City of Redondo Beach
Historic Preservation Plan
City of Redondo Beach
Historic Preservation Plan
September 28, 1998
Submitted to:
City of Redondo Beach
Planning Department
415 Diamond Street
Redondo Beach, CA 90277
Submitted by:
Janet L. Tearnen, M.A.
Historic Resources Consultant
224 Norwood Street
Redlands CA, 92373
Lauren Weiss Bricker, Ph.D.
Architectural Historian
1405 Garden Street
Redlands, CA 92373
Marion Mitchell-Wilson, Principal
CWA Consultants
3851 Chapman Place
Riverside, CA 92506
City of Redondo Beach
Gregory C. Hill, Mayor
Preservation Commission
Miles Pritzkat, Chair
Bob Cardona, Vice Chair
Richard Becker, Secretary
Dean Francois
Lynn Frangos
Jack Kitchen
Jim McLeod
Ad-Hoc Preservation Plan Committee:
Commissioners Becker, Francois, McLeod, and Kitchen (alternate) City of Redondo Beach Planning Department
William Meeker, Chief of Planning
Randy Berler, Senior Planner
Anita Kroeger, Senior Planner
Teresa Gianos, Associate Planner
The project team would like to thank City staff and elected officials, commissioners, members of the Redondo Beach Historical Society, and community residents for their participation in the preparation of this plan. Special thanks to Mike Gin, Steve Bopp, Jonathan Eubanks, and Monica Litjen Moore.
__________________________________________________
This preservation plan was funded with a 1997 Certified Local Government Grant and was administered by a City contract with the State Office of Historic Preservation. __________________________________________________
Terms used throughout this document are defined in the attached Glossary (Appendix A) which was prepared from various publications of the National Parks Service and State Office of Historic Preservation and William J. Murtagh’s Keeping Time: The History and Theory of Preservation in America, 2nd ed. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 1997.
Historic photographs were supplied courtesy of the City of Redondo Beach Historical Commission This publication has been financed in part with Federal funds from the National Park Service, Department of the Interior. However, the contents and opinions do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Department of the Interior, nor does the mention of trade names or commercial products constitute endorsement or recommendation by the Department of the Interior.
This program receives Federal financial assistance for identification and protection of historical properties. Under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the U.S. Department of the Interior prohibits discrimination on the basis or race, color, national origin, age handicap in its federally assisted programs. If you believe you have been discriminated against in any program, activity, or facility as described above, or if you desire further information, please write to:
Office for Equal Opportunity U.S. Department of the Interior, Washington, D.C. 20240
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction ....................................................................................................................................... 1 Legal Framework for Historic Preservation ...................................................................................... 2 Preparing the Preservation Plan ....................................................................................................... 4 Definition of Historic Character ......................................................................................................... 5 Summary of Past and Current Preservation Efforts ....................................................................... 15 The City’s Historic Resources Survey ............................................................................................ 18 Historic Preservation Issues, Goals, Objectives, and Actions ........................................................ 19 Appendices
A. Glossary
B. City of Redondo Beach Historic Register List
C. City of Redondo Beach Historic Properties Maps
D. Preservation Ordinance No. 2554
E. Historic Preservation Information and Contacts
F. City of Redondo Beach – Preservation Documents Available to the Public G. Sources
City of Redondo Beach
1 Introduction
Historic preservation is a vital key to maintaining the community’s character and identity. The mission of the Redondo Beach historic preservation program is to promote the identification, protection, enhancement, perpetuation, and use of historic resources such as buildings, structures, sites, and districts that reflect special elements of the city’s diverse architectural, artistic, cultural, historical, political, and social heritage.
Preservation of historic resources fosters civic and neighborhood pride, forms the basis for a unique community identity, and enhances the visual character of the city. Preservation efforts help strengthen the local economy by attracting residents, tourists, and visitors to the city, and offering educational and recreational opportunities. Historic Preservation has been shown to improve property values within historic areas, and maintaining and reusing historic buildings conserves building materials and energy resources. Preservation also serves as a tool in comprehensive planning efforts by giving city leaders direction for decisions in land management, development, and design.
Since the inception of the Redondo Beach preservation program in 1986, the commitment and participation of the City, community organizations, business leaders, and homeowners has insured its success. The State Office of Historic Preservation has recognized the program with its designation of Redondo Beach as a Certified Local Government (CLG). To be certified, a local government program must enforce appropriate state and local preservation legislation, establish and maintain a qualified historic preservation commission, provide for adequate public participation in its activities, and maintain a system for the survey and inventory of historic properties. In addition, each CLG is required to complete a preservation plan.
The purpose of this preservation plan is to provide a proactive means of planning for the continued protection of the community’s character and heritage. The goals are to educate and inform citizens of Redondo Beach about the city’s history as reflected in the built environment, increase the community’s awareness of preservation issues, provide a guideline for growth and development, create a plan for the continued identification and designation of historic properties, develop new incentives for preservation, strengthen the support for preservation policies, and promote Redondo Beach as a city sensitive to the preservation of historic resources for the future. This plan also addresses the need for continued cooperation between City departments, community heritage organizations, and the public to ensure that the preservation goals and objectives are carried out. 2 Legal Framework for Historic Preservation
The National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), and Preservation Ordinance No. 2554 provide the legal basis for historic preservation in Redondo Beach. Historic resources may be designated under federal, state, and local landmark programs.
National/Federal
The National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) was enacted in 1966 as a result of public concern that many of the Nation’s historic resources were not receiving adequate attention in Government-sponsored public works projects. It is the United States’ fundamental preservation law and provides the legal and administrative framework for local and national preservation efforts.
The Section 106 review process was enacted as part of the NHPA and is designed to ensure that historic properties are considered during federal project planning and execution. The process is administered by the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, an independent Federal agency responsible for advising the President and Congress on historic preservation issues. Federal activities or undertakings that are regulated by Section 106 may include construction of buildings, rehabilitation and repair projects, demolition, licenses, permits, grants, and federal property transfers. Properties subject to Section 106 review are those listed in or eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places.
The National Register, authorized under the NHPA, is the official Federal list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects significant in American history, architecture, archaeology, engineering, and culture. National Register properties have significance to the prehistory and history of their community, state, or the nation. Significance is assessed according to the National Register Criteria for Evaluation – association with historic events or activities, association with important persons, distinctive design or physical characteristics, or potential to provide important information about prehistory or history. A property must meet at least one of the criteria for listing, and generally must be at least fifty years of age. Applications for the National Register are submitted through the State Office of Historic Preservation (OHP) and approved by the State Historical Resources Commission. The program is administered by the National Park Service.
State
The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) is a state law enacted in 1971, which requires governmental agencies at all levels to consider the impact proposed projects have on the environment, including resources of cultural and historical significance. Similar to the Section 106 review process, the CEQA process identifies potential significant environmental effects and alternatives or 3 mitigation measures that will avoid or reduce the impacts. Properties listed in or determined eligible for listing in the California Register of Historical Resources are subject to CEQA review.
The State Office of Historic Preservation maintains the California Register of Historical Resources, an authoritative guide to the state’s significant historic and archaeological resources. The Register was designed for use by the state and local agencies, private organizations, and citizens, to identify, evaluate, register, and protect California's significant resources. The program encourages public recognition and protection of resources of architectural, historical, archaeological, or cultural significance; identifies historical resources for state and local planning purposes; determines eligibility for state historic preservation grant funding; and affords certain protection under CEQA. The California Register may include properties listed in or eligible for the National Register, California Registered Historical Landmarks, California Points of Historical Interest, County Landmarks, City Landmarks, and properties determined significant as part of an OHP staff approved historic resources survey.
The OHP administers the California Registered Historical Landmarks and California Points of Historical Interest programs. California Registered Landmarks recognize properties of statewide historical significance. The property is generally the first, last, only, or most significant of a type in the state. The California Points of Historical Interest program typically recognizes resources of local interest. Applications are submitted through the Los Angeles County Historical Landmarks and Records Commission and forwarded to the OHP. State Landmarks and Points of Historical Interest applications are approved by the State Historical Resources Commission.
Local
The local basis for historic preservation is Ordinance No. 2554. The ordinance outlines the purpose and intent of the City’s Preservation Program, the responsibilities and qualifications of the Preservation Commission, and criteria and procedures for designation of landmarks and districts.
