GPA Landmark Assessment Report — Santa Monica City Council, June 14, 2022

Landmark Assessment Report
Date: January 3, 2021
For: Stephanie Reich, Design and Historic Preservation Planner Subject: 631 Colorado Avenue
From: Emma Haggerty, Associate Architectural Historian
_____________________________________________________________________________________________ Executive Summary
The property at 631 Colorado Avenue is occupied by an industrial vernacular warehouse and an auxiliary building that were built in 1937 and 1941, respectively. Prior historical resource inventories and surveys of Santa Monica did not identify the property as appearing individually eligible for Santa Monica Landmark listing, a Structure of Merit, or contributing to a potential historic district.

However, the property was identified in the 2018 Historic Resources Inventory (HRI) Update and assigned a status code of 5S3, indicating that the property appeared to be individually eligible for local listing or designation through survey evaluation for conveying patterns of industrial development in the Downtown neighborhood of Santa Monica.

The current property owner filed a Demolition Application with the City of Santa Monica (City) in February 2021 and a Landmark Application was subsequently submitted in May 2021. As part of the interim demolition permit review process for properties over 40 years of age, GPA Consulting (GPA) has been retained by the City of Santa Monica (City) to prepare this Landmark Assessment Report to determine if the property appears to be eligible for designation, and if so, under which criteria.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________ Landmark Assessment Report – 631 Colorado Avenue, Santa Monica, CA 2 GPA evaluated the two buildings on the property under the six Santa Monica Landmark criteria as well as the Structure of Merit criteria. As a result of this analysis, GPA concludes that the property does not appear to be significant under any local criteria, and therefore does not appear to be eligible for designation as a Santa Monica Landmark. The subject property also does not appear to merit recognition as a Structure of Merit. Although the property was identified in the 2018 HRI, further analysis has revealed that the property does not retain integrity or rise to the level of significance to be eligible for listing as a Santa Monica Landmark or Structure of Merit.

Introduction
The purpose of this report is to evaluate the property located at 631 Colorado Avenue as a Santa Monica Landmark as part of the interim demolition permit review process. The property is located on a corner lot at Colorado Avenue and 7th Street in the City of Santa Monica (see Figure 2). This area is part of the Downtown neighborhood that includes the southern portion of the original township which was subdivided in 1875.1 The property comprises one legal parcel (Los Angeles County Assessor’s Parcel No. 4291-023-009).

Prior historical resource inventories and surveys of Santa Monica have not identified the property as individually eligible for Santa Monica Landmark listing, a Structure of Merit, or contributing to a potential historic district; however, the property was identified in the 2018 Historic Resources Inventory (HRI) as appearing eligible for listing as a Santa Monica Landmark for conveying patterns of industrial development in the Downtown neighborhood of Santa Monica and being one of one of relatively few extant industrial buildings in this area from the pre‐World War II period.

Emma Haggerty was responsible for the preparation of this report. She fulfills the qualifications of a historic preservation professional outlined in Title 36 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 61.

Her résumé is included as Attachment A.
1 Architectural Resources Group and Historic Resources Group, City of Santa Monica Citywide Historic Resources Inventory Update Survey Report (Santa Monica: City of Santa Monica Planning and Community Development, August 9, 2019), 40.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________ Landmark Assessment Report – 631 Colorado Avenue, Santa Monica, CA 3 Figure 2: 631 Colorado Avenue indicated with black outline. Base image courtesy of LA County GIS.

Methodology
In preparing this report, GPA performed the following tasks:

1. Reviewed existing information, including the 2018 Historic Resources Inventory Update and the Demolition Application.

2. Conducted a field inspection of the property on December 2, 2021. Digital photographs of the exterior of the buildings were taken during this field inspection.

3. Conducted research into the history of the property. Sources referenced included building permit records, city directories, newspaper archives, genealogical databases, and historic maps.

4. Reviewed and analyzed ordinances, statutes, regulations, bulletins, and technical materials relating to federal, state, and local historic preservation designations, and _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Landmark Assessment Report – 631 Colorado Avenue, Santa Monica, CA 4 assessment processes and programs to evaluate the property for significance as a Santa Monica Landmark.

