standardization of building types with a maximum of three stories in height, and an emphasis on landscaping and open space.
Multi-family residential development during the postwar period was influenced by planning and design principles dating to the 1920s. The Garden City Movement in particular had a profound influence on the design of multi-family housing, as did the publication of Clarence Stein's Toward New Towns (1951). During the postwar period, local architects and community planners adapted the principles of these movements and constructed innovative new forms of multiple family housing. A new multiple family housing type known as "garden apartments" emerged at this time.
Characteristics of garden apartments include the use of superblocks in development of the site, the segregation of automobile and pedestrian traffic, low to medium density and building coverage, the standardization of building types with a maximum of three stories in height, and an emphasis on landscaping and open space.
Architecture & Design
Los Angeles Garden Apartments (1937-1955)9
Planned and constructed in Los Angeles between 1937 and approximately 1955, garden apartment complexes generally consist of concentrations of similar multi-unit buildings situated on a large - and often irregularly shaped - property. Complexes range in size from just a few acres to more than a hundred. Though some of Los Angeles's preeminent architects designed garden apartments at mid-century, the buildings themselves are typically (and deliberately) architecturally modest. Emphasis is placed, rather, on site plan and landscape; the designers relied on color, texture, planting plan, light and shadow to create visual interest. Building entrances face landscaped courtyards rather than the street, and parking and vehicular circulation is relegated to the perimeter of the site plan or within garage courts separate from pedestrian areas. Large, expansive green space is common; typically there are one or two large courtyards or greens at the nucleus of the complexes available to all residents. Garden apartments vary in appearance, size and plan; however, the following character defining features epitomize the property type in its purest expression:
• Superblock site plan, which deviates from the rectilinear urban grid by combining multiple city blocks or parcels into a single property
• Three acres in size or greater
• Low-slung buildings, rarely exceeding two stories in height • Elimination of common interior corridors
• Repetition of nearly identical building models throughout the plan • Stylistic simplicity; buildings are usually minimal in appearance with a lack of stylistic details and ornament
9 Architectural Resources Group, "Garden Apartments of Los Angeles: Historic Context Statement," Los Angeles Conservancy, 2012, 3-4.
State of California • Natural Resources Agency Primary# DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
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Property Name: Glendale Garden Homes
• Primary building entrances face common courtyards rather than the street • Parking at the perimeter of the site plan, typically in detached, enclosed garage buildings or garage courts
• One or more large open spaces, or greens, located at the interior of the site plan, around which buildings are arranged
• Recreational amenities planned to help foster community • Variety of landscape, often native or drought tolerant; low shrubs used to delineate outdoor "rooms"; allées; mature trees and the use of climbing vines to add visual interest to buildings Community Planning and Development: Garden City Planning Principles, 1937-195510 The success of the Depression and World War II-era garden apartment developments spurred the construction of similar complexes on a large scale in the post-World War II era, as the housing shortage became more and more acutely felt in Los Angeles. In the late 1940s, the FHA renewed Title 608, which guaranteed developers 90% mortgages on multi-family housing which conformed to FHA guidelines, which favored garden apartments. Title 608 was intended as a temporary solution to insure defense and immediate postwar multi-family housing to ease the housing crisis caused by returning veterans. This made possible the relatively easy financing of large-scale private rental housing, and in the late 1940s several developers took advantage of this temporary extension to build garden apartments. With rumors that funding would soon be cut off, there was a race to get these garden apartments approved before the funding ran out. The two-year period of 1949-1950 alone saw the construction of at least a dozen garden apartments throughout the city, nearly always in suburban areas adjacent to arteries of the city's growing freeway system. Post-1945 examples are clearly based on the Garden City planning concepts that shaped the early garden apartments; however, due to the urgency of the postwar housing crisis they are typically higher density with more emphasis on unit count than open space. As such, whereas pre-1945 examples averaged 10 to 20 units per acre, most garden apartments constructed between 1945 and 1955 ranged between 20 to 30 units per acre.
Designed Landscapes, 1937-1955
After World War II, as privately funded garden apartments were built in great quantities throughout Los Angeles, the quality of the landscapes changed. Because density was generally higher, many of the developments didn't provide recreational amenities, instead using that space for more dwellings. Less experienced landscape architects, or in some cases nurseries, provided the design for the landscapes, and the focus turned from functional spaces meant for active participation in the landscape to more traditional suburban landscapes meant to be enjoyed from apartment windows or from pathways. In addition, contrary to the previous focus on using native and drought-resistant plant species, tropical and sub-tropical plantings were used, catering to changing tastes in the post-war period.