The City’s designation program is voluntary and requires property owners to formally request designation of buildings as cultural resources and have this request approved by the City’s Preservation Commission. Local landmarks are individual buildings or districts which are at least fifty years of age, relatively unaltered, and well maintained. Further, landmarks must reflect a special element of the city’s history, be identified with special persons or events, represent the work of a noted architect or builder, embody a unique architectural character, or represent established and familiar landmarks within the community.
A list of the City’s designated landmarks and districts is included in Appendix B. 4 In accordance with the ordinance, a “certificate of appropriateness” must be granted to property owners to significantly alter, demolish, or relocate Citydesignated historic properties. Applications for certificates of appropriateness are filed with, and approved by the Preservation Commission. The ordinance allows for use of the State Historical Building Code (SHBC) which provides alternative building regulations for the rehabilitation, preservation, restoration, or relocation of designated historic buildings. The SHBC regulations are intended to facilitate restoration or accommodate change of occupancy while preserving a historic building’s original architectural elements and features.
Preparing the Preservation Plan
To assist in the preparation of the preservation plan, the City Planning Department contracted with three independent consultants working in the field of historic preservation: Janet L. Tearnen (historian), Lauren Weiss Bricker (architectural historian), and Marion Mitchell-Wilson (preservation planner). To begin the process, the consultants attended meetings of the City’s Preservation Commission and the Preservation Plan ad hoc committee of the Commission. To give the team a broad context on the history and development of the historic preservation movement in Redondo, a variety of materials were gathered and reviewed, including: planning publications, pertinent city records, historical survey forms and reports, Preservation Commission minutes, and newspaper articles.
Public participation and input played a vital role in the process of preparing the plan. Two community meetings were held at City Hall which were facilitated by the consulting team. The meetings were designed to provide a forum for the interchange of concerns and ideas regarding local preservation issues. In order to ensure participation from a variety of interests, notice of the meeting was mailed to community residents, business leaders, elected City officials, City employees, members of the Historical Society, and other heritage organizations.
These meetings were also advertised in the local newspapers. In addition to the community meetings, the project team conducted personal interviews with Mike Gin (City Councilmember), Jonathan Eubanks (Planning Commissioner), and Steve Bopp (Recreation Commissioner), all of whom have participated extensively in the preservation efforts of Redondo Beach. The purpose of the interviews was to gather information regarding early preservation activities and to identify major preservation issues. The consulting team conducted a reconnaissance survey of Redondo Beach, to become more familiar with the City’s historic resources as well as to understand some of the problems and concerns articulated during the community meetings and interviews.
5 Definition of Historic Character
Redondo Beach lies on the western edge of the Peninsular Mountain Range which runs northwest and southeast along the coast of Southern California. The city occupies 6.35 square miles, and is approximately seventeen miles from Los Angeles on the southern end of modern Santa Monica Bay.
The development of present-day Redondo Beach dates to the third quarter of the nineteenth century. Earlier in the century, cattle grazed on the land which stretched across three Mexican ranchos -- Ranchos San Pedro, Los Palos Verdes, and Sausal Redondo. By mid-century, diversification of the local economy had been initiated by two Los Angeles merchants – Henry Allanson and William Johnson. These men purchased 215 acres which included saline deposits (located near the site of the present-day Redondo Beach Electrical Generating Station) and soon organized the Pacific Salt Works. The enterprise failed in the early 1880s due to non-competitive shipping costs. However, the area’s economic picture changed dramatically when the Santa Fe Railroad established a route between Redondo Beach and Los Angeles in 1888.
During the boom years of the 1880s, sixty new towns developed along Los Angeles’ coastal plain, including Redondo Beach. Two Los Angeles developers, Judge Charles Silent and Nathan Vail, purchased the land that became Inglewood and a large block of land that is nearly half of what is now known as North Redondo Beach. By August of 1887, the men had acquired the land for Redondo Beach’s original townsite. Silent, president of the Redondo Beach Company, with his partners Vail and Dan McFarland began to promote the 1,214-acre site as a new city on the bay.
William Hammond Hall, Civil Engineer
Plan of Redondo Beach, 1887
7 The Redondo Beach Company hired William Hammond Hall, as their consulting engineer to lay out the new town (essentially the central core of present-day Redondo Beach). Hall, who was also State Engineer, conceived a seaside village that would be built in tiers on the natural amphitheater rising from the beach. He designed a flexible grid street plan comprised of roughly east/west oriented streets that followed the terraced land and were intersected by streets that radiated from a series of urban improvements along the coast. The improvements included a “Y” shaped pier for ship and pleasure boat landings, a hotel site to the south that was surrounded by spacious gardens (Hotel Redondo was constructed in 1890), an esplanade (“La Esplanada”) that followed the city’s coastline, and a railroad depot and train yard north of the pier and immediately south of the salt lake. Hall used romantic street names evocative of the Spanish period for his tiered streets, and he named the radiating streets after precious and semi-precious stones (Diamond, Emerald, Carnelian) some of which were found along local “Moonstone Beach.”
Another defining element of Hall’s town site plan was a site reserved for a Chautauqua complex, located northeast of the pier. The Chautauqua movement was an alternative form of education that enjoyed great popularity in the latter years of the nineteenth century. In an effort to attract its followers, the Redondo Beach Company constructed a large, enclosed amphitheater (1890). Additional buildings were to be constructed to the east, on a site defined by streets curved to follow the “Lamp of Learning” pattern (based on the design of the classical oil lantern) associated with the movement. This pattern is still visible in the formation of Vincent, El Redondo, and Spencer Streets. Present-day Vincent Park was planned as the camp site for the thousands of participants of the annual conferences. Redondo Beach’s role in the Chautauqua movement ended in 1892 when Long Beach regained its position as the home of the area’s Chautauqua Assembly.
During the late nineteenth century,
little distinction was made between
the recreational and commercial use
of the urban waterfront. Hall had
observed rolling breakers in the bay
and suggested that they indicated
the presence of a deep off-shore
canyon suitable for a commercial
harbor. The vision of the harbor
attracted two steam boat captains to
the area, J.C. Ainsworth and R.R.
Thompson. These men purchased
the Redondo Beach Company in
1888.
Wharf No. 2
8 Ainsworth and Thompson championed Redondo Beach as a site for deep water shipping. Redondo Beach opened its first wharf in June 1889. By December of that year, the wharf handled over eight tons of freight. The Santa Fe Railroad selected Redondo to be its Los Angeles water terminus. The dual facilities of harbor and railroad attracted industrial development to Redondo Beach. This included the establishment of Redondo Beach as a storage and distribution center for the Pacific Coast Oil Company (later purchased by Standard Oil) and the establishment of lumber yards on a triangular piece of land bordered by Beryl, Broadway (originally Dominquez Avenue), and North Catalina Avenues.
In 1895 and 1903 two additional wharves were built to handle the shipping trade.
The greatest period of activity for Redondo Beach as a port was from 1904 to 1912. By that time, the rival port of San Pedro was designated as the site of the Los Angeles Harbor.
At the turn of the century, Redondo Beach not only boasted a busy port, but was becoming a popular tourist destination. The Redondo Railway Company commenced passenger service in 1890, bringing tourists, prospective residents, and businessmen to the newly built 225-room Hotel Redondo. The hotel overlooked the ocean from its location between Wharf No. 1 and No. 2, in what is today Veteran’s Park. By 1892, the City was incorporated with 1,000 residents.
The transformation of Redondo Beach into a premier resort city began in 1905 when real estate developer and railroad magnate Henry Huntington decided to invest in the city. Huntington purchased the interests of the Redondo Beach Improvement Company. He then purchased the Los Angeles and Redondo Railway and incorporated them into the Pacific Electric Railway service. He was Hotel Redondo, ca. 1900
9 also one of the founding partners in the Pacific Light and Electric Company, which constructed the Redondo Beach Steam Plant (near the site of the old salt works) in 1910.
The Pacific Electric Railway, or the “Red Car” line as it came to be called, was established by Huntington in 1901 as a way to connect his land holdings with Los Angeles. At its peak the system connected Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino County communities with 1,164 mile of tract, making it the largest electric railway system in the world. The Red Cars brought visitors to Redondo Beach principally along the coastal Redondo Beach-Del Rey Line, which operated until 1940.
