ATTACHMENT C
(Application)
First Church of Christ Scientist 605 South Riverside Drive Palm Springs, CA 92264 Nomination Application for the City of Palm Springs Class 1 Historic Site ___________________ Prepared by Peter Moruzzi of the Palm Springs Modern Committee on behalf of Dezart Performs April 2025
1 The Palm Springs Modern Committee (PS ModCom) is a non-profit organization dedicated to the appreciation and preservation of Desert Modern architecture and design. We accomplish this through education, advocacy for threatened buildings, promotion of heritage tourism, and the celebration of successes in preservation and adaptive reuse. PO Box 5659 Palm Springs, CA 92263 760-835-5628 www.psmodcom.org
2 Introduction At the request of applicant and property owner DEZART Performs and on behalf of the Palm Springs Modern Committee, Peter Moruzzi prepared this Class One Historic Site nomination for the former First Church of Christ Scientist at 605 South Riverside Drive in the Tahquitz River Estates neighborhood of Palm Springs. Mr. Moruzzi is an Architectural Historian meeting the Secretary of the Interior’s Professional Qualification Standards for History with 23 years of experience. The subject building was constructed in 1956.1 The 2018 Citywide Historic Resources inventory identified it as appearing to be individually eligible for local listing or designation through survey evaluation (a 5S3 California Historical Resource Status Code) with the following Statement of Significance: This property was re-evaluated during the 2015 survey as part of an update to the City of Palm Springs’ list of potential historic resources (Citywide Historic Resource Database). It is significant as a good example of Mid-century Modern institutional architecture designed by the prominent local firm of Frey & Chambers. It exhibits quality of design with distinctive features including its irregular plan, stepped massing, rose-colored scored concrete block construction, and combination of shed and flat roofs with cantilevered canopy. In 2015, this property was listed in the National Register of Historic Places under the Multiple Property Documentation Form, ‘The Architecture of Albert Frey.’2 Completion of this nomination involved a site visit and visual inspection of the building by Mr. Moruzzi on April 2, 2025; compilation and review of historic building permits and project documents obtained from the Palm Springs Department of Planning Services and those stored on site at the subject church property; application of relevant historic contexts and themes found in the City’s Historic Context Statement; evaluation of the property’s individual eligibility under City of Palm Springs Class 1 Historic Site criteria; and evaluation of historic integrity. Location The First Church of Christ Scientist (the subject property) is located at 605 South Riverside Drive, Palm Springs, Riverside County, California on the southeast corner of South Riverside Drive and Random Road. There is approximately 250 feet of street frontage. APN: 508-191-030. The property is located on the west end of a block consisting of one- and two-story apartment buildings, small hotels, and another church building. The area is isolated from the main thoroughfare of South Palm Canyon Drive by a large residential development known as Cody Place to the west, and the generally dry Tahquitz Creek Channel to the north. 1 The subject property’s original building permit #9093 is dated 1956; however, the County of Riverside gives a 1957 date of construction. For the purposes of this nomination, the building permit date of 1956 is used as the date of construction. 2 Citywide Historic Resources Inventory, 605 S. Riverside Dr., Statement of Significance, pg. 103. Last date revised: October 25, 2023 3 HISTORIC RESOURCE DESIGNATION APPLICATION (8-10-22) KL 1 of 6 CITY OF PALM SPRINGS Department of Planning Services 3200 East Tahquitz Canyon Way, Palm Springs, CA 92262 Phone 760 323 8245
Fax 760 322 8360
Historic Preservation Officer 760 322 8364 x8786
HISTORIC RESOURCE DESIGNATION (HRD)
WHEN TO USE THIS APPLICATION:
Use this application if you are seeking historic designation for a property, parcel or historic district.
For alterations to Class 1, Class 2, or contributing sites in a Historic District, use the CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS application. (C of A)
For alterations or demolition of Class 3, Class 4 or non-contributing sites in a Historic District use the MINOR ARCHITECTURAL APPLICATION (MAA).
(Contact the Planning Department if you are unsure of the classification of your property.) WHO MAY APPLY:
Any individual or organization may apply to the City for consideration of a request for historic designation, however applications must be signed and notarized by the owner(s) of record of the site, structure, building or object for which the designation is sought. For Historic Districts written signatures from at last 51% of the property owners in the proposed district must be included in the application.
PROCEDURE:
1. For proposed historic sites or resources: Refer to Palm Springs Municipal Code (“PSMC”) Section
8.05.070 for Procedures and Criteria for the Designation of Class 1 and Class 2 Historic Resources. (www.palmspringsca/gov / government / departments / planning / municipal code / title 8 / section 8.05 “Historic Preservation”).
2. For proposed historic districts: Refer to Municipal Code Section 8.05.090 for Procedures and Criteria for Designation of Historic Districts. (www.palmspringsca.gov / government / departments / planning / municipal code / title 8 / section 8.05 “Historic Preservation”).
3. Complete all parts of the application and include related reports, mailing labels and back up information in support of the application. Denote “NA” for any line item that is “not applicable”.
4. Prior to submittal of the application, contact the City’s Historic Preservation Officer (“HPO”) to review the application for conformance and completeness.
5. Submit the completed application and related materials to the Department of Planning Services. A Planning Department case number will be assigned to the application.
