQA Determination: Exempt from environmental review pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15061 C. Parties Involved: • Initiated by: Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) • Recorder: Steve Finacom, Commissioner • Property Owner: Golden Bear, LLC 1325 Arch Street Berkeley, CA D. Staff Recommendation: Hold a public hearing and consider final action on this request. 1947 Center Street, 2nd Fl., Berkeley, CA 94704 Tel: 510.981.7410 TDD: 510.981.7474 Fax: 510.981.7420 ITEM 6 LPC 08-05-21 1325 ARCH STREET LANDMARKS PRESERVATION COMMISSION Page 2 of 10 August 5, 2021 Figure 1: Vicinity Map – highlighting nearby City Landmarks and Structures of Merit Project Site North ITEM 6 LPC 08-05-21 LANDMARKS PRESERVATION COMMISSION 1325 ARCH STREET August 5, 2021 Page 3 of 10 Figure 2: Subject property, current conditions – primary (west) facade (Photo by C. Enchill) ITEM 6 LPC 08-05-21 1325 ARCH STREET LANDMARKS PRESERVATION COMMISSION Page 4 of 10 August 5, 2021 Figure 3: Subject property, architectural drawing by Maybeck & White Architects– primary (west) facade (no date) Figure 4: Subject property, rendering by unknown author, no date ITEM 6 LPC 08-05-21 LANDMARKS PRESERVATION COMMISSION 1325 ARCH STREET August 5, 2021 Page 5 of 10 II. Application Chronology At the regular meeting on October 1, 2020, LPC received a memorandum from Commissioners Finacom and Schwartz, requesting that the Commission initiate the subject property for City Landmark or Structure of Merit status. The Commission voted 7-0-1-1 to initiate this consideration in accordance with Berkeley Municipal Code (BMC) Section 3.24.120. On October 20, 2020, staff sent a letter to the property owner informing them of the initiation and public hearing on December 3, 2020. At the December meeting, LPC opened the hearing in accordance with the timeframe required under the Landmarks Preservation Ordinance [Berkeley Municipal Code (BMC) Section 3.24.130], but continued the hearing in order to grant additional time for Commissioner Finacom to prepare a Landmark application. On July 15, 2021, Commissioner Finacom submitted the Landmark application for this property, and it is provided as Attachment 1 of this report. On July 26, 2021, staff mailed and posted 10-day advance notices for tonight’s meeting, in accordance with BMC Section 3.24.140. III. Historic Resource Status The subject property is not listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NR) or the California Register of Historic Properties. However, it does appear on the State Historic Resources inventory with a status code “3S,” indicating that it appears to be eligible for listing on the NR as an individual property. Nearby City Landmarks include the Wallace Sauer House (1905) at 1340 Arch Street, the Scrarich Hunrich Grocery (1908) at 2270 Rose Street, and the Byrne House and Grounds, Napoleon Bonaparte (1868) at 1301 Oxford Street; see Figure 1. IV. Property Description The subject property is an approximately 6,500-sq. ft., interior lot on the east side of the 1300-block of Arch Street, located in the Berkeley Hills neighborhood. The rectangular parcel is oriented in the east-west direction and slopes steeply upward from Arch Street. It is covered with mature vegetation, dense in some areas, and features a detached, one-car garage with a roof deck at the front property line and a 2 ½-story main building located roughly in the center of the parcel, setback from Arch Street by approximately 26 ft. and from the rear property line by approximately 12 ft. A low, rhyolite stone retaining wall with a wood fence above and gate with a trellis are located in the front yard and positioned immediately adjacent to the sidewalk; see Figures 2 and 4. Construction of the approximately 3,500-sq. ft., single-family residence was completed in 1907. It was designed by the firm Maybeck & White Architects, led by renowned ITEM 6 LPC 08-05-21 1325 ARCH STREET LANDMARKS PRESERVATION COMMISSION Page 6 of 10 August 5, 2021 Berkeley architect Bernard Maybeck. The Landmark application provided as Attachment 1, includes a detailed description of the building and grounds. In order to provide only a brief description here, staff points out that the building follows a rectangular plan, raises two-to-three stories (on east-west sloping terrain) and features a cross gable roof with wide projecting eaves held up by exposed rafter tails and brackets. The entire building exterior is composed of unpainted wood board siding and trim; the siding is horizontal on the lower levels and vertical on the