5. Evaluated the property under the Santa Monica Landmark and Structure of Merit criteria.

Historic Context2
African American Community (c. 1900-1977)
Black settlement in Santa Monica generally followed Los Angeles County-wide trends, including the early establishment of community institutions, residential segregation based on discriminatory practices, and the impacts of the civil rights movement. In the past, African Americans have represented the largest of the ethnic minorities residing in Santa Monica, and the community has a rich history and deeply entrenched roots within the city. The construction of the Santa Monica Freeway (Interstate 10) and the development of the Civic Center all but decimated the postwar African American community, and therefore many resources relating to this theme are no longer extant. The majority of the extant resources related to this theme are found in the Pico or Ocean Park neighborhoods of the city.
… The first African Americans arrived in Santa Monica in the late 19th century, “seduced by the escapism of the sand-and-surf resort town…” They settled between 2nd and 6th Streets (present day Civic Center), in proximity to Phillips Chapel, home to the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church (today the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church). The local congregation was founded in 1908 and presided over by Pastor J.A. Stout. It operated out of an old schoolhouse ultimately named Phillips Chapel, after Bishop Charles H. Phillips of the Colored Methodist Episcopal church’s Fifth Episcopal District. Following the establishment of the chapel, it was relocated to 2001 4th Street (City of Santa Monica Landmark #68), near the Ocean Park neighborhood of Santa Monica… Between 1910 and 1920, Santa Monica’s [Black] population increased from 191 to 282. In addition to the Phillip’s Chapel community, African Americans began settling in the working-class Pico neighborhood.

Though members of the [Black] community succeeded early on in creating a sense of place within Santa Monica, they never fully escaped [anti-Black] prejudice and racial intolerance, which only increased during the 1920s. African Americans faced residential discrimination and exclusion from most social and commercial enterprises, though blatant segregation and even racially-triggered violence was perhaps most experienced in the region’s public recreational spaces. During the 1920s, black residents in the City of Los Angeles were prohibited from using public swimming pools, except on the day before the pools were cleaned, and most 2 The following, unless otherwise noted, is excerpted from Architectural Resources Group and Historic Resources Group, City of Santa Monica Citywide Historic Resources Inventory Update Survey Report (Santa Monica: City of Santa Monica Planning and Community Development, August 9, 2019). _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Landmark Assessment Report – 631 Colorado Avenue, Santa Monica, CA 5 beaches in Los Angeles County were considered off-limits to African Americans, whether by formal ordinance, informal signage, or an unspoken understanding. … African Americans, like other ethnic minorities in Santa Monica, experienced ongoing prejudice into the 1930s as segregation became implicit, and increased competition for jobs spurred by the Great Depression made white citizens even less hospitable to minorities. However, a critical need for labor during World War II, exacerbated by existing discriminatory hiring practices, prompted the issuance of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s 1941 Executive Order 8802, which “forbade discrimination in wartime defense industries and created the Fair Employment Practice Committee (FEPC) to investigate charges of racial discrimination.” The removal of such practices allowed [African Americans] to work in certain industries like aviation, from which they had previously been excluded. By 1942, the Douglas Aircraft plant in Santa Monica began hiring African American workers and by war’s end, over 2,000 worked at the plant.631 This turn of events drew more [Black residents] to Southern California, and Los Angeles gained an estimated 10,000 to 12,000 new arrivals each month by the summer of 1943; in Santa Monica, the [Black] population rose from approximately 500 before the war to more than 4,000 by 1960. Though African Americans were still discriminated against within the workforce, their contributions to war production facilitated better wages and a sense of liberation that lasted into the postwar period.

Prior to the construction of 631 Colorado Avenue, the subject property contained four residential cottages and two outbuildings.3 The City of Santa Monica Landmark Designation Application for the subject property notes that Etta Moxley lived in one of the four cottages.4 Moxley was a prominent African American Santa Monica resident who was heavily involved in various organizations, clubs, and philanthropic endeavors for the betterment of the African American community throughout her lifetime.5
The displacement and removal of African American communities is not unique to Santa Monica and was a pervasive practice throughout the United States with long-lasting and devastating consequences. However, since the existing buildings were constructed after the demolition of the residential cottages, Moxley does not have any association with the subject property at this time.

