1680 BRYANT STREET
Category 2 to Category 3
Reclassification
December 15, 2025 www.PaloAlto.gov
Presenter:
Steven Switzer, Senior Planner
• Zone District: R-1 (Single-Family)
• Old Palo Alto Neighborhood
1680 BRYANT STREET LOCATION
Lowell Ave
Bryant St
2 PROJECT OVERVIEW
Reclassification from a Category 2 to a Category 3 on the Palo Alto Historic Inventory.
July 25, 2025 Page & Turnbull prepared a Historic Resource Evaluation October 9, 2025 Historic Resources Board (HRB) Meeting December 15, 2025 City Council Meeting
Sanborn Map Company Map of Palo Alto, 1924 Sanborn Map Company Map of Palo Alto, 1945 1680 BRYANT STREET CONSTRUCTION CHRONOLOGY
Sanborn Map Company Map of Palo Alto, 1945
1680 BRYANT STREET CONSTRUCTION CHRONOLOGY
Sanborn Map Company Map of Palo Alto, 1945
• Added as Category 2 in 1978
• Eligible for listing under:
• Criterion 2
(Prairie Architectural Style)
• Criterion 5
(Architect John Hudson Thomas)
• Criterion 6
(Design Elements)
1680 BRYANT STREET HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE
HRB RECOMMENDATION
The HRB voted 3-1-1 to recommend that the existing Category 2 designation remain.
Rationale based on following concerns:
• The property would lose historic preservation protections (demolition delay) • Current historic incentives areinsufficient
KEY CONSIDERATIONS
• Historic Resource Evaluation Determination
• Construction Chronology / Significant Alterations
• Category 2 and 3 Definitions
CEQA
Not a project under the California Environmental Quality Act and CEQA Guidelines Section 21065.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
City Council approve the Record of Land Use Action
(Attachment B) reclassifying the building at 1680 Bryant Street from a Category 2 resource to a Category 3 resource on the Palo Alto Historic Resources Inventory.
Note: This recommendation differs from the HRB’s
recommendation to retain the Category 2 listing by a 3-1-1 vote.
Staff is aligning with Historic Resource Evaluation
Determination.
Steven Switzer
Senior Historic Planner
[email protected]
650-329-2321
CATEGORY 2 DEFINITION
Category 2: "Major building" means any building or group of buildings of major regional importance, meritorious works of the best architects or an outstanding example of an architectural style or the stylistic development of architecture in the state or region.
A major building may have some exterior modifications, but the original character is retained.
CATEGORY 3 DEFINITION
Category 3 or 4: "Contributing building" means any building or group of buildings which are good local examples of architectural styles and which relate to the character of a neighborhood grouping in scale, materials, proportion or other factors. A contributing building may have had extensive or permanent changes made to the original design, such as inappropriate additions, extensive removal of architectural details, or wooden facades resurfaced in asbestos or stucco.