Huntington’s first improvement
in Redondo Beach was the
Pavilion (1907) located near
Emerald Street along the
ocean. The 34,069 square foot,
three-story Mission Revival
building housed shops, a
theatre, restaurant, and a large
dance hall called the Mandarin
Ballroom. Two years later he
built the Plunge (1909), which
was touted as “the largest
indoor salt-water heated pool
in the world.” Other tourist attractions in Redondo Beach were an outdoor bandshell for open-air concerts, the Lightning Racer roller coaster (1913), and “Endless (Horseshoe) Pier” (1916), a concrete and steel triangular-shaped municipal pleasure pier which included an observation building, fish market, boat launch, and fishing area.
The Plunge
Early 20th Century bathers standing along the famous “Moonstone Beach” 10 The rapid development of industry and tourism was accompanied by the construction of permanent and seasonal housing and commercial buildings throughout Redondo Beach. In 1906 Huntington developed “Clifton-by-the-Sea,” an “L” shaped subdivision comprised of Avenues A through I located south of the original town site. That same year, the development of the Redondo Villa Tracts began on four square miles of land located in what is now North Redondo Beach.
The first tract was bounded by Ripley Avenue, Artesia Boulevard, Slauson Lane, and Prospect Avenue. A second tract opened in 1907. Streets within the tracts were named for leading industrialists including Morgan, Carnegie, and Rockefeller. The Redondo Villa Tracts were planned for mixed use development, characterized by small resident-occupied farms. The agricultural based economy of North Redondo Beach continued into the 1940s and 50s.
During the 1920s, the development of the Hollywood Riviera subdivision followed the earlier trend of Clifton-by-the Sea by promoting Redondo Beach as an upscale residential community and tourist destination. Located south of Avenue I, the original boundaries included the southern portion of Clifton-by-the-Sea and extended into the northern portion of what is now part of the City of Torrance.
By 1926 all three of the city’s wharves were destroyed by storms or demolished, marking the end of Redondo Beach as a port. That same year the Monstad Pier was built.
In the late 1920s oil was discovered in North Redondo, as well as in nearby Torrance, forming the Redondo-Torrance oil field. In 1927, the Villa Tract was annexed to the City.
Redondo Beach grew slowly during the Great Depression and World War II.
Following the war years, North Redondo Beach experienced rapid development as the demand for low cost housing increased. The rural community of smallscale farms was redeveloped with tracts which offered affordable housing. The Redondo Hills tract (located north of Robinson Avenue between Inglewood and Vail Avenue) was the first to develop and included 145, five- and six-room houses. In 1948 Southern California Edison opened a new generating plant at the site of the old salt works. Its towering discharge stack and classical concrete façade is visible today. By the 1960s several corporations associated with the aerospace industry came to Redondo Beach and the Space Technology Complex was constructed.
Since the City’s incorporation in 1892, a number of factors have contributed to the changing face of Redondo Beach. Over the years natural disasters including fires, storms, and earthquakes have taken their toll on the city’s building stock.
Changes in the city’s economic base, particularly during the early twentieth century, led to the demolition of many buildings relating to the turn-of-the-century tourist era.
11 By the 1960s, the community’s concern over the preservation of Redondo Beach’s historic character grew, when a downtown development plan was approved that entailed the demolition of buildings within the historic commercial area. Since that time, the city’s older residential neighborhoods have been at risk as high-rise condominiums have replaced single-family dwellings. Along the waterfront, King Harbor has replaced most of the early industrial area and the associated small dwellings.
Only the Monstad Pier remains
to recall an earlier period of the
city’s development.
Today Redondo Beach’s
existing historic buildings
reflect a variety of architectural
styles and document the city’s
patterns of growth and
development. Together they
serve to give the community its
special character and cultural
depth. Pacific Avenue, ca. 1960
Looking North
12 The City’s Architecture
Residential
The architecture that survives from the
early period of Redondo Beach’s history
is primarily residential. Stylistically, the
turn of the century houses reflect the
Queen Anne, Craftsman, and AngloColonial Revival styles. Later dwellings exemplify the impact of the Spanish
Colonial Revival style (and more
generally Mediterranean style) that
enjoyed tremendous popularity from the
mid-1910s through the 1930s.
A prime concentration of Craftsman
and Colonial Revival style residences
can be found in the Original Townsite
Historic District/Gertruda Avenue
Historic District (1906-1923), bounded
by North Gertruda Avenue, Carnelian
Street, North Guadalupe Avenue, and
Diamond Street. The buildings that
characterize the district include
modest-scale, one-story single-family
dwellings and two-story lodging
houses which comprise the prevailing
architectural types at the turn of the
century. These wood-sheathed
houses, invariably terminated by a
gable or hipped roof, convey a quality
of informality and direct access to
their sites that one associates with
living in a mild climate.
The northern section of the Redondo
Beach includes some good examples of
Craftsman style residences, most
notably the Bissen House (1906) at 2604
Fisk Lane. Originally situated on 17
acres of land, the house remains an
important example of North Redondo’s
agricultural period of development.
Thomas House, Local Landmark No. 28
323 South Francisca
Gertruda Avenue Historic District
Bissen House, Local Landmark No. 14
2604 Fisk Lane
13 Among the distinctive larger
residences built in Redondo Beach is
the Sweetser House (1921) at 417
Beryl Street. The Sweetser House is a
prime example of the Anglo-Colonial
Revival style, and remains one of the
city’s most distinctive residences.
Post World War II residential
development can be found throughout
the city, but is most notable in North
Redondo Beach which is defined
today by its narrow streets and
apartment and condominium housing developments. Housing tracts (such as the Redondo Hills tract) developed during this period are characterized by small onestory, wood-frame houses sheathed in stucco.
Commercial Buildings
Early commercial and light industrial
buildings survive in much fewer
numbers than residential buildings,
owing in part to the demolition of
many buildings in the old downtown
area during the 1960s.
The most notable examples are the
Diamond Apartments (Redondo Van and
Storage) at 321 Diamond Street, (1913)
and the commercial building with terrace
apartments at 601-603 Garnet Street
(ca. 1910). These simple, rectilinear
buildings define their respective corners,
and serve as reminders of the quality of
the city’s former small-scale commercial
development.
Sweetser House, Local Landmark No. 3
417 Beryl Street
Diamond Apartments, Local Landmark No. 1
321 Diamond Street
Commercial / Apartment Building
601 – 603 Garnet Street
14 Public and Institutional Buildings
The Craftsman style Woman’s Club
(1922) at 400 South Broadway, is
important architecturally, and is also
significant for its association with the vital
role local women’s clubs played in the
civic improvements of Redondo Beach. In
the realm of public/institutional buildings
especially notable is the Spanish Colonial
Revival style Old Library (1930) at
Veteran’s Park.
Other good examples of public
buildings include the Moderne style
Redondo Union High School
Sciences Building (1930s) at 631
Vincent Park, and the Eagle’s Lodge
(1937) at 128 South Catalina
Avenue.
Few churches survive from Redondo
Beach’s early years of development. The
Carpenter Gothic style Christ Church
Episcopal (1893) at 408 South
Broadway, is the city’s oldest church.
Later examples include the Spanish
Colonial Revival First Baptist Church
of Redondo Beach, (1929-30) at 100
North Pacific Coast Highway and the
First United Methodist Church (ca.
1928) at 243 South Broadway.
Redondo Beach Woman’s Club
400 South Broadway
Redondo Beach Old Main Library &
Moreton Bay Fig Tree
Local Landmark Nos. 12 & 13
309 Esplanade
Christ Church Episcopal
408 South Broadway
First United Methodist Church
243 South Broadway
15 Summary of Past and Current Preservation Efforts
Organized efforts to
preserve the history of
Redondo Beach began
in 1967 when the City
Council created a
10-member Historical
Commission. The
Commission was formed
to collect and maintain
historical documents of
general interest to the
community. In 1981, the
Redondo Beach Public
Library was the first
property in the city to be
listed in the National
Register of Historic Places. The next year, on the occasion of the 90th anniversary of incorporation, the Redondo Beach Historical Society was organized. The Society, which consists of approximately 200 members, collects and maintains historical records, photographs, and artifacts and preserves some of the city’s historic buildings and structures. Activities sponsored by the Historical Society include a semi-annual historic/architectural home tour.