Because the built environment only reflects certain aspects of the importance a community, space, or neighborhood may have, place-based historic designation programs do not fully or accurately capture history that may be intangible or lost. Historic preservation planning is just one of many tools for recognizing social, cultural, and historical value. Other strategies to employ may 3 Sanborn Map Company, Santa Monica, California, Sheet 38, 1918, accessed December 2021, www.proquest.com. 4 Nina Fresco, "City of Santa Monica Landmark Designation Application - 631 Colorado Avenue," May 20, 2021, 1-73.
5 Ibid.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________ Landmark Assessment Report – 631 Colorado Avenue, Santa Monica, CA 6 include historical markers, mapping programs, oral history projects, public art, events, walking tours, and close collaboration with advocacy groups.

Pre-World War II Industrial Development (1920-1941) (Overview) In the 1920s, Santa Monica’s population jumped from 15,000 to 37,000, the largest increase in the city’s history.

The aviation industry played a significant role in the growth and development of Santa Monica in the early 20th century. Santa Monica had been a distinctly nonindustrial city until the 1930s. A 1924 map of the Los Angeles area showed no industries in Santa Monica with more than twenty-five employees. However, beginning in the 1920s, aircraft companies established or relocated operations to Southern California, which offered expanses of open, undeveloped land, favorable climatic conditions, and adequate infrastructure, including water, power, and transportation systems to support development of factories, testing facilities, and new housing for a rapidly expanding workforce. Growth of aviation and aerospace industries in Los Angeles County can be attributed to civic boosterism, which promoted the region’s natural advantages, including weather conducive to year-round flying and outdoor construction of airplanes. …Though most resources from this period are no longer extant, Santa Monica’s industrial development during this period provided the foundation for rampant expansion during and after World War II.

In addition to industrial buildings associated with the aviation industry, other light industrial uses from the period can be found in the industrially zoned portions of the city. These buildings are typically vernacular in style, and early factory buildings may include daylight or controlled-condition factory buildings, warehouse buildings, and other types that support light industrial uses. _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Landmark Assessment Report – 631 Colorado Avenue, Santa Monica, CA 7 Industrial Vernacular
The term “Industrial Vernacular” is used to describe simple industrial buildings with little or no distinguishing decorative features. These buildings are characterized by their utilitarian design, prosaic materials, and lack of any characteristics of recognizable styles. There are two sub-types of industrial vernacular factory buildings: daylight factories and controlled condition factories. Daylight factories were common prior to the widespread use of electric lighting, when controlling and capitalizing on daylight was a necessary component in the design of manufacturing buildings. Daylight was brought into the building using a variety of methods, including expansive industrial sash windows, orientation of intensive hand work next to the exterior walls of the building, skylights, and specialized roof forms to bring light into the interior.

With the development of better illumination from fluorescent bulbs, manufacturers changed their focus in design from capitalizing on available light to controlling lighting and ventilation through closed systems. Controlled conditions factories are distinguished by their minimal use of windows for light and ventilation. While some windows may be located on the front-facing façade or on an attached office, the building relies on internal systems for circulation and climate control.

Character-defining features include:
• Square or rectangular plan and simple massing
• One- or two-story height
• Flat, truss, or sawtooth roof, usually with parapet; roof monitors, skylights or clerestory windows
• Brick masonry construction, expressed or veneered in cement plaster • Divided-light, steel-sash awning, hopper, or double-hung windows • Loading docks and doors
• Oversized bays of continuous industrial steel sash on two or more façades (daylight factory)
• Lack of fenestration or sky-lighting (controlled conditions factory) • Architecturally notable entrance or overall design (controlled conditions factory)
Art Deco
Art Deco originated in France in the 1910s as an experimental movement in architecture and the decorative arts. It developed into a major style when it was first exhibited in Paris at the 1925 Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes, from which it takes its name. The Exposition’s organizers had insisted on the creation of a new, modern aesthetic. The architecture of the Art Deco movement rejected the rigid organizational methods and classical ornamentation of the Beaux Arts style. It emphasized a soaring verticality through the use of stepped towers, spires, and fluted or reeded piers, and embraced highly stylized geometric, floral and _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Landmark Assessment Report – 631 Colorado Avenue, Santa Monica, CA 8 figurative motifs as decorative elements on both the exterior and interior. Ornate metalwork, especially aluminum, glazed terra cotta tiles, and bright colors were hallmarks of the style.