third story. The building has wood windows and doors throughout, and wide, projecting decks and porches with wood cut-out railings. The primary, street-facing façade is the three-story west elevation that is comprised of a gable wall end and a partial cross gable, a door, three windows, and a deck at the uppermost level; two windows on either side of a centered, double door served by a projecting deck on the middle level; and two windows on either side of a double door at the lower level, which is obscured by vegetation. The building is an example of the First Bay Tradition architectural style, and the Landmark application recorder further identifies its design as a specific example of the Chalet style within Maybeck’s body of work. Brief History since 1907. The building was commissioned by the original owners and occupants, Albert (1863?-1928) and Mary Schneider, who owned the property at least until Albert Kroeber (1876-1960) and Theodora (nee Kracaw) Kroeber (1897 -1979) purchased it in the 1920s and owned it -- jointly or solely -- until the latter’s death. Thereafter, several owners are recognized: John Harrison Quinn (b. 1940), Lisa Stadelhofer, Ceila Ramsay and Kent Rasmussen, and (currently) Golden Bear LLC, a hospitality enterprise. After its initial construction in 1907, the building was expanded in 1933 to include a rear, two-story addition and the aforementioned garage, which is composed of formed concrete. The design of these features has not been attributed to an architect, and the Landmarks application cites the builder as Richard H. Williams. Based on historic photographs, a second-story deck on the south (side) elevation was enclosed and converted to a sleeping porch. Beyond these exterior changes, there are no other exterior building alternations described in the Landmark record or documented in the City permit archives. A complete and extensive property history is provided in the Landmark application; see Attachment 1. V. Analysis and Evaluation The analysis section of this report will refer to the research and information provided in the Landmark application (Attachment 1) regarding the subject property’s historic context and existing conditions. This section analyzes the extent to which the property ITEM 6 LPC 08-05-21 LANDMARKS PRESERVATION COMMISSION 1325 ARCH STREET August 5, 2021 Page 7 of 10 appears to meet significance criteria set forth in the Landmarks Preservation Ordinance (LPO), Berkeley Municipal Code (BMC) Chapter 3. Historic Context1. Given its 1907 date of completion and type of construction (e.g.: residential/single-family), the subject site is associated with the theme of residential development. Its period of significance is understood to have begun with its construction in 1907, and estimated to have lasted until the time of its first documented structural alteration in 1933. Additionally, persons worthy of study occupied the subject residence from 1928 to 1979, so this time period must also be reviewed for possible significance. Landmarks Preservation Ordinance Significance Criteria. When it designates a property as a Landmark, Historic District, or Structure of Merit, the Commission must find that the property meets one or more of the required criteria codified in LPO, BMC Section 3.24.110. These criteria are relatively specific and appear to align with California Register and National Register criteria. The significance criteria for a Structure of Merit are broader than those for Landmarks status, and include properties that qualify individually as good examples of architectural design, or that qualify as contributors to the context of a larger streetscape or area. The Landmark application for the residence at 1325 Arch Street is dense with information and provides evidence for the Commission’s consideration of the property for designation as a City of Berkeley Landmark primarily for its exceptional architectural design and extant condition wherein it retains its original building features. The application provides additional information for the consideration of other criteria, including cultural and historical value. Each of these significance criterions is discussed below. Landmark criterion – Architectural Merit Based on the research and evidence presented in the Landmark application, the residential property at 1325 Arch Street appears to meet the LPO Landmark designation criterion for architectural merit owing to its design by Berkeley’s premiere architect Bernard Maybeck and its high degree of historical integrity. Specifically, the property is found to