In 1985, as concern to preserve Redondo Beach’s historic character escalated, the City initiated the first phase of a Citywide Historic Resources Survey (results discussed below). Members of the Historical Commission and Historical Society played a major role in the completion of the survey.
By 1988 the Redondo Beach Original Townsite Historic District (comprised of forty-eight buildings) was placed on the National Register of Historic Places, and became the city’s first designated district. The nomination was completed under the direction of the Historical Society with the support and help of the residents of the district.
The City of Redondo Beach Preservation Program was started in 1989 with the adoption of Preservation Ordinance No. 2554. The Ordinance established the Preservation Commission whose responsibilities include the maintenance of a register of individual landmarks and historic districts within the city. The commission also publishes a quarterly newsletter to promote the City’s preservation program and maintains various subcommittees to work on specific issues including education, incentives, and legislation.
Gephart House, City Landmark No. 19
519 South Catalina Avenue
16 The year 1989 was significant
for the establishment of
Heritage Court. Located in
Dominguez Park, Heritage
Court is part of an ongoing
effort to preserve some of the
city’s turn-of-the-twentiethcentury residences. Today, two houses are located in
Heritage Court, with a third
pending relocation. The City
paid to move the two
buildings, although the
restoration was managed and
financed by the Historical
Society. The houses were moved as a last resort alternative to demolition. In general, relocation is not a preferred preservation solution since it results in a loss of integrity of location and setting. Currently the Queen Anne house is the home of the Redondo Beach Historical Museum (previously located at the Community Resources Center on Knob Hill), which is sponsored by the City and operated by the Historical Commission. The Morrell House is in the process of being renovated as a historic house museum.
In 1990, only a year after the
preservation program was
established, the State Office of
Historic Preservation designated
the City of Redondo Beach a
Certified Local Government. The
Historic Overlay Land Use District
Ordinance was adopted, and
includes special zoning
regulations intended to prevent
the destruction or demolition of
historic buildings by permitting the
adaptive reuse of City-designated
resources. The year ended with
the designation of the Diamond
Apartments (Redondo Van and
Storage building) as City Landmark No. 1.
By 1992 the Preservation Commission prepared and distributed their Design Guidelines. The guidelines provide a basis for the evaluation and approval of certificates of appropriateness by the Preservation Commission, as well as general information to the general public on the proper techniques for restoration, repair, renovation, and preservation of historically significant buildings. That Morrell House, Local Landmark No. 4
Heritage Court
Queen Anne House, Local Landmark No. 5
Heritage Court
17 same year, in an effort to increase public participation in the Preservation Program, the City Council acted to promote the approval of Mills Acts contracts with owners of locally-designated historic properties. The contracts provide a method of reducing property taxes in exchange for the continued preservation of historic resources. The Preservation Commission and Planning Division worked together to prepare a brochure explaining the advantages of the Mills Act, which is distributed to the public.
A Redondo Beach “Preservation Video” was completed in 1994 with the assistance of a CLG grant. The video was produced for use as a community education tool and has been broadcast regularly on the local cable station. The success of the video led to its use by numerous other municipalities and preservation agencies.
The City of Redondo Beach completed three important preservation projects during the year 1995. Further efforts to educate the public on the City’s landmarks programs were made possible by the publication of A Photographic Collection of Historic Landmark Properties (1st edition) prepared by the Planning Division with the assistance of a planning intern. The booklet was distributed to all landmark owners as well as the city’s libraries, schools, and historic organizations. It summarizes the purpose and goals of the City’s Preservation Program and includes photographs and descriptions of designated individual structures and historic districts.
The City of Redondo Beach Historic Context Statement was also prepared during 1995, with funding from a CLG grant. The context statement was developed on the theme of “economic development” and covers the history and growth of Redondo Beach from its early years as a pastoral economy to a post-World War II residential community. The document was distributed to the city’s libraries, schools, and historic and service organizations.
Efforts to increase public education continued into 1996. The year began with the City sponsoring a California Preservation Foundation (CPF) workshop which included information on the Mills Act and other preservation tools. A “Preservation” brochure was prepared by the Planning Division which summarizes the Preservation Program, designation criteria, and incentives, and was distributed throughout the community. A second edition of A Photographic Collection of Historic Landmark Properties was published by the Planning Division, and information about the City’s landmarks program was placed on the City’s Internet web site. A CLG-funded historic resources survey was completed in October of 1996 and covered portions of the city not previously surveyed (results discussed below).
As of September 1998, property owners have participated in the designation of thirty-one local landmarks and two historic districts (with sixteen properties), and have helped set a firm foundation for the City’s Preservation Program. 18 The City’s Historic Resources Survey
The City of Redondo Beach completed a Citywide reconnaissance-level historic resources survey in two phases. The first phase, completed in 1985, surveyed the Original Townsite and two adjacent areas to the south called Clifton-by-theSea and Clifton Heights. The survey results documented 1,400 individual buildings constructed on or before 1946 – 126 of these were determined individually significant while 712 were considered potentially significant as contributors to historic districts. The buildings reflect a variety of architectural styles and date primarily from the period of early settlement to pre-World War II.
A second phase of the City’s Historic Resources Inventory was completed in October 1996 with funding from a CLG-grant. The survey included buildings which were forty-five years of age or older and were located in North Redondo Beach. This second survey phase recorded 1,402 buildings. Sixty-four of the resources were determined potentially eligible for the National Register or for local designation. The majority of the buildings date from the post-World War II period of residential expansion.
Four-Unit Flats Building
North Catalina Avenue Historic District
216 North Catalina Avenue
19 Historic Preservation Issues, Goals, Objectives, and Actions The issues, goals, objectives, and actions as articulated below were developed from the community meetings and oral interviews conducted as part of the process of preparing the preservation plan.
1.0 ISSUE: A Comprehensive Planning Vision for Redondo Beach
1.1 Goal: Develop a comprehensive planning vision for historic Redondo Beach that capitalizes on its existing historic resources and heritage as economic development assets.
1.1.1 Objective: Promote a design approach that reflects the city’s architectural diversity as opposed to the growing trend toward architectural homogeneity in new construction, commit to recapturing and maintaining a “village” character (comprised of residential and commercial uses) and pedestrian friendly environment, and retain designated and potentially significant historic neighborhoods.
Actions:
• Coordinate signage and banners, including City banners, street signs, and private business signs.
• Retain historic street patterns, landscape features, and pedestrian friendly amenities.
• Identify and maintain public views from parks, piers, and other publicly owned properties.
• Encourage architectural design that reflects the historic architecture throughout the city.
Davis House, Local Landmark No. 25
501 Avenue B
20 1.1.2 Objective: Strengthen, clarify, expand, and enforce the City’s Design Guidelines for the rehabilitation of historic buildings and new construction that is compatible with existing historic buildings.
Actions:
• Encourage the use of existing Design Guidelines for the preservation, restoration, rehabilitation, and adaptive reuse of commercial and residential historic buildings, including particular information on seismic reinforcement of foundations and chimneys.
• Expand the Design Guidelines so that they are applicable to new construction in proximity to historic buildings, districts, and neighborhoods. Include a discussion of character defining features which reflect the historic architectural character of Redondo Beach as well as views of historic buildings and sites which illustrate those features.
1.2 Goal: Develop and consistently use a comprehensive visual image that unifies and promotes historic Redondo Beach.
1.2.1 Objective: Develop a distinctive visual image celebrating Redondo Beach’s past that serves as a strong unifying graphic element and celebrates historic areas of the city.
Actions:
• Create key entries to the city that are strong, and graphically reflect the city's architectural heritage.
• Develop a “Historic District” citywide signage program to include elements distinct to each district.
• Encourage public participation in the development of a citywide historic logo or symbol.
1.2.2 Objective: Develop a comprehensive street lighting and streetscape plan for historic areas.
Action:
• Restore or replicate existing historic lighting standards. • Add new lighting that is compatible with existing historic lighting used in the city.
• Develop a streetscape plan to include tree planting and other landscape features, street furniture, and paving.
21 2.0 ISSUE: Historic Resource Identification and Designation, and Expansion of the Information Base on City History
2.1 Goal: Continue the City’s program for the ongoing identification of historic resources, designation of individual buildings, and districts, and research of city history.