6. Applications for historic site / resource or historic district designation are evaluated by City staff who will prepare the application for consideration by the City’s Historic Site Preservation Board (“HSPB”) at a noticed public hearing. Applicants should plan on attending the hearing. City staff will schedule site visits for members of the HSPB to become familiar with the site prior to the public hearing. (Exterior review only, interiors are not subject to HSPB review.)
7. At the public hearing, the HSPB will evaluate the application and make a recommendation for City Council action. The City Council will consider the application and the HSPB’s recommendation at a second noticed public hearing. The applicant should again attend that hearing.
8. The final action of the City Council to designate will be recorded on the property title with the County Recorder’s office.
4 HISTORIC RESOURCE DESIGNATION APPLICATION (8-10-22) KL 2 of 6 FOR HISTORIC SITE / RESOURCE APPLICATIONS, SEE PART 1 BELOW.
FOR HISTORIC DISTRICT APPLICATIONS, SEE PART 2 BELOW.
PART 1: REQUIRED MATERIALS FOR HISTORIC SITE / RESOURCE DESIGNATION APPLICATIONS (See PSMC 8.05.070(A,3):
An application for historic site / resource designation must include the following items. After preliminary review of the application by the HPO, provide twelve (12) hard copies and 1 electronic copy on disk or thumb drive of the following materials unless otherwise noted:
APPLICANT
CHECK
CITY
STAFF
CHECK
1 Original Completed Application (1 copy) X
2 Owner Consent Letter w/ notarized signature, (1 copy) X 3 Ownership and address history; (“Chain of title”) (1 copy.) X 4 A report that describes how the proposed site(s), structures, buildings or objects are eligible and appropriate for designation under PSMC 8.05.070 for historic resources.
X
5 Photographs of the exterior of the proposed sites, structures, buildings or objects. X
6 Aerial photo of the site / resource (from Google Maps or equal). X 7 Information about the architect(s), designer(s), planner(s), and/or developers of the proposed sites, structures, buildings or objects, if known. X 8 Date and method of construction of any structure, building or object upon the proposed site or within the proposed district (provide copies of building permits where possible).
X
9 A detailed assessment of the character-defining features of the site, structure, building or object, (such as materials, architectural details or landscape elements, architectural style, and other relevant descriptors, etc.) X
10 Evaluation of the site, structure, building, or object relative to the Criteria and Findings for Designation of Class 1 and Class 2 Historic Resources. (PSMC
8.05.070 (C).*
X
11 Identify the source of the information provided in the application, such as building permit numbers, date and issue of publications, organizations or individuals.
X
12 Site Plan (8-1/2” x 11” or 11” x 17”) X
13 Any other documentation or research as may be deemed necessary by the HPO to determine the qualifications of the site, structure, building or object for historic designation.
X
14 Public Hearing Labels. The applicant shall submit public hearing mailing labels pursuant to Zoning Code Section 94.09.00. X
*Applicants are encouraged to review the City’s Technical Assistance Bulletin titled “How to Apply the Palm Springs Eligibility Criteria for Historic Designation” available under “Historic Resources” of the Planning Home page of the City website (www.palmspringsc.gov) and the bulletin from the U.S.
Department of the Interior National Register Criteria for Evaluation” (National Register Bulletin 15 (http://www.nps.gov/history/nr/publications/bulletins/nrb15/). 5 HISTORIC RESOURCE DESIGNATION APPLICATION (8-10-22) KL 4 of 6 Date:
Case No.
HSPB No.
Planner:
(to be completed by Planning staff:)
CITY OF PALM SPRINGS Department of Planning Services
HISTORIC RESOURCE DESIGNATION (HRD)
TO THE APPLICANT:
Complete all parts of this application. Denote “NA” for lines that are not applicable.
Submit the completed application with attachments to the Department of Planning Services at 3200 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way, Palm Springs, CA 92262 Phone: 760-323-8245 Fax: 760-322-8380 This application is for a proposed: (Check one) X Historic Site / Resource Historic District:
Applicant’s Name: Dezart Performs Please Print
X Owner Lessee Authorized Agent City Other
Applicant’s Address: 611 South Palm Canyon Drive, #7538 Number and Street Name or P.O. Box City Palm Springs State CA ZIP 92264
Telephone Nos: 760-322-0179 Work
E-Mail address: [email protected]
Note: For Historic District applications: On a separate page, provide a list all sites / parcels within the proposed historic district boundaries with the following information provided for each parcel / APN.
Site Address: 605 South Riverside Drive, Palm Springs, CA 92264 APN 508-191-030 Zone: R3 Section: 23 Gen’l Plan Land Use Desig.
Is the project is located on the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians Reservation? No (Refer to the Land Status Map under Tribal Resources on the Planning Department home page.) Construction Date: 1956 Estimated X Actual (Bldg. permit No. 9093) Architect: Clark, Frey & Chambers Builder: H.H. Foster
Present Owner: Dezart Performs
Present Owner Address: 611 South Palm Canyon Drive, #7538, Palm Springs, CA 92263 6 HISTORIC RESOURCE DESIGNATION APPLICATION (8-10-22) KL 5 of 6 Original Owner: First Church of Christ Scientist
Other notable past owners:
Other Historic Associations:
Common Name of Property: First Church of Christ Scientist Historic Name of Property: First Church of Christ Scientist Attach to this application any information, photos, drawings, newspaper articles, reports, studies, or other materials to fully describe the characteristics or conditions that support this application for historic designation.