Art Deco was the first popular style in the United States that consciously rejected historical precedents. It was instead a product of the Machine Age and took its inspiration from industry and transportation. It was only briefly popular in Santa Monica, from the late 1920s until the late 1930s, and was employed primarily in commercial and institutional buildings, and occasionally in multi-family residential buildings. It was rarely used for single-family residences. By the mid-1930s, in the depths of the Great Depression, the highly decorated style was already viewed as garish and overwrought, and it was soon abandoned in favor of the cleaner, simpler Streamline Moderne style.

Character-defining features include:
• Vertical emphasis
• Smooth wall surfaces, usually of plaster
• Flat roofs with decorative parapets or towers
• Stylized decorative floral and figurative elements in cast stone, glazed terra cotta tiles, or aluminum
• Geometric decorative motifs such as zigzags and chevrons • Stepped towers, piers, and other vertical elements
• Metal windows, usually fixed or casement
Streamline Moderne/PWA Moderne
The constraints of the Great Depression cut short the development of Art Deco architecture, but replaced it with a purer expression of modernity, the Streamline Moderne. Characterized by smooth surfaces, curved corners, and sweeping horizontal lines, Streamline Moderne is considered to be the first thoroughly Modern architectural style to achieve wide acceptance among the American public.

Inspired by the industrial designs of the period, the style was popular throughout the United States in the late 1930s. Unlike the equally modern but highly ornamental Art Deco style of the late 1920s, Streamline Moderne was perceived as expressing an austerity more appropriate for Depression-era architecture. The prime movers behind the Streamline Moderne style such as Raymond Loewy, Walter Dorwin Teague, Gilbert Rohde, and Norman Bel Geddes all disliked Art Deco, seeing it as falsely modern.

The origins of the Streamline Moderne are rooted in transportation design, which took the curved form of the teardrop, because it was the most efficient shape in lowering the wind resistance of an object. Product designers and architects who wanted to express efficiency borrowed the streamlined shape of cars, planes, trains, and ocean liners. Streamline Moderne architecture looked efficient in its clean lines. It was in fact relatively inexpensive to build because there was little labor-intensive ornament like terra cotta; exteriors tended to be concrete or _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Landmark Assessment Report – 631 Colorado Avenue, Santa Monica, CA 9 plaster. The Streamline Moderne’s finest hour was the New York World’s Fair of 1939-

40. Here, the “World of Tomorrow” showcased the cars and cities of the future, a robot, a microwave oven, and a television, all in streamlined pavilions. While the style was popular throughout Southern California during the 1930s, there are relatively few examples simply because there was so little construction activity during the Depression.

Art Deco and Streamline Moderne were not necessarily opposites. A Streamline Moderne building incorporating some Art Deco elements was not uncommon, particularly in the Federally-funded projects of the Works Progress Administration.

The buildings executed under those programs are often referred to as PWA Moderne. They incorporate the clean lines of Streamline Moderne with simplified decorative elements of Art Deco to create an appropriately monumental but restrained architectural language for post offices, courthouses, schools, libraries, city halls, bridges, and other institutional and infrastructure projects across the country.

Character-defining features include:
• Horizontal emphasis
• Asymmetrical façade
• Flat roof with coping
• Smooth plaster wall surfaces
• Curved end walls and corners
• Glass block and porthole windows
• Flat canopy over entrances
• Fluted or reeded moldings or stringcourses
• Pipe railings along exterior staircases and balconies • Steel sash windows
Reinforced Brick Masonry
Reinforced brick masonry (RBM) refers to brick masonry construction reinforced with steel to improve the brick’s tensile strength. Different RBM techniques have been utilized for hundreds of years, but some of the most significant advancements in the United States occurred after the Long Beach Earthquake in 1933. Safer and more resilient construction techniques were researched, developed, and later codified in response to the dangers of unreinforced masonry buildings.6 6 National Research Council, Modern Masonry: Natural Stone and Clay Products (Washington, DC: The National Academies Press, 1956), 32-45, accessed December 2, 2021, https://doi.org/10.17226/9551; The Brick Industry Association, “Technical Notes 17 – Reinforced Brick Masonry,” October 1996, accessed December 2, 2021, https://www.gobrick.com/docs/default-source/read-researchdocuments/technicalnotes/17-reinforced-brick-masonry---introduction.pdf?sfvrsn=0. _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Landmark Assessment Report – 631 Colorado Avenue, Santa Monica, CA 10 As a part of this research and experimentation, masonry units with new, specialized shapes were developed and used for construction. Two of those shapes included Groutlock and Port Costa Key bricks. Groutlock bricks were irregularly shaped with beveled edges on one side which, when stacked, would allow space for both horizontal and vertical reinforcements (see Figure 3). Port Costa Key bricks featured two centralized notches along the stretcher (see Figure 4). Both types of brick were advertised and used throughout Southern California for institutional and commercial construction following the 1933 earthquake.7
Figure 3: Illustration of Groutlock brick, circled.