2.1.1 Objective: Maintain and update a Citywide Historic Resources Inventory.
Actions:
• Complete an intensive-level survey of the city, expanding on the earlier reconnaissance surveys, which identifies and evaluates potentially significant historic resources.
• City Council officially adopt results of the intensive-level survey. • Develop a process for the regular re-survey and update of previous survey work (every 5-10 years).
• Incorporate all resources determined eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act into the official City Historic Resources Inventory.
2.1.2 Objective: Continue and expand the existing historic resources designation program.
Actions:
• Send letters annually to owners of landmark eligible properties promoting/encouraging voluntary application for designation. • Hold workshops to assist property owners in designating their landmark eligible properties.
• When designating individual landmarks, note in the official record (i.e.
Staff Report) the adjacent properties with potentially significant resources, that, if altered or removed, may have a potential adverse effect on the designated landmark.
• Review the Historic Resources Inventory and identify potentially eligible historic districts.
• Hold neighborhood workshops to discuss the benefits of historic district designation and offer assistance in preparing such a designation. • Consider amending Preservation Ordinance No. 2554 to include the designation of Neighborhood Conservation Areas.
• Encourage property owners to seek listing of eligible properties in the National Register of Historic Places and the California Register of Historical Resources.
22 • Develop a plaque program for the identification of designated landmarks and districts.
2.1.3 Objective: Expand the information base on the city’s history.
Actions:
• In association with the Historical Commission, catalog the City’s existing collection of research and background materials on Redondo Beach history.
• Gather additional materials from other sources such as regional and public libraries, University of Southern California Regional History Center, UCLA Special Collections, Los Angeles City Library History Center, and the Huntington Library.
• In association with the Historical Commission, establish an archive for historic documents including: maps, photographs, artifacts, newspapers, city directories, books, and oral histories. Establish a permanent location for the archive.
Dorrington Apartments, Local Landmark No. 18
108 North Broadway
23 3.0 ISSUE: The Legal Basis for Historic Preservation in Redondo Beach
3.1 Goal: Continue to strengthen the legal basis for historic preservation.
3.1.1 Objective: Integrate the preservation planning processes into the general planning process, and address historic resources under the California Environmental Quality Act, Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, and other applicable state and federal environmental laws.
Actions:
• City Council adopt a preservation element in the General Plan. • Develop and adopt a policy document to address CEQA as it pertains to historic resources.
• Revise the Initial Study Process as necessary to address historic resources.
• Review the demolition review process to consider revisions to ordinances for designated properties, surveyed properties determined to be significant, and un-surveyed properties that are 50 years of age or older.
• Consider treating the demolition or significant alterations, requiring a building permit, of potentially significant historic resources as a discretionary planning action.
• Assign historic preservation planning staff the responsibility for reviewing CEQA documentation pertaining to cultural resources and Section 106 documents for City projects.
• As a CLG, enter into a Memorandum of Understanding between the City and the State Office of Historic Preservation for the local authority to conduct Section 106 reviews.
4.0 ISSUE: Coordinating Zoning, Land Use, and Growth Management
4.1 Goal: Develop an atmosphere where coordinated preservation, zoning, land use, and growth management ordinances, codes, policies and procedures create a positive development environment for the retention and revitalization of historic residential neighborhoods and a village scale commercial center.
4.1.1 Objective: Create zoning, land use, and growth management policies which allow for new development while maintaining the historic character of designated structures and districts.
24 Actions:
• Amend, as needed, Historic Overlay Zones to discourage the demolition of historic homes and the construction of out-of-scale buildings which destroy the historic character of a neighborhood.
• New City programs, Specific Plans, and other planning documents shall address and identify cultural resources which may be affected.
4.1.2 Objective: Adopt building and health and safety codes and enforcement policies that discourage demolition by neglect.
Actions:
• Consider adopting historic resource and historic district property maintenance standards.
• Consider adopting neighborhood property maintenance standards which would discourage demolition by neglect.
• Develop a procedure for the treatment of historic resources in the case of a disaster as part of the City’s Emergency Preparedness Plan.
5.0 ISSUE: Defining Public-Sector Responsibilities
5.1 Goal: Coordinate Public Works, Parks and Recreation, Community Development, Building and Planning policies and procedures to ensure the enforcement of Preservation Ordinance No. 2554 and implementation of the Preservation Plan.
5.1.1 Objective: Create a consistent vision among all City departments, Commissions, the school district, and other agencies for the retention of the historic character of Redondo Beach, and work cooperatively to achieve that vision.
Actions:
• Designate the preservation planning staff as the historic preservation ombudsman in the City for other departments and the private sector. • Coordinate environmental review of federally assisted projects. • Adopt comprehensive streetscape and street lighting plans which promote the heritage identity of Redondo Beach.
• Maximize, coordinate, and promote the use of CDBG funds for historic preservation purposes.
• Develop and adopt a coordinated management plan for the rehabilitation, maintenance, and “interpretation” of City-owned and/or leased historic structures, including Heritage Court and the Old Main Library.
25 • Consider nominating additional City-owned historic resources for local designation.
• Continue preservation training and education workshops for City Staff, City Council, and the Preservation Commission on the California Environmental Quality Act, State Historic Building Code, California Register, National Register, grant writing, and other preservation issues.
6.0 ISSUE: Incentives for Historic Preservation
6.1 Goal: Expand historic preservation incentives.
6.1.1 Objective: Expand existing incentives for the preservation and rehabilitation of historic residential and commercial buildings and promote them more extensively.
Actions:
• Continue the use of Historic Overlay Zones and Historic Variances as incentives for the adaptive reuse of designated historic properties. • Continue Mills Act contracts and consider establishing a monitoring process to track ownership changes for the maintenance of affected properties.
• Continue to promote the Contributed Services Bank to owners of landmark properties to receive the advise and assistance of preservation professionals including architects, designers, and builders.
• Continue to waive planning fees for designated historic resources. • Expand the promotion of the State Historical Building Code on all properties determined significant in an intensive-level historic resources survey.
• Through the appropriate City office, assist property owners in seeking funding for seismic retrofit grants.
• Through the appropriate City office, create and subsidize for two to three years a not-for-profit housing development corporation which can buy, rehabilitate, and resell historic properties to low and moderate income people.
• Through the appropriate City office, partner with local lending institutions to offer first time homeowner loans, and combine these with low interest CDBG-funded rehabilitation loans.
• Through the appropriate City office, partner with local lending institutions to use the agency’s funds as loan collateral to reduce interest rates on the rehabilitation loan.
26 • Reallocate, as needed, and promote the use of CDBG funds for the rehabilitation of historic homes to include:
1. paint-the-town grants or very low interest loan programs for seniors and first time homeowners;
2. seismic (foundation and chimney) reinforcement loans for very low interest loan programs for seniors and first time
homeowners; and,
3. the waiving of building permit fees (if existing) for seismic retrofit, removal of inappropriate alternations with historically appropriate alternatives (those meeting the Secretary of the Interiors Standards for Rehabilitation Projects).
• Encourage and negotiate development agreements with speculative developers to consider acquiring aggregate units of historic residential properties and adjacent infill properties for rehabilitation, and build compatible infill as one project combining all fees, procedures, filings reviews and approvals.
• Encourage the adaptive reuse of several smaller historic residential buildings as village-scale commercial units.
• Develop a partnership with the Board of Realtors, Visitors Bureau, Chamber of Commerce, lenders, and other members of the business community to promote the Mills Act program for commercial as well as residential buildings.
• Promote Federal historic preservation tax incentives for the rehabilitation and adaptive reuse of historic residential buildings (for income producing purposes) and historic commercial buildings. To qualify, properties must be eligible for, or listed in the National Register of Historic Places (individually or as contributors to a district). • Identify new sources of funding such as grants.
• Establish a resources list and technical information center in City Hall for property owners seeking to rehabilitate and/or restore historic buildings.
7.0 ISSUE: Coordinating with other Community Heritage Organizations
7.1 Goal: Solidify the relationship and coordinate activities between existing community heritage organizations.
7.1.1 Objective: Develop a strong unified presence for the preservation of Redondo Beach's heritage within the community.
27 Actions:
• Form a historic preservation task force to develop an agenda for the implementation of the Historic Preservation Plan.
• Support the formation of a consortium of heritage based organizations to adopt a preservation platform and speak with one voice on key issues that effect the preservation of the city's historic resources and image as a heritage-based community.