Architectural Style: Modern
(Refer to the Architectural Styles chapter of the Citywide Historic Context Statement, under Historic Resources on the Planning Home page (www.palmspringsca.gov).
Period of Significance: 1956-1968
(See the Citywide Historic Context Statement Document.) Please list any informational reference sources used to complete this application: See nomination bibliography PSMC 8.05.070 (C,1): Criteria for the Designation of Class 1 Historic Resources.
A site, structure, building or object may be designated as a Class 1 historic resource or a Contributing Resource in a proposed historic district by the Palm Springs City Council, provided both of the following findings are met.
Provide a written description of how the site qualifies as historic resource under one or more of the following criterion:
FINDING 1: The site, structure, building or object exhibits exceptional historic significance and meets one or more of the criteria listed below:
i.The resource is associated with events that have made a meaningful contribution to the nation, state or community.1
ii.The resource is associated with the lives of persons who made a meaningful contribution to national, state or local history.
iii.The resource reflects or exemplifies a particular period of national, state or local history. iv.The resource embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type of construction, a period of construction or a method of construction.2
v.The resource presents the work of a master builder, designer, artist, or architect whose individual genius influenced his age, or that possesses high artistic value. vi.The resource represents a significant and distinguishable entity whose components may lack individual distinction, as used in evaluating applications for designation of historic districts, for parcels on which more than one entity exists.
vii.The resource has yielded or may be likely to yield information important to national, state or local history or prehistory.
1 NOTE: Unlike the National Register criteria, The City’s criterion does not consider “patterns of events”. For consideration of “patterns of events”, use Criterion “iii”, reflecting a particular period. 2 Unlike the National Register criteria “type, period of method of construction relates to construction only’ For design theme or characteristics use Criterion “iii” (period) or Criterion v (high artistic value). 7 HISTORIC RESOURCE DESIGNATION APPLICATION (8-10-22) KL 6 of 6 FINDING 2: The site, structure, building or object retains most if not all of the following aspects of Integrity, as established in the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards3: Design, Materials, Workmanship, Location, Setting, Feeling, Association.
PSMC 8.05.070 (C,2) Criteria for the Designation of Class 2 Historic Resources.
A site, structure, building or object may be designated as a Class 2 historic resource, or a Contributing Resource to a proposed historic district by the Palm Springs City Council provided the site, structure, building or object exhibits exceptional historic significance and meets one or more of the criteria listed in Finding 1 above. A Class 2 historic resource is not required to meet the findings for integrity as described in Finding 2 (above).
PSMC 8.05.090 (C) Criteria and Findings for Designation of Historic Districts.
In addition to the criteria listed in Finding 1, to be considered for designation as a Historic District, a defined area must:
a.Contain contributing resources on a majority of the sites within the proposed district which individually meet the criteria in Finding (1). The defined area may include other structures, buildings, or archaeological sites which contribute generally to the overall distinctive character of the area and are related historically or visually by plan or physical development. (Identify list by address and APN number each site / parcel that meets the criteria outlined in Finding 1 above and document how each meets the criteria. b.Identify non-contributing properties or vacant parcels to the extent necessary to establish appropriate, logical or convenient boundaries.
(Identify list by address and APN number each site / parcel within the proposed historic district that is considered non-contributing to the overall historic significance of the historic district.) Please attach any additional information related to the application as necessary.
Questions: Contact the Palm Springs Planning Department at 760 323 8245. 3 Refer to the U.S. Department of the Interior Bulletin for How to Evaluate the Integrity of a Property. 8 Albert Frey Albert Frey settled in the United States in 1930 filled with excitement about the modern spirit that was sweeping Europe. “As the first architect to build in America who had directly worked with the modern master Le Corbusier, a new world was open to him. He was eager to explore the new technological frontiers that America promised, but found another frontier he had not anticipated – a virgin desert landscape that was his on which to build.”3 Frey began his career by designing buildings in the language of the European modern movement – as static objects that stood independent from their sites – but in the Coachella Valley his designs would evolve as a response to environmental conditions unique to the desert. After establishing himself permanently in Palm Springs in the late 1930s, there was a clear evolution in Frey’s architecture from his early designs to those that appeared after World War II. For example, his 1934 Kocher-Samson Building lacked sufficient overhangs to deflect the harsh desert sun, and employed stucco as an exterior finish. Frey addressed these shortcomings through the use of extended eaves, asbestos cement-board, concrete block, and fiberglass. He used corrugated aluminum as exterior sheathing for walls and roofs because of its ability to reflect the sun and rapidly shed heat. Deep overhangs – and hoods for his emblematic porthole windows – were precisely calibrated to address the angle of the desert sun. Frey’s extensive use of plate glass for windows and sliding doors wholly embraced the concept of indoor-outdoor