National Research Council, 35.

Figure 4: Illustration of Porta Costa Key brick,
circled. National Research Council, 35.
7 National Research Council, 32.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________ Landmark Assessment Report – 631 Colorado Avenue, Santa Monica, CA 11 Figure 5: Detail view of brick on south elevation.

GPA Consulting, December 2, 2021.

Figure 6: Detail view of brick on west elevation.

GPA Consulting, December 2, 2021.

Research indicates that the use of these brick shapes fell out of favor in the 1950s when research demonstrated that a structurally sound building depended not only the brick, but the type of mortar used, and proper workmanship and construction techniques. That is, there was no need for these special shaped bricks so long as a skilled bricklayer completed the construction.8 While the 1937 building permit identifies the Main Building as being built with Groutlock bricks, no visible Groutlock bricks were observed during a physical assessment of the property; however, a few examples of what appear to be notched Port Costa Key bricks were observed (see Figure 5 and Figure 6).

Property History
The property located at 631 Colorado Avenue is currently occupied by the main, industrial warehouse (Main Building, for the purposes of this report) on the eastern portion of the parcel and an auxiliary building (Auxiliary Building, for the purposes of this report) to the west which were built in 1937 and 1941, respectively. The property originally featured a Wine Storage Building, a wood framed platform, and a wooden addition to the Main Building’s west elevation, forming a Ushaped configuration with open space along Colorado Avenue (see Figure 7). 8 Ibid., 36.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________ Landmark Assessment Report – 631 Colorado Avenue, Santa Monica, CA 12 Figure 7: 1950 Sanborn Map, 631 Colorado Avenue.

The building permit for the Main Building was issued to the “A.B.C Distribution Co.” (Aztec Brewing Company) in 1937 for the construction of a 50 by 100-foot brick building with composition roofing.

Research did not reveal an architect, engineer, or builder. In 1941, the building permit for what is now the Auxiliary Building, located on the corner of Colorado Avenue and a rear alleyway, was issued for the construction of a 25 by 42-foot loading canopy with composition roofing. The exterior materials were not noted on the building permit application but the architect, Frederic Barienbrock, was listed. However, Sanborn Maps from 1950 indicate the canopy was also made of brick with a composite roof supported by steel beams. The maps also indicate that a small wooden platform with composite roofing was present on the fifth bay of the west elevation of the Main Building. In 1947, the canopy that is now the Auxiliary Building was altered to include an interior loading platform and exterior doors.

From 1955-1956, the Aerophysics Development Corporation owned the property and during their ownership, they sandblasted both buildings and made minor interior tenant improvements that did not alter the exterior of either building or the parcel. The following owner, Keystone Body Works, owned the property from 1957-1994. During their ownership, the company added a rear one-story addition to the Main Building along the alleyway in 1957, a free-standing canopy and signage in 1958, a new privacy wall made of concrete block along the west elevation of the property against _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Landmark Assessment Report – 631 Colorado Avenue, Santa Monica, CA 13 the alleyway in 1959 and removed the small wooden platform from the fifth bay of the Main Building sometime between 1950-1963. After 1963, a one-story, scored-stucco clad addition with fenestration consisting of large divided lite windows was added to the rear of the west elevation of the Auxiliary Building.

The addition and canopy on the Main Building were removed in 1996 during a tenant improvement project by new owners, Bandit Films. In 1997, both buildings were sandblasted and in 1998, a 730-square foot, second-story addition was completed along the entire north elevation of the Main Building as well as a contemporary privacy fence along Colorado Avenue and the rear alleyway. In 2002, the current owner of the property, Bay Films, added landscaping to the north of the main entrance on the Main Building’s west elevation and along both sides of the fence along Colorado Avenue.

Property Description
The property at 631 Colorado Avenue is located on a corner parcel bound by Colorado Avenue to the south, 7th Street to the east, a separate parcel to the north, and an alleyway to the west.