8.0 ISSUE: Marketing Redondo Beach
8.1 Goal: Develop a cohesive marketing program to promote Redondo Beach as a historic community to visitors as well as new and potentially new businesses and residents.
8.1.1 Objective: Incorporate a comprehensive visual image of Redondo Beach into the City's marketing strategy.
Actions:
• Work in cooperation with the Visitors and Convention Bureau, the Chamber of Commerce, Board of Realtors, and preservation constituency to develop a joint, comprehensive marketing strategy which features images of existing historic resources in Redondo Beach.
• Work in cooperation with the Visitors and Convention Bureau, the Chamber of Commerce, Board of Realtors, and preservation constituency to promote historic resources in business and tourism. • Hold workshops on Heritage Tourism (such as those sponsored by the National Trust for Historic Preservation) and incorporate findings into the joint marketing strategy.
9.0 ISSUE: The Relationship Between Preservation and Education
9.1 Goal: Develop a comprehensive education program that informs local citizens, businesses, and community leaders about the economic and social benefits and technical aspects of the City’s Historic Preservation Program.
9.1.1 Objective: Work in cooperation with the Historical Commission, Historical Society, Visitors and Convention Bureau, the Chamber of Commerce, Board of Realtors, and other members of the preservation constituency to develop a joint, comprehensive education strategy which informs visitors, and potential new business and property owners as well as current business, property owners and residents about all aspects of historic preservation in Redondo Beach.
28 Actions:
• Review, revise (as needed), and expand the dissemination of current educational materials to realtors and the Chamber of Commerce including: A Photographic Collection of Historic Landmark Properties, Design Guidelines, and the Preservation Video.
• Establish historic resource rehabilitation information centers for staff and property owners in the local library or City Hall working with the local chapters of the American Institute of Architects, the International Conference of Building Officials, and the Building Industry Association.
The center may include National Park Service technical leaflets and Preservation Briefs, Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation, Old House Journal, This Old House videos, and a copy of Oakland’s Rehab Right (Helene Kaplan-Prentis, City of Oakland). • Hold regular “how-to” rehabilitation and property maintenance workshops for property owners on how to maintain, restore, and rehabilitate historic properties.
• Prepare and disseminate information on property rights issues and the economic benefits of historic preservation (contact the National Trust for Historic Preservation for specific publications).
• Promote the historic resources, districts, and neighborhoods of Redondo Beach using images of existing resources in all materials. • Revise the current "Preservation” brochure to include CDBG, redevelopment, private lending, and federal home loan assistance opportunities for historic preservation. Include a hypothetical case where all possible incentives have been combined to facilitate the acquisition and rehabilitation of a typical historic residential structure in the community.
• Revise the City of Redondo Beach's Internet World Wide Web site to include graphics (photos and maps) and information on the designation process, as well as other preservation issues. Use the internet to increase the visibility of preservation issues and accessibility of information to those inside and outside of Redondo Beach. 29 • Continue and expand the use of various methods and media to promote historic preservation in Redondo Beach including:
cable television programs
videos
public art
walking tours
slide shows
brochures on local, state, and federal programs
display materials from existing historic photos
workshops in public schools
press releases to local and regional newspapers
Montague House, Local Landmark No. 17
125 South Irena Avenue
Appendix A
Glossary
Adaptive Reuse – The process of converting a building to a use other than that for which it was designed. Such a conversion may be accomplished with varying alterations to the building.
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) – A state law enacted in 1971, which requires governmental agencies at all levels to consider the impact proposed projects have on the environment, including cultural and historic significance. The lead decision-making agency is responsible for determining whether a significant adverse impact may occur and whether it can be mitigated to a level of insignificance. Where evidence indicates that a significant adverse effect may occur, the lead agency is required to prepare an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) which discusses in detail the potential impact and feasible means of avoiding or reducing it.
California Preservation Foundation (CPF) – A non-profit education foundation which promotes historic preservation in California. CPF sponsors workshops, holds an annual conference, and issues a quarterly newsletter. The organization is headquartered in Oakland, California.
California Register of Historical Resources – An authoritative guide to the state’s significant historical and archaeological resources. The Register was designed for use by the state and local agencies, private organizations, and citizens, to identify, evaluate, register, and protect California's significant resources. The program encourages public recognition and protection of resources of architectural, historical, archaeological, or cultural significance; identifies historical resources for state and local planning purposes; determines eligibility for state historic preservation grant funding; and affords certain protection under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). As of September 1998, Redondo Beach has 37 properties on the California Register.
Certificate of Appropriateness – A permit to proceed with new construction or alterations to a designated historic property after the proposed changes have been reviewed by the Preservation Commission.
Certified Local Government (CLG) – Approval of the local historic preservation program by the State Historic Preservation Officer and the Secretary of the interior. To be certified, a local government program must enforce appropriate state and local preservation legislation, establish and maintain a qualified historic preservation review commission, provide for adequate public participation in its activities, and maintain a system for the survey and inventory of historic properties. Redondo Beach is a Certified Local Government.
Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program – A Federal assistance program authorized by Title I of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974. The funds are typically used for public works projects, economic development activities, and for rehabilitation programs for lower income neighborhoods. However, historic preservation is a “eligible activity” under the program, and funds can be used to rehabilitate, preserve, and restore historic properties. The CDBG program can also be used to conduct special planning studies and for special projects including conferences, seminars, and publications which address the preservation of historic buildings.
Design Guidelines – Criteria, locally developed, which identify local design concerns, drawn up in an effort to assist property owners to respect and maintain the character of the designated district or buildings in the process of rehabilitation and new construction.
Historic Context Statement – A narrative description of the broad patterns of historical development in a community or its region that is represented by historic resources. A historic context statement is organized by themes such as economic, residential, and institutional development.
Historic District – A geographically definable area possessing a significant concentration, linkage, or continuity of sites, buildings, structures or objects united historically or aesthetically by plan or physical development. Redondo Beach currently has two designated local historic districts.
Historic House Museum – A public or private educational institution, usually nonprofit, whose structure is itself of historical or architectural importance and who interpretation relates primarily to the building’s architecture, furnishing, and history.
Historic Overlay Zone – A special zoning district created over an existing zoning district which imposes design and land use guidelines designed to prevent the demolition or destruction of historic properties.
Historic Resource – Any improvement, building, structure, landscape, sign, features, site, place, or area of scientific, aesthetic, educational, cultural, architectural, or historic significance to the citizens of Redondo Beach (as defined by Ordinance No. 2554).
Historic Resources Inventory – The organized compilation of information on those properties evaluated as significant according to a historic resources survey.
Historic Resources Survey – A process of identifying and gathering data on a community’s historic resources (including buildings, sites, structures, and districts) deserving recognition in order to provide a basis for possible official designation and help establish preservation goals and objectives. A survey includes field work – the physical search for and recording of historic resources on the ground – as well as research, organization, and presentation of the survey data.
Intensive-Level Survey – Documents all historic buildings, structures, sites, and objects in sufficient details to permit their evaluation and eligibility for listing in the National Register or a state or local equivalent.
Reconnaissance-Level Survey – Provides a general picture of the distribution of different types and styles of buildings and of the character of different neighborhoods. Information on individual properties is kept brief.
Surveyors drive the streets and roads of a community and make notes on the buildings, structures, and landscape characteristics as well as the general character of the area (also referred to as a windshield survey).
Infill – Descriptive of buildings that have been designed and built to replace missing buildings or otherwise fill gaps in the streetscape. Preservationists are concerned that the design of infill architecture be compatible in such elements as style, height, proportion, and materials.
Interpretation – The education methods by which history and meaning of historic sites, buildings, objects, districts, and structures are explained by use of docents, leaflets, tape recordings, signs, films, and other means.
Local Landmark – Buildings, structures, sites, districts, and objects officially determined historically significant and designated so according to Ordinance 2554. Redondo Beach currently has 31 designated local landmarks Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) – A binding agreement between the National Advisory Council for Historic Preservation, the State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO), the Certified Local Government, and the lead Federal agency initiating a project, on how cultural resources within the area affected by a project will be identified and evaluated, and how potential adverse effects of the project will be mitigated. An MOU gives the certified local government the authority to conduct Section 106 review contingent upon the conditions agreed upon with the National Advisory Council and SHPO.