living and captured dramatic views of the mountains and desert sands. Frey perfected a sandblasted terra-cotta-colored concrete block as a method of construction and for its distinctive aesthetic qualities. Frey had the blocks custom-made for the local environment – unpainted, fully exposed, and color tinted to complement the desert soil. Frey’s imaginative and original use of these construction methods and materials made his mature style distinct and immediately recognizable. Frey’s architectural impact in the Coachella Valley was enormous. It is revealed in the sheer number of his built projects: houses, schools, a fire station, churches – such as the subject First Church of Christ Scientist – shopping centers, hospitals, a yacht club, restaurants, hotels and apartments. It is revealed in the prominence of some of his buildings: Palm Springs City Hall, the Tramway Gas Station, the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway Valley Station, and Frey Houses I and II. It is revealed in the respect for his work as reviewed in the architectural press throughout Frey’s life and, later, by scholars and architectural aficionados drawn to the Coachella Valley to celebrate Frey’s design legacy. Robson Chambers Southern California native Robson Chambers graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles (USC) with a degree in architecture in 1941. In 1946, following his return from active duty in the Marine Corp during World War II, Chambers accepted a junior position at the Palm Springs firm of Clark & Frey. A few years later, in 1948, he was elevated to full partnership at the firm under the new name of Clark, Frey & Chambers. This would last until John Porter Clark’s departure at the end of 1956 when the firm was renamed Frey & Chambers. Because of the collaborative nature of partnerships, it is not always easy to determine the degree of each contribution. However, in scholar Joseph Rosa’s seminal monograph on Albert Frey first published in 1990 and revised and updated in 1999, Rosa writes “The following list is comprised solely of buildings and projects that Frey was primarily responsible for designing as a firm partner or employee. The list does not include all of the works of his partnerships with Clark 3 Rosa, Joseph. Albert Frey, Architect. New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 1999. P. 135 9 and Chambers; it includes only those works that were designed by Frey and not buildings designed by his partners.”4 In the case of First Church of Christ Scientist, Rosa wrote in parentheses that the subject property was designed with Robson Chambers and does not mention John Porter Clark, who left the firm in 1956 after the initial plans were rendered.5 Notwithstanding the collaborative design credit, the First Church of Christ Scientist exhibits the key architectural elements associated with Albert Frey. These include its sandblasted terra-cotta-colored concrete block construction, shed and flat roofs, deep overhangs, metal fascia, large plate glass windows, and pipe support posts. In 1966, Frey and Chambers amicably dissolved their 20-year partnership when Chambers relocated to Santa Barbara to take a position as a campus architect for the University of California, Santa Barbara. 4 Rosa, p. 141 5 Rosa, p. 142
10 Architectural Description and Existing Conditions The Palm Springs First Church of Christ Scientist was designed in 1956 by the architectural firm of Clark, Frey & Chambers. The original master plan dated June 9, 1956 shows a foyer, auditorium, and a row of small office spaces behind the auditorium (see Site Plan 1956). In addition, a large Sunday school classroom, boardroom, and restrooms were also depicted; however, these three elements were not constructed until 1961 according to updated plans and building permits (see Planned Additions 1961). In 1968, building permits confirm that a 360 square foot childcare room designed by Albert Frey was built at the rear of the building. The architectural design of the church is distinctly modern, unadorned and utilitarian. It shares characteristic features found in another Frey-designed building of this period, Fire Station #1 (1955). Features such as sandblasted terra-cotta-colored concrete block, a flat roof, slender metal support posts, deep overhangs with metal fascia, and large aluminum-framed windows. In the case of the subject property, its distinguishing architectural element is sandblasted terra-cotta-colored concrete block arranged in a stack bond pattern on all four elevations. A flat roof that extends far over the north-facing foyer and main entrance is supported by slender steel posts. Aluminum-framed floor-to-ceiling plate glass windows and glazed entry doors distinguish the foyer and main entrance. Stucco sheathes exterior surfaces on either side of the foyer’s doors and windows. Flat metal clads all fascia. A shed roof covers the auditorium that slopes upward toward the south with deep eaves on the west-facing elevation. Clerestory windows punctuate the auditorium’s west elevation beneath the shed roof. In contrast, the east elevation lacks eaves due to the presence of an interior terrarium screened by a grid of horizontal openings in a wall of concrete block. A flat roofed addition constructed in 1961 is attached to what was the west elevation of the auditorium with a long hallway separating the two elements. The addition consists of two outward-stepped rectangular volumes of stack bond concrete block construction containing the restrooms and Sunday school classroom. Distinctive aluminum-framed metal mesh windows on the west and south punctuate the latter. At the northeast corner of the church is the board room that was also added in 1961. Its flat-roofed rectangular volume features floor-to-ceiling, north-facing glazing and aluminum mullions. Its east elevation is of terra cotta colored concrete block arranged in a stack bond pattern identical to that of the original building. A finish of stucco was applied to the west side of the boardroom addition that originally was exposed concrete block. At the rear of the building is a small childcare room with three windows