Norwood & DeLonge History, Designers
Norwood & DeLonge were identified as the designers of Glendale Garden Homes, as noted on the architectural plans created in 1957. The practitioners worked in Pasadena sometime between 1935 and 10 Ibid., 40.
State of California • Natural Resources Agency Primary# DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI #
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Property Name: Glendale Garden Homes
1965, as identified in the City of Pasadena's "Cultural Resources of the Recent Past Historic Context Report" prepared by Historic Resources Group and Pasadena Heritage in 2007.11 Serving as contractors and designers, it appears that Jack Norwood and Jack DeLonge, interior decorator, comprised this company. It is unclear whether Jack Norwood was a registered architect or contractor. The two were credited for the construction of many buildings in the Los Angeles area, including ranch-style homes, and mid-century apartment and commercial buildings where they often were listed as the contractors and developers. One such extant example of their work that is reflective of the design of the subject property at 1303 North Central Avenue are the apartments located at 1066 San Pasqual Avenue, Pasadena which were constructed in 1962 (Figure 3). 12 Their relationship with contractors Causey & Causey for the construction on Glendale Garden Homes is unknown, but it is possible that Norwood and DeLonge designed the complex and worked on conjunction with Causey & Causey to develop the property.
Causey & Causey and Causey & Rhodes, Contractors
Contractors Causey & Causey were identified as the contractors for the subject property, Glendale Garden Homes, through newspaper advertisements placed at the time of construction. Causey & Causey was comprised of brothers Gill B. Causey and Joseph G. Causey, whose grandfather and father were successful builders and real estate developers. 13 The firm of Causey & Rhodes, the predecessor firm to Causey & Causey, was comprised of Gill B. Causey and Frank Rhodes, Jr. Established in the mid-1940s, Causey and Rhodes continued to work together over the course of 55 years. 14 It appears that Causey & Causey and Causey & Rhodes may have used their firm names interchangeably over the course of their partnerships. The following is a firm biography for Causey & Causey as prepared for a historic resource evaluation of another one of their buildings along North Central Avenue in Glendale:
The firm of Causey & Rhodes had a successful business operation developing, leasing and operating commercial buildings. Their projects and investments included development of the Crenshaw Medical Center in the 1950s, Glendale's Garden Homes, a mid-century apartment complex and Glendale Fashion Center in the 1960s with partner Richard Daugherty. In the 1970s they developed medical office buildings in Newport Center in Orange County. They hired others to design buildings while they sometimes buildings. Causey & Rhodes can be considered successful land developers with full professional careers but their careers and the buildings they developed are typical of the success of land developers during the period they were active. Their buildings did not influence the commercial development patterns or the architectural style of commercial 11 Historic Resources Group, "Cultural Resources of the Recent Past Historic Context Report," City of Pasadena, 2007. 12 "Advertisement: Pasadena's Finest Cooperative Apartments," Los Angeles Times, November 11, 1962. 13 Bob Howard, "Winning OK for Hillside Plan Is an Uphill Battle for Gregg," Los Angeles Times, August 17, 1999. 14 "Obituary: Frank Alexander Rhodes, Jr.," Los Angeles Times, August 17, 2009.
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State of California Natural Resources Agency Primary#
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Property Name: Glendale Garden Homes
development or influence the urban form of Glendale in the post-World War Il commercial building boom of Glendale's central business district. 15 California Register of Historic Resources Evaluation
Criterion A/1: Events
Constructed in 1957, the subject building falls into an established pattern of development as a post-World War Il multi-family apartment in nearby South Glendale as it appears that the 1950s-1960s was the height of apartment building in that particular neighborhood. However, this portion of unincorporated Los Angeles County became incorporated into Glendale by 1950. This general area appears to have had a single-family residence and open, undeveloped surrounding land prior to the construction of Glendale Garden Homes and its surrounding residential buildings.
While the subject property's development parallels the neighboring South Glendale's more clearly defined and identified pattern of development, it's construction within its own West Glendale neighborhood is not individually significant or exemplary to the area for its association with post-World War I! residential development expansion, as there were many newly developed residential buildings constructed by prospective developers looking to capitalize by constructing income-generating properties during this period of expansion. The subject property as a residential building constructed during the larger Glendale construction boom following the war does not rise to a level of individual significance necessary for listing on the National Register, California Register, or Glendale Register. As a result, the subject property is recommended ineligible for listing under National Register Criterion A, California Register Criterion 1, and Glendale Criterion 1.