Mills Act – Created by California state legislation in 1976, the Mills Act allows cities to enter into contract with owners of historic buildings to provide a method of reducing property taxes in exchange for the continued preservation of the property. Property taxes recalculated using the Mills Act assessment may be reduced by 50 percent or more.
National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) – Enacted in 1966 as a result of public concern that many of the Nation’s historic resources were not receiving adequate attention in Government-sponsored public works projects. The NHPA is the United States’ fundamental preservation law and provides the legal and administrative framework for local and national preservation efforts.
National Register Criteria for Evaluation – The four aspects of American history used to evaluate significance and eligibility for the National Register of Historic Places. They are: association with historic events or activities, association with important persons, distinctive design or physical characteristics or, potential to provide important information about prehistory or history. A property must meet at least one of the criteria for listing.
National Register of Historic Places – The official Federal list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects significant in American history, architecture, archaeology, engineering, and culture. National Register properties have significance to the prehistory and history of their community, State, or the Nation.
The register is administered by the National Park Service. Properties listed in the National Register possess significance and integrity. Significance is assessed according to the National Register Criteria for Evaluation (see above). Generally properties must be fifty years of age or more to be considered for the National Register. Redondo Beach has four individual properties and one district listed on the National Register.
Neighborhood Conservation Area (NCA) – A geographic area of the city, which can be commercial or residential, with a high concentration of historic resources. An NCA merits special consideration in the local planning process and may be under consideration for designation as a historic district.
Preservation Commission – A generic term applied to a municipal agency with the basic responsibility of designating and regulating historic landmarks and districts. Redondo Beach has seven commissioners appointed by the Mayor and City Council.
Rehabilitation – The act or process of returning a property to a state of utility through repair or alteration which makes possible an efficient contemporary use while preserving those portions or features of the property which are significant to its historical, architectural, and cultural values.
Restoration – The act or process of accurately recovering the form and details of a property and its setting as it appeared at a particular period of time by means of the removal of later work or by the replacement of missing earlier work.
Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation – Standards developed by the Secretary of the Interior to assist the long-term preservation of a property’s significance through the preservation of historic materials and features. The Standards pertain to historic buildings of all materials, construction types, sizes, and occupancy and encompass the exterior and interior of the buildings as well as related landscape features and the building’s site environment. Many state and local municipalities use the Standards for reviewing preservation projects. The Standards are also used by the State Office of Historic Preservation in determining whether a rehabilitation qualified as a “certified rehabilitation” for federal tax purposes.
Section 106 – Enacted as part of the National Historic Preservation Act, Section 106 is the federal review process designed to ensure that historic properties are considered during federal project planning and execution. The process is administered by the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, an independent federal agency responsible for advising the President and Congress on historic preservation issues. Federal activities or undertakings that are regulated by Section 106 may include construction of buildings, rehabilitation and repair projects, demolition, licenses, permits, local, grants, and federal property transfers. Properties subject to Section 106 review are eligible for or listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
State Historical Building Code (SHBC) – Designed to protect the state’s architectural heritage by recognizing the unique construction problems inherent is historic buildings, and provide alternative building regulations for the rehabilitation, preservation, restoration, or relocation of designated historic buildings. SHBC regulations are intended to facilitate restoration or accommodate change of occupancy while preserving a historic building’s original architectural elements and features. The code also addresses occupant safety, encourages energy conservation, provides a cost-effective approach to preservation, and facilitates accessibility issues.
State Office of Historic Preservation (OHP) – Responsible for administering preservation programs set up by federal and state law. Each state has such an office, established by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, and headed by the State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO), who is appointed by the governor. California is also served by the State Historical Resources Commission (SHRC), a citizens group which is also appointed by the governor.
Appendix B
City of Redondo Beach Historic Register List
Notes: Properties with Mills Act agreements indicated by italic text.
Properties in historic overlay zone indicated by underlineProperties on the National and/or California register indicated with Θ Numbered items are designated as local landmarks in the City of Redondo Beach LHD – Local Historic District, designated as contributors to a historic district under local ordinance NRHD – Listed in the National Register as a contributor to a National Register Historic District NR – Individually listed in the National Register, but not designated under local ordinance CR – Listed in the California Register, but not designated under local ordinance No./
Type
St. Number Street Common Name Owner Year
Built
Date
Designated
1 Θ 321 Diamond Street Redondo Van and Storage/
Diamond Apartments
Greg Halvorsen Laurie Inadomi-Halvorsen
1913 7/5/90
2 Θ 417 Beryl Street Sweetser House Jim and Maureen La Point 1921 9/5/903 507 N. Gertruda Avenue Sweetser Guest House Jim and Maureen La Point 1909 9/5/904 298 Flagler Lane Morrell House at Dominguez Park
City of Redondo Beach 1906 2/6/91
5 302 Flagler Lane Queen Anne House at
Dominguez Park
City of Redondo Beach 1904 2/6/91
6 NRHD
Θ 328 N. Gertruda Avenue Hibbard House/ Original
Townsite Historic District
Randall R. Earp 1910 1/6/93
No./
Type
St. Number Street Common Name Owner Year
Built
Date
Designated
7 227 Avenue C Griffey House Arthur and Pearl Kole 1930 4/7/938 626 Elvira Avenue Sale House Jon and Karen Rosenberg 1922 4/7/939 213 Avenue C Allingham House Jack and Meredith Chapman 1931 9/1/93 10 616 S. Gertruda Avenue Waller House Glen Swette 1937 10/28/9311 702 Elvira Avenue Thurber House William and Dorothy Griffin 1923 10/28/9312 Θ 309 Esplanade Old Main Library City of Redondo Beach 1930 1/27/9413 309 Esplanade Moreton Bay Fig Tree City of Redondo Beach ---- 1/27/9414 2604 Fisk Lane Bissen House Julie Meistrell 1905 1/27/9415 605 Garnet Street Pfeifer/Dodge House Karolyn Williams 1912 1/27/9416 717-719 Esplanade Blauveldt House Barbara Allen 1934 1/27/9417 125 S. Irena Avenue Montague House Peter Neushul Caroline McLean Neushul
1909 2/2/94
18 108 N. Broadway Dorrington Apartments Elizabeth Luttrell Elsie May Carne
1907 2/24/94
19 519 S. Catalina Avenue Gephart House Paul Felix 1913 5/4/9420 510 Garnet Street Lowe House Robert B. Hazelton Janet Barker Hazelton
1910 5/4/94
21 417 Miramar Drive Crisler House Ross Cohan 1928 6/1/94 22 513 Garnet Street Martin House John H. Bloomingdale 1912 3/1/9523 209 Avenue C Humer House Harry Mackenzie Susan Wyllie