that was added in 1968 with a design by Albert Frey. Between the Sunday school and childcare room is a narrow covered entry corridor. As noted, the 1961 additions were designed and anticipated in the 1956 plans prepared by Clark Frey & Chambers, and the 1968 childcare room was designed by Albert Frey when he was in solo practice. Similar to the exterior, the building’s interior is unadorned and utilitarian. The foyer, with its wall of north-facing glazing, leads to the spacious auditorium. Wooden horizontal slats form the rear wall behind the auditorium’s rostrum and serve as vents above flanking exits. Ceiling air conditioning vents that run the length of the auditorium center a pair of distinctive lapped redwood soffits with hidden recessed lighting. The room’s east wall consists of three pairs of sliding glass doors that open onto a terrarium with light provided from a grid of rectangular openings within the stack bond concrete block wall. Clerestory windows provide illumination from the west. 11 A non-original recessed metal screen shields air-handling equipment on the roof above the foyer. Recessed wooden screens atop the flat roof at the rear of the building are also not original to the design. The church itself centers a large asphalt parking area with a concrete sidewalk surrounding the building. Where the street curves on the north, a concrete block retaining wall encloses a gravel-filled planter containing mature olive trees. The period of significance for the subject property is 1956 to 1968, corresponding with the date of the original building permit up through when important additions were completed under the auspices of Frey & Chambers, or Albert Frey in solo practice. 12 Permit History October 24, 1956 – Permit No. 9093 (Church) – Owner: First Church of Christ Scientist. Contractor: H.H. Foster. Cost: Illegible October 31, 1956 – Permit No. 8846 (Plumbing) – Owner: First Church of Christ Scientist. Plumber: Illigible January 11, 1957 – Permit No. 8013 (Electrical) – Owner: First Church of Christ Scientist. Contractor: Illegible September 18, 1961 – Permit No. B3749 (Addition. Sunday School Room & Board Room) – Owner: First Church of Christ Scientist. Contractor: Robinson & Wilson. Cost: Illegible September 19, 1961 – Permit No. B2353 (Plumbing) – Owner: First Church of Christ Scientist. Plumber: Illegible February 26, 1968 – Permit No. B10744 (Addition. Child Care Room) – Owner: First Church of Christ Scientist. Contractor: Win Miner. Cost: $7,000 February 29, 1968 – Permit No. B6062 (Plumbing) – Owner: First Church of Christ Scientist. Plumber: Illegible April 1, 1991 – Permit No. B20339 (A/C Replacement, Unit Screening) – Owner: First Church of Christ Scientist. April 16, 1991 – Permit No. B20487 (New Electric Heat Pump on Roof) – Owner: First Church of Christ Scientist. May 14, 1991 – Permit No. B20728 (Upgrade Electric Service) – Owner: First Church of Christ Scientist. February 23, 2017 – Permit No. 2017-650 (Mechanical Change-out on Roof) – Owner: First Church of Christ Scientist. February 3, 2020 – Permit No. 2020-363 (Reroof) – Owner: First Church of Christ Scientist. 13 Character Defining Features The following are character-defining features of the First Church of Christ Scientist: • Modern unadorned utilitarian design • Sandblasted terra-cotta-colored concrete block arranged in stack bond pattern • Foyer with north-facing floor to ceiling windows and entry doors • Flat roof covering foyer and boardroom • Slender metal pipe posts supporting flat roof • Metal fascia • Board room • Shed roof covering auditorium • Clerestory windows punctuating auditorium’s west elevation • Terrarium enclosed with concrete block with horizontal openings on east elevation • West elevation addition (1961) • Aluminum-framed metal mesh west-facing windows • Rear (south) addition (1968) • Terra-cotta-colored stack bond pattern concrete block retaining walls fronting north sidewalk that enclose planters with mature olive trees • Concrete steps leading to main entrance with metal pipe railings • Perforated concrete block wall on east elevation sheltering interior planter Non-Contributing Elements The following elements do not contribute to the property’s significance: • Recessed wooden screen atop rear addition shielding air handling equipment • Recessed metal screen above foyer shielding air handling equipment • Parking lot lighting with electrical conduit attached to east elevation • Electrical conduit attached to west elevation • Metal rain gutters attached to board room north elevation 14 CITY OF PALM SPRINGS CITYWIDE HISTORIC CONTEXT STATEMENT Post-World War II Civic and Institutional Development (1945-1969) Property Types: Civic or Institutional Building This theme explores the development of civic buildings, schools, churches, and other institutions in the decades after World War II. As Palm Springs’ population grew, so did the need for civic buildings. Usually designed by local architects, they reflected the progressive symbolism of Modernism in schools, churches, fire stations, and especially in a new City Hall. Civic property types include city halls or other offices for public agencies, post offices, fire and police stations, schools, and libraries. Non-governmental institutional property types include churches, meeting halls, and buildings associated with social organizations. Applicable Eligibility Criteria A civic or institutional property from this period may be eligible for historic designation under one or more of the following criteria: Criterion i: It is associated with events that have made a meaningful contribution to the nation, state, or community. The property at 605 South Riverside Drive is not associated with a singular event that has made a meaningful contribution to the nation, state, or community. Research did not indicate that any significant events occurred at the subject property, nor did it reveal that the property’s construction occurred as a result of any one event; rather, the subject property reflects Post-World War II civic and institutional development patterns as a religious building to meet the needs of the growing