Criterion B/2: Significant Persons
There are no owners or tenants that have been identified as significantly contributing to the history of national, state, regional, or city-wide history while residing at or during the construction of the subject property. J.E. Hoeft who later became the founder of the Glendale Federal Savings and Loan and early developer/owner Joseph G. Causey lived here for brief periods, but not during their active years. Civic leader Hoeft lived at the apartment building for two years from 1965 to 1968, roughly six years after the Glendale Federal Savings and Loan building was constructed downtown in 1959. City directories indicate that Hoeft resided at other locations for longer periods of time. Developer Causey resided here in the 1990s, likely in his senior years. Research did not uncover any additional significant tenants or owners associated with the subject property. Therefore, the subject property is recommended ineligible for listing under National Register Criterion B, California Register Criterion 2, nor Glendale Register Criterion 2. 15 David Kaplan, "540, 607, 633 North Central Avenue, 317-327 West Doran Street Glendale, California: Historic Resource Evaluation," Kaplan Chen Kaplan, 2013.
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State of California • Natural Resources Agency Primary# DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI #
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Property Name: Glendale Garden Homes
Criterion C/3: Design/Construction
The Glendale Garden Home apartments are reflective of the later stylistic evolution of a garden apartment in Los Angeles County, with its higher emphasis on unit count than open space, more traditional suburban landscaping that included tropical plantings as opposed to native plants, and ample character defining features including: its architectural modesty, lack of ornamentation, location of building entrances oriented to face the courtyard, and parking and vehicular circulation along the perimeter of the site plan.
The subject property was not the earliest of its style or type and did not set a trend within Glendale, as the style was prevalent by this point with character-defining features and design motifs that had been utilized and translated on many multi-family apartment complexes by this period. The property was built in a period past the height of the garden-style apartment trend in Los Angeles County, as the style was already waning by the time of construction.
Limited written information was found about the firm accredited to the property's design, Norwood & DeLonge (also spelled DeLong) based in San Marino. Glendale Garden Homes does not appear to be significant within their larger breadth of work, which ranges from the early 1950s through the early 1970s and includes apartment buildings, single-family residences, and commercial buildings. Contractors Causey & Causey appear to have constructed many buildings in the Los Angeles area, and were also listed as income builders, brokers, realtors, having developed many properties in the Glendale and Los Angeles area during this period and in the decades prior. The design of this property does not appear to be notable within Causey & Causey's body of work either. The identified contractors and designers do not appear to have been important on a larger national, state, or local level for achieving success or recognition in their respective fields for their association with this subject property.
As noted in Glendale's "Design Guidelines for Residential Buildings in Adopted Historic Districts," there were many apartment buildings built during the post-World War II era. The subject property does not rise to a level of significance for listing on the National Register, California Register, or local Glendale Register as an exemplary individual example of a garden apartment. Further, more prominent, unique, and notable examples of garden apartments have been identified for their design innovation and nuance, and for their association with notable mid-century architects, designers, and landscape architects and designers.
Therefore, the subject property is recommended ineligible for listing under National Register Criterion C and California Register Criterion 3.
Criterion D/4: Data Potential
While most often applied to archaeological districts and sites, Criterion D/4 can also apply to buildings, structures, and objects that contain important information. In order for these types of properties to be eligible under Criterion D/4, they themselves must be, or must have been, the principal source of the important information. The subject property, at 1303 North Central Avenue, does not appear to yield significant information that would expand our current knowledge or theories of design, methods of construction, operation, or other information that is not already known about the period of significance of DPR 523L (Rev. 1/1995)(Word 9/2013)
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the Residence, its method of construction, or its design. Therefore, the subject property is recommended ineligible for listing under National Register Criterion D California Register Criterion 4, or Glendale Register Criterion 4.
Early Heritage
The proposed historic resource exemplifies the early heritage of the city. (Ord. 5784 § 7, 2012; Ord. 5347 § 7, 2003: Ord. 5110 § 12, 1996: prior code § 21-02).
The subject area was developed to the immediate south, yet largely undeveloped to the immediate north and east by 1950. As the subject area appeared to be more rural in character around the time of construction, it remained part of unincorporated Los Angeles County until sometime in the mid-20th century. While the Glendale was a town since the 1880s, and became incorporated in 1906, the subject property's mid-20th century construction does not exemplify the early heritage of Glendale. As such, the subject property is not a proposed historic resources that exemplifies the early heritage of the city and is recommended ineligible for listing under this local criterion.
District
To be considered a district contributor, a geographically linked grouping of properties under either identified theme (Post-World War I! Multi-Family Residential Development or garden apartments) must be present. The subject property is located to the west of North Central Avenue, to the south of West Kenneth Road, and to the north of West Stocker Street. Development in the immediate subject property area includes single-family homes from the mid-20th century to the west, several 21st century apartment buildings to the east, and a few mid-20th century apartments to the north and east, with commercial businesses to the south along North Central Avenue. The general residential character of the area remains, with and North Brand Boulevard continuing as a main artery of the neighborhood. As such, there does not appear to be a pattern of development related to post-World War Il multi-family residences, or garden apartments in the immediate surrounding area that would warrant this area eligible as a potential historic district. As such, the subject property was not identified as a contributor to a potential district.