1921 3/1/95
24 2500 Graham Avenue Manny House Gary & Connie Basel 1934 5/3/95 No./
Type
St. Number Street Common Name Owner Year
Built
Date
Designated
25 501 Avenue B Davis House Victor & Cecilia Martinez 1930 10/4/95 26 509 Garnet Street Cholvin House Dan Sherman & Carol Egerer
1913 10/4/95
27 607 Esplanade Albee House Krista Allen & Maher Seisi Pre-1906 1/3/96 28 323 S. Francisca Thomas House Gary Higgins 1892 2/7/96 29 512 Garnet Street Hussong House Ruth M. Jones 1910 2/7/96 30 422 S. Guadalupe Murray House Bruce Watson & Patricia Grau
1936 7/3/96
31 216 Avenue C Harvey House John & Angela Sumi 1919 10/1/97 LHD 216 N. Catalina Avenue North Catalina Historic District Carl & Dorothy Karfs Pre-1895 1913
9/6/95
LHD 218 N. Catalina Avenue North Catalina Historic District Carl & Dorothy Karfs Pre-1895 9/6/95 NRHD Θ 303 N. Gertruda Avenue Original Townsite Historic District
Herman and Jackie Bose 1907 --
LHD
NRHD
Θ 304 N. Gertruda Avenue Gertruda Avenue Historic
District/ Original Townsite Historic District
Eileen Irvin 1911 8/6/91
NRHD Θ 305 N. Gertruda Avenue Original Townsite Historic District
Arthur H. Sorem 1911/
1920
--
LHD
NRHD
Θ 306 N. Gertruda Avenue Gertruda Avenue Historic
District/ Original Townsite Historic District
Maxine Bopp 1921 8/6/91
LHD
NRHD
Θ 307 N. Gertruda Avenue Gertruda Avenue Historic
District/ Original Townsite Historic District
Richard and Karen Burke 1907 8/6/91
No./
Type
St. Number Street Common Name Owner Year
Built
Date
Designated
LHD
NRHD
Θ 308 N. Gertruda Avenue Gertruda Avenue Historic
District/ Original Townsite Historic District
Hector and Pamela Chavez 1911 8/6/91
LHD
NRHD
Θ 309 N. Gertruda Avenue Gertruda Avenue Historic
District (non-contributing)/ Original Townsite Historic District Richard and Karen Burke 1993 8/6/91
NRHD Θ 310 N. Gertruda Avenue Original Townsite Historic District
Larry F. Boll 1911 --
LHD
NRHD
Θ 311 N. Gertruda Avenue Gertruda Avenue Historic
District/ Original Townsite Historic District
Mary & Alexander Campbell 1913 8/6/91
LHD 312 N. Gertruda Avenue Gertruda Avenue Historic
District (non-contributing)
Gloria Liu 1980 8/6/91
LHD
NRHD
Θ 313 N. Gertruda Avenue Gertruda Avenue Historic
District/ Original Townsite Historic District
Janet Kimbrel 1914 8/6/91
LHD
NRHD
Θ 314 N. Gertruda Avenue Gertruda Avenue Historic
District/ Original Townsite Historic District
Richard and Sidney Risden c. 1917 8/6/91
LHD
NRHD
Θ 315 N. Gertruda Avenue Gertruda Avenue Historic
District/ Original Townsite Historic District
David & Shannon Moody 1913 8/6/91
LHD
NRHD
Θ 316 N. Gertruda Avenue Gertruda Avenue Historic
District/ Original Townsite Historic District
Dennis and Kelli Sullivan 1913 5/4/94
No./
Type
St. Number Street Common Name Owner Year
Built
Date
Designated
LHD
NRHD
Θ 317 N. Gertruda Avenue Gertruda Avenue Historic
District/ Original Townsite Historic District
Darrow and Debra Fiedler; Rick Gandolfo
1922 8/6/91
LHD
NRHD
Θ 318 N. Gertruda Avenue Gertruda Avenue Historic
District/ Original Townsite Historic District
Karen and Michael Williams c. 1907 8/6/91
LHD
NRHD
Θ 319 N. Gertruda Avenue Gertruda Avenue Historic
District/ Original Townsite Historic District
Vivian Kulvicki 1911 8/6/91
NRHD Θ 320 N. Gertruda Avenue Original Townsite Historic District
Ronald S. Yearley 1907 --
NRHD Θ 321 N. Gertruda Avenue Original Townsite Historic District
Christopher C. Pecci 1910 --
NRHD Θ 322 N. Gertruda Avenue Original Townsite Historic District
Thomas C. Bryan 1922/
1924
--
NRHD Θ 324 N. Gertruda Avenue Original Townsite Historic District
Krista M. Read 1910 --
NRHD Θ 325 N. Gertruda Avenue Original Townsite Historic District
Sandra Dyan 1906/
1912
--
NRHD Θ 327 N. Gertruda Avenue Original Townsite Historic District
Janet Landis 1906 --
NRHD Θ 329 N. Gertruda Avenue Original Townsite Historic District
Michael G. Gabor 1908/
1920
--
NRHD Θ 505 N. Guadalupe
Avenue
Original Townsite Historic District
Mary K. Reynolds 1907 --
NRHD Θ 507 N. Guadalupe
Avenue
Original Townsite Historic District
Arlene J. Keener 1922 --
No./
Type
St. Number Street Common Name Owner Year
Built
Date
Designated
NRHD Θ 509 N. Guadalupe
Avenue
Original Townsite Historic District
Timothy and Cheryl Valenzuela
1907 --
NRHD Θ 511 N. Guadalupe
Avenue
Original Townsite Historic District
Mary Reynolds and Hester B. Rilley Trust
1921 --
NRHD Θ 512 Carnelian Street Original Townsite Historic
District
Violeta E. Herman 1907 --
NRHD Θ 610-614 Carnelian Street Original Townsite Historic District
Anna M. Baker 1910/
1922
--
NR Θ 400 S. Broadway Women’s Club of Redondo
Beach
Women’s Club of Redondo Beach
1922 --
CR Θ 225 Avenue D Bonnie Corbin 1917 --- CR Θ 211 Avenue E Hogue House Grace Knight 1930 --- CR Θ 417 Emerald Street Johnson House Helen White 1911 --- Appendix C
City of Redondo Beach Historic Properties Maps
Appendix D
Preservation Ordinance No. 2554
Appendix E
Historic Preservation Information & Contacts
Local:
Planning Department/Preservation Commission
Teresa Gianos, Associate Planner
City of Redondo Beach
415 Diamond Street
Redondo Beach, CA 90277
(310) 318-0637
http://www.redondo.org/
Historical Commission
City of Redondo Beach
Recreation and Parks Department
320 Knob Hill
Redondo Beach, CA 90277
(310) 372-1171
Redondo Beach Historical Museum
Heritage Court at Dominguez Park
Redondo Beach, CA 90277
Redondo Beach Historical Society
P.O. Box 978
Redondo Beach, CA 90277
(310) 316-1855
http://members.aol.com/RBHistSoc
Redondo Beach Public Library
303 North Pacific Coast Highway
Redondo Beach, CA 90277
(310) 318-0675
Los Angeles County:
Historic Landmarks and Records Commission
County of Los Angeles
Hall of Administration, Room 383
500 West Temple Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 974-1431
State:
State Office of Historic Preservation
State of California
Department of Parks and Recreation
1416 9th Street, P.O. Box 942896
Sacramento, CA 94296
(916) 653-6624
National:
National Park Service
Pacific West Region
600 Harrison Street, Suite 600
San Francisco, CA 94107
(415) 427-1300
Miscellaneous Organizations/Associations:
American Association for State and Local History
1717 Church Street
Nashville, Tennessee 37203
(615) 320-3203
California Preservation Foundation
405 14th Street Suite 1010
Oakland, CA 94612
(510) 763-0972
Conference of California Historical Societies
University of the Pacific
3601 Pacific Avenue
Stockton, CA 95211
(209) 946-2011
Los Angeles Conservancy
523 W. 6th Street, #1216
Los Angeles, CA 90014
(213) 623-2489
National Trust for Historic Preservation
Western Office
One Sutter Street, Suite 707
San Francisco, CA 94103
(415) 956-0610
Appendix F
City of Redondo Beach, Planning Department
Preservation Documents Available to the Public
Application for Landmark and Historic District Designation Design Guidelines
Fact Sheet, City of Redondo Beach Landmark Designation
Historic Context Statement ($5.00)
Mills Act Brochure
Preservation Brochure
Preservation Commission Newsletter -- Preservation: Redondo! Preservation Ordinance No. 2554
A Photographic Collection of Historic Landmark Properties, 2nd ed. ($3.00) Redondo Beach Preservation Program Video (27:2 minutes) Available on loan
Appendix G
Sources
The following sources were used to prepare the “Definition of Historic Character” section of this document:
A Photographic Collection of Historic Landmark Properties, 2nd ed. City of Redondo Beach, Planning Division, September 1996.
Becker, Rick. “Redondo Pier Transformation.” Redondo Beach Historical Society Newsletter VI (Winter 1994): 1+.
Crump, Spencer. Ride the Big Red Cars: The Pacific Electric Story. Glendale, CA: Trans-Anglo Books.
Duncan-Abrams, Marguerite and Barbara Milkovich. “City of Redondo Beach Historic Context Statement.” 6 September 1995.
Howard, Gregory. Southern California’s Seacoast: Then and Now. Redondo Beach: Howard-Gregory Associates, 1981.
Lisle, Paul W. “Redondo Beach.” Scenic America (July 1912): 33-41.
Shanahan, Dennis. Old Redondo: A Pictorial History of Redondo Beach.
Redondo Beach, CA: Legends Press, 1985.
Snyder, Gloria. “Redondo Beach – A Century in the Making.” A Centennial Tribute to Redondo Beach, 1892-1992. Cost Mesa: Historic Publications, Inc., 1992.