population. Therefore, the subject property is not eligible as a Class 1 Historic Resource under City of Palm Springs Criterion i. Criterion ii: It is associated with lives of persons who made meaningful contributions to national, state or local history. The subject property does not appear to be associated with persons who have made meaningful contributions to national, state or local history. While the original long-time occupant was the First Church of Christ Scientist, it does not appear that there were any persons associated with the property that would rise to the level of significance within the context of national, state or local history. The property does not appear eligible as a Class 1 Historic Resource under City of Palm Springs Criterion ii. Criterion iii: It reflects or exemplifies a particular period of national, state or local history. The First Church of Christ Scientist is a superb example of institutional development from the 1950s, a crucial period in the growth of Palm Springs reflecting the city’s postwar boom and the accompanying institutional buildings constructed to support it. With the number of residents and visitors continuing to grow, a need arose for a branch of the well-established Christian Science Church to erect a building in Palm Springs to house its services. The subject property is also an excellent example of modern institutional architecture, a popular style in Palm Springs during its postwar development seen in civic and institutional buildings through the 1970s. The First Church of Christ Scientist embodies the distinctive characteristics of a modern building with its unadorned utilitarian design, concrete block construction, flat and shed roofs, deep eaves, and clerestory windows. This interpretation of Modernism used simplicity and up-to-date materials composed not on a strict grid, but with oblique angles. For the desert climate, direct sunlight was moderated in the main auditorium with an interior terrarium screened to filter the light. As the property is associated with historic patterns of institutional development in Palm Springs in the postwar period and is an excellent example of the modern architectural style as applied to 15 an institutional building it appears eligible as a Class 1 Historic Site under City of Palm Springs criterion iii. Criterion iv: It embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period or method of construction. Although the property at 605 South Riverside Drive is an excellent example of modern architecture as applied to an institutional building in the postwar period, it does not embody a singularly significant type, period, or method of construction. Its concrete block construction is characteristic of the modern architectural style as practiced by Albert Frey and his partners but this construction method is not restricted to a type or to a narrowly defined time period. As a result, the subject property does not appear eligible as a Class 1 Historic Site under City of Palm Springs criterion iv. Criterion v: It represents the work of a master builder, designer, artists, or architect whose individual genius influenced his age; or it possesses high artistic value. The First Church of Christ Scientist is an exceptional example of the modern architectural style that embodies the distinctive characteristics of Albert Frey’s interpretation of modern design for the desert environment of the Coachella Valley. Such features as sandblasted terra-cotta-colored concrete block arranged in a stack bond pattern; flat and shed roofs, slender metal pipe support posts, deep overhangs with metal fascia, and large aluminum-framed windows. Additionally, the subject property is important in demonstrating how Frey’s architectural approach to modern architecture was applied to a house of worship. Albert Frey was a master architect whose designs helped define desert modernism in the Coachella Valley. Frey’s buildings, both before and after World War II, were important contributors to placing Palm Springs on the map as a new frontier for the modern movement. This conclusion was confirmed in 2015 when the property was listed in the National Register of Historic Places under the Multiple Property Documentation Form, ‘The Architecture of Albert Frey.’ In summary, the First Church of Christ Scientist qualifies for listing as a Class 1 Historic Site under City of Palm Springs Criterion v. Criterion vi: It represents a significant and distinguishable entity whose components may lack individual distinction. As 605 South Riverside Drive is not a district or part of a district, it does not represent a significant and distinguishable entity whose components may lack individual distinction. Therefore, it is not eligible as a Class 1 Historic Site under City of Palm Springs Criterion vi. Criterion vii: It has yielded or may be likely to yield information important to national, state, or local history or prehistory. As an archaeological assessment was not conducted as part of the nomination, 605 South Riverside Drive is left unevaluated under Criterion vii. 16 Integrity Evaluation Each type of property depends on certain aspects of integrity to express its historic significance. Determining which of the aspects is important to a particular property type requires an understanding of the property’s significance and its essential physical features. The rarity of the property type should also be considered when assessing its physical integrity. In order to be eligible for listing at the local level, a property must retain sufficient integrity to convey its historic significance under a particular theme – in this case, Post-World War II Civic and Institutional Development in Palm Springs (1945-1969). In 1961, a board room, Sunday school classroom, and restrooms were added to the building according to architectural plans prepared in 1956. A small childcare room addition in 1968 was designed by Albert Frey. These are the subject property’s only additions and they were completed by the original architect(s). An April, 1991 building permit indicates that a (wooden) screen was constructed to shield a new air conditioning unit on the roof behind