Conclusion
The subject property was evaluated under the following historical and architectural themes identified in the neighboring South Glendale Historic Context Statement (2014) and the Garden Apartments of Los Angeles Historic Context Statement (2012): Post-World War II Multi-Family Residential Development (1945-1979), Community Planning and Development: Garden City Planning Principles (1937-1955), and Designed Landscapes (1937-1955).
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Property Name: Glendale Garden Homes
ESA also conducted research on the subject property's construction and occupancy history. ESA evaluated the subject property against the criteria for the National Register, California Register, and the Glendale Register. ESA found the subject property individually ineligible under the applicable federal, state, and local criteria for its historic and architectural associations, and as a contributor to a potential district.
As a result of the evaluation, the subject property is not considered a historical resource in accordance with CEQA. ESA also recommends that the subject property be assigned a California Historic Resource (CHR) Status Code of 6Z, noting it is ineligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places (National Register or NR), California Register of Historical Resources (California Register or CR), and local designation, through survey evaluation.
*B12. References (continued):
"Advertisement: Glendale Garden Homes." Los Angeles Times, March 23, 1958. "Advertisement: Open Today, Sunday." The Los Angeles Times, August 25, 1957. "Advertisement: Pasadena's Finest Cooperative Apartments." Los Angeles Times, November 11, 1962.
Ancestry.com. U.S. Census, California Voter Registration, California Death Index, City Directory, and Street Address Directory records.
Architectural Resources Group. "Design Guidelines for Residential Buildings in Adopted Historic Districts." City of Glendale, N.D., 10.
Architectural Resources Group. "Garden Apartments of Los Angeles: Historic Context Statement." Los Angeles Conservancy, 2012.
City of Glendale. "Glendale Register of Historic Resources," 2015.
City of Glendale. General Plan, Historic Preservation Element. September 1997.
City of Glendale. Historic Preservation Ordinance. Internet Resource. http://qcode.us/codes/glendale/view.php?topic=15-15_20&frames=on Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), 36 § 60.2.
Codified in California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Chapter 11.5, Section 48520. http://ohp.parks.ca.gov EP Associates. Letter titled: "Supplemental Information Historic Assessment Glendale Garden Homes 1301, 1311, and 1315 North Central Avenue Glendale, California," to Timothy Foy, Senior Planner, City of Glendale, April 26, 2005.
Glossary of National Register Terms.
http://www.nps.gov/nr/publications/bulletins/nrb16a/nrb16a_appendix_IV.htm. Accessed June 1, 2013.
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Property Name: Glendale Garden Homes
"Guidelines for Completing National Register Forms." in National Register Bulletin 16, U.S. Department of Interior, National Park Service, 1977, Revised 1997.
Historic Resources Group. "City of Glendale: South Glendale Historic Context Statement." City of Glendale, ed. 2018.
__. "Cultural Resources of the Recent Past Historic Context Report." City of Pasadena, 2007. -. "Draft South Glendale Historic Resources Survey." Prepared for the City of Glendale, 2017.
Howard, Bob. "Winning OK for Hillside Plan Is an Uphill Battle for Gregg." Los Angeles Times, August 17, 1999.
Kaplan, David. "540, 607, 633 North Central Avenue, 317-327 West Doran Street Glendale, California:
Historic Resource Evaluation." Kaplan Chen Kaplan, 2013.
National Park Service. National Register Bulletin 15: How to Apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation. Washington DC: U.S. Dept. of the Interior, National Park Service, Interagency Resources Division, 1990, rev. 1991.
National Park Service. National Register Bulletin 16: Guidelines for Completing National Register Forms.
Washington, D.C.: U.S. Dept. of the Interior, National Park Service, 1997.
National Register Bulletin 15: How to Apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation. http://www.nps.gov/nr/publications/bulletins/pdfs/nrb15.pdf. Accessed July 7, 2013. "Obituary: Frank Alexander Rhodes, Jr." Los Angeles Times, August 17, 2009.
Office of Historic Preservation. Instructions for Recording Historical Resources. March 1995.
Office of State Historic Preservation. California Historic Resources Inventory, Survey Workbook (excerpts). Sacramento, CA: State of California, 1986.
Parcher, Carroll W. Glendale Community Book. Glendale: John W. Akers, 1957.
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