the auditorium and above the childcare room at the rear of the building. It appears that a new electric heat pump on the roof added later that month was also shielded by the same screen. Visual inspection reveals that a metal screen shielding additional HVAC equipment was later constructed above the foyer near the building’s northwest corner. Although no building permit was found documenting the metal screen, it is probable that it was erected in 2017 when a “Mechanical Change-out on Roof” occurred as stated in a building permit of that year. Building permits and visual inspection identify no other alterations. Given that the applicable eligibility criteria identified above for the subject property’s qualifying for listing as a Class 1 Historic Site are criteria iii and v, these are the only criteria upon which the following integrity evaluations are applied. Criterion iii: A property that is significant for its historic association is eligible if it retains the essential physical features that made up its character or appearance during the period of its association with the important event, historical pattern, or person(s). A civic or institutional property from this period eligible under Criterion iii (Pattern of development/period) should retain integrity of location, design, materials, feeling, and association, at a minimum, in order to reflect the important association with the city’s’ civic and institutional development during this period. Under Criterion iii, the subject property retains all of the physical features that made up its character and appearance during the period of its association with the First Church of Christ Scientist, which held services there from its completion in 1957 until the property was sold to the current owner in late 2024. As a result, the subject property retains integrity of location, design, materials, feeling and association. In addition, the building also reflects the important association with Palm Springs’ institutional development in the postwar period, specifically that of a religious building from the 1950s. Criterion v: A property important for illustrating a particular property type, architectural style or construction technique; or that represents the work of a master must retain most of the physical features that constitute that type, style or technique. A civic or institutional property significant under Criterion v (Architecture) should retain integrity of design, workmanship, materials, and feeling, at a minimum, in order to be eligible for its architectural merit. As documented above, the First Church of Christ Scientist exhibits those physical features of the modern architectural style associated with the work of master architect Albert Frey – in collaboration with Robson Chambers – as applied to an institutional building retaining integrity of design, materials, workmanship and feeling sufficient to convey its architectural significance under Criterion v. 17 Conclusion The First Church of Christ Scientist is eligible for listing as a City of Palm Springs Class 1 Historic Site. It exemplifies the distinctive characteristics of the institutional building property type designed in the modern architectural style under the Palm Springs Citywide Historic Context Statement, Post-World War II Civic and Institutional Development (1945-1969). In addition, the subject property retains sufficient integrity to convey its historic significance under this theme as the work of master architect Albert Frey, in collaboration with Robson Chambers. 18 Grant Deed
19 20
21 Assessor Map
REALCAMINO
S O UTH
149.03
204 L=37.16
140
1 2 3 4 5
7 8 9
10 11 12 15 16 17
1 2 3 4 5
6 7 8 9 POR 10
11 12 13 14 15 POR 16 18 19 20 17 21
108.34 100 100
100 100
115 105 105 95 105 100 100 80
80 L=80.16 L=100 L=100
L=100
L=100
183.98 115.20 105.19 105.18 100.18
83.56 149.01142.18135.94129.70124.06 114.20 117.82 107.11 5 L=99.94
L=30.6 2
166.57
L= 211 .58
100.18
111.85 102.85
100.18
85.44 L=31.26
80 L=31.41
155.56
199.77 105.70 100
76 96 100
80 80 100 100 100 100 100 1008686 14
L=26.68
L=37.15
89.36 77.36 25'
2 5'
25'
25' 30' 30'
40'
40'
44'
TR 13107
TR 13107
T.R.E. 2
T.R.E. 2
1 CM
LOT K
LOT L
LOT J
LOT M
25'
CM 1
POR 14
D
E
SOUTH RIVERSIDE DR
MESQUITE AVE
SAN LORENZO RD
RD
RANDOM
LOTI
25'
25' 25'
14 L =3 1.41
L=31.41
TR35544
TR 35544
T.R.E. 2
N15-55-14E
N89-30-00E
183.88
1-13
14-26T193
(07
( 13
(12
(30
(11 (26
(23 (24
(22
(02
(33 (03
(40
(04
(26
(39
(37
(28
(33
(25
(27
(38
(34
(31
(32
(05
(36
(41
(29
(30
T191
T193
T192
508-19
ASSESSOR'S MAP BK508 PG.19 Riverside County, Calif. Apr 2018 jasantos POR. NW 1/4, SEC. 23, T.4S., R.4E. CITY OF PALM SPRINGS TRA 011-003 29-30-5 SHEET 1 OF 3 Pg 19
Pg 17
Pg 31
Pg 63
Pg 20
Pg 29 Pg 33
THIS MAP WAS PREPARED FOR ASSESSMENT PURPOSES ONLY. NO LIABILITY IS ASSUMED FOR THE ACCURACY OF THE DATA SHOWN. ASSESSOR'S PARCEL MAY NOT COMPLY WITH LOCAL LOT-SPLIT OR BUILDING SITE ORDINANCES. © 1 " = 100 '
Legend Lot Lines Right-Of-Way Old Lot Lines Reference R.O.W Other Easements Lease Area Subdivision Tic Mark Date Old Number 2/23/1976 191-1,14 4/1/1976 192-9 2/1/1977 191-6,10 7/1/1980 192-5-8 7/1/1980 192-10-21 7/1/1980 192-1-3,5-8 7/1/1982 192-35 1/1/1997 191-16 1/11/2007 191-15 10/10/2012 191-13,31 11/28/2012 191-32 11/28/2012 191-29 3/9/2018 191-8,9 New Number 15 21,ST 16 192-22-40 192-22-40 192-22-40 41 17-29 30-31 32 193-1-13 193-14-26 33 Map Reference MB 435/71 - 72 TRACT MAP NO. 35544 CM 213/1 - 22 LOT 1 #0289866 06/22/12 MB 22/76 - 77 TAHQUITZ RIVER ESTATES NO. 2 MB 105/41 - 42 TRACT MAP NO. 13107 CM 32/76 - 82 LOT 1 #244078 12/30/80 Data RS 33/22 MB 14/652 SD
22 Aerial View
23 Site Plan 1956
24 Planned Additions 1956
25 Planned Additions Implemented 1961
Additions Indicated in 1956 Master Plan Implemented in 1961: “Alt. No. 1 Sunday School” “Alt. No. 2 Board Room” “Alt. No. 3 Toilets” Addition Implemented in 1968: “1969 Addition” (Children’s Room. Permits indicate 1968 date of construction)
26 Planned Addition Children’s Room Dated 1964 Implemented 1968
27 Albert Frey
28 Historic Photographs 1956. Photographer: Julius Shulman Copyright The J. Paul Getty Trust. The Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles.
29 30
Current Photographs April 2, 2025. Photographer: Peter Moruzzi North elevation, looking south. Main entrance and raised planters East and north elevations, looking southwest. 1961 board room addition in foreground
31 North elevation, looking southeast. 1961 board room addition at left North elevation, looking southeast
32 West elevation, looking southeast. 1961 restroom addition in center West elevation, looking southeast. 1961 additions of restrooms (left) and Sunday School (right)
33 West and south elevations, looking northeast. Auditorium clerestory windows beneath shed roof. 1968 children’s room addition on far right South and east elevations, looking northwest. 1968 children’s room addition on far left
34 East elevation, looking northwest. Grid of horizontal openings in wall of concrete block that screens interior terrarium East elevation, looking west
35 Major Bibliographical References Anderton, Frances. “A Desert Prophet Wins New Disciples.” New York Times, Sept 17, 1998. p. F11 “A Small Modern House as Big as All Outdoors.” House and Garden, May 1947, pp. 78-83. Banham, Reyner. Los Angeles, The Architecture of Four Ecologies. New York: Penguin Press, 1971. Colacello, Bob. “Palm Springs Weekend.” Vanity Fair, June 1999. pp. 192-211. Cygelman, Adele. Palm Springs Modern. New York: Rizzoli International, 1999. pp. 19-33, 34- 44-51, 120-127. “Desert House.” Architectural Forum, August 1950, pp. 88-91. “Desert House Blends Drama and Serenity, Glamor and Simplicity.” Architectural Forum, May 1947, pp. 62-64. Dunster, David. Key Buildings of the 20th Century. New York: Rizzoli International, 1985. Editors of Architectural Forum. The 1936 Book of Small Houses. New York: Simon & Schuster, Inc., 1936. “Elementary School: Palm Springs, California.” Progressive Architecture, July 1953, pp. 84-87. Gebhard, David and Robert Winter. A Guide to Architecture in Los Angeles & Southern California. Santa Barbara: Peregrine Smith, Inc., 1977. Golub, Jennifer. Frey 1 + 2. New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 1998. Hess, Alan and Andrew Danish. Palm Springs Weekend: The Architecture and Design of a Midcentury Oasis. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 2001. “House, Palm Springs, California.” Progressive Architecture, December 1949, pp. 65-68. Iovine, Julie. “Albert Frey, a Modernist and Minimalist Architect, Dies at 95.” Obituary. New York Times, December 3, 1998. p. B15 Jackson, Neil and Barbara Lamprecht. “Desert Pioneer.” Architectural Review, September 1992, pp. 40-44. Jackson, Neil, Barbara Lamprecht, and Ruth Slavid. “Albert Frey, One of the Last Heroic Modernists.” Architects’ Journal, November 1998. p. 20. “Kitchen Apartment at Palm Springs.” Architectural Record, October, 1936. p. 318. Lamprecht, Barbara. “Frey’s Frame.” Wallpaper, March-April 1998, pp. 37-40. 36 Ouroussoff, Nicolai. “Albert Frey, Modernist Architect, Dies.” Los Angeles Times, 17 November 1998. “Prickly Pears” oral history project. Palm Springs Public Library. Videotaped interview with John Porter Clark and Albert Frey. 1986. “Real Estate Office and Apartment Building, Palm Springs, California.” Architectural Review, March 1937, pp. 114-15. Rosa, Joseph. Albert Frey, Architect. New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 1999. Originally published: New York, NY: Rizzoli International, 1990. Sirefman, Susanna, Albert Frey Obituary. Architecture, Jan. 1999 (Magazine of the AIA, now called Architect) Stern, Michael and Alan Hess. Julius Shulman: Palm Springs. New York: Rizzoli International Publications, Inc., 2008. Two Desert Houses in Palm Springs, California.” California Arts and Architecture, July 1945, pp. 30-31. Anderson, Kurt. “Annals of Architecture: Desert Cool.” New Yorker, February 23, 1998. “Two Years Architecture.” Time, April 17, 1931. Frey, Albert. “In Search of a Living Architecture,” New York: Architectural Book Publishing Co., 1939. 37 Peter Moruzzi Mr. Moruzzi is an authority in the field of mid-century modern resources. As an architectural historian, he has conducted historic resources surveys for municipalities, written historic assessments and technical reports, conducted CEQA and NEPA analyses and plan reviews. He was the primary author of the National Register of Historic Places Multiple Property Submission for the “Case Study House Program: 1945-1966” that was listed in 2013. In Palm Springs, Moruzzi wrote successful National Register Multiple Property Submissions for the Architecture of Albert Frey (12 properties), E. Stewart Williams (12 properties), and Donald Wexler (10 properties, 1 historic district). Moruzzi received the A.I.A. California Council’s Presidential Citation for Public Service in 2002, the California Preservation Foundation’s President’s Award in 2012, and the UCLA Architecture and Urban Design Award in 2016. He previously served on the Palm Springs Planning Commission and currently is a member of the City’s Historic Site Preservation Board (HSPB). Moruzzi is the founding president of the Palm Springs Modern Committee established in 1999.