The parcel contains two buildings, the Main Building located on the eastern side of the parcel and the Auxiliary Building located in the western corner. The property features limited landscaped areas with mature trees and hedges planted directly along the Colorado Avenue property line and around the main entrance of the Main Building and Auxiliary Building for added privacy. The remainder of the parcel is covered in asphalt paving that has been divided into parking spaces which are not visible from the public-right-of way due the mature landscaping and modern fence with Art Deco-inspired piers and wrought iron posts that runs along Colorado Avenue.

Main Building
The Main Building was built in 1937 on the corner of Colorado Avenue and 7th Street as an industrial vernacular warehouse with Art Deco and Streamline Moderne influences. It is rectangular in plan with its shorter elevation facing Colorado Avenue. The building is one story in height with a twostory addition and barrel truss roof partially obscured by a raised parapet. The top of the barrel truss extends above the parapet, revealing eight evenly spaced skylights and three HVAC systems surrounded by corrugated screening.

The southern-facing façade along Colorado Street is of masonry construction and separated into three bays by reinforced concrete piers with four vertical score lines and a three-tiered square cap that extends above the parapet. The three bays feature 12-over-4 divided lite steel windows with operable sashes. The concrete cladding above the windows is embossed with horizontal speed lines and displays the signage for the current tenants.

The east elevation facing 7th Street lies directly on the property line and features an exposed brick façade separated into six distinct bays divided by vertical reinforced concrete columns that are flush with the wall and intersect a horizontal beam that runs along the entire elevation. Within the first bay, on the corner of the 7th Street, is a large 6-over-4 divided lite steel window followed by a rectangular 2-over-2 divided lite steel window to the north, both with operable sashes. The remaining five bays feature a continuation of the masonry, a flat parapet, and a centralized 4- _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Landmark Assessment Report – 631 Colorado Avenue, Santa Monica, CA 14 over-2 divided lite steel windows with operable sashes. The last bay features a second story addition that includes two 3-over-3 divided lite steel windows with operable sashes and brick cladding with a simple parapet, similar to the original construction. At the northeast corner, there is a concrete column.

The north elevation lies directly on the adjacent property line and is clad in a continuation of brick.

The second-story addition runs the entire length of the north elevation and is clad in smooth concrete with four evenly separated horizontal score lines. The north elevation abuts the neighboring property and is not fully visible. The west elevation of the Main Building facing the interior of the property is divided into six separate bays like the east elevation, with the two bays closest to Colorado Avenue featuring a centralized 4-over-2 and 3-over-3 divided lite steel window with operable sashes. The middle bay features an inset contemporary entryway with a solid singular door surrounded by sidelights and a transom with fourteen divided lights and opaque glazing. The fourth bay matches bays one and two, while the fifth bay features a large divided lite window. The sixth bay features a projecting one-story addition that was completed c. 1980. The addition consists of full height divided light windows between concrete columns. The top of the addition is a flat roof deck surrounded by a metal railing. The second-story addition opens onto the roof deck. The sixth bay also gives visibility to the second story addition which runs flush with the original building footprint and is clad in brick. Overall, the building appears to be in good condition.

Auxiliary Building
The Auxiliary Building was originally constructed in 1941 as a loading canopy for the Aztec Brewing Company’s operations. It is a one-story building that is rectangular in plan with a flat, composition roof. The south elevation facing Colorado Avenue features a brick façade with a horizontal, reinforced concrete beam flush with the wall surface flanked by two vertical smooth concrete columns with three-tiered caps. The concrete columns are likely replacements or later additions as they are not identified on Sanborn Maps, and do not match the design of the columns on the Main Building. The south elevation does not feature any exterior doors, windows, or additional decorative elements.

The east elevation facing the interior of the property features a smooth concrete façade with five bays. The three bays closest to Colorado Avenue feature large, square divided lite steel sash windows and the fourth bay features a deeply inset contemporary entrance door. The last bay on the east elevation features another square window.

The north elevation is limited in its exterior details but features a smooth concrete wall with a singular horizontal score line running across the upper portion of the wall, indicating the lower portion of the wall may have been infilled at one point. At the east edge of the roofline there is a metal ladder. The corners of the north elevation are also flanked by concrete columns matching those found on the south elevation.

The rear, west elevation facing the alley matches the north elevation in design, materials, and horizontal score line which runs the entire length of the elevation. Overall, this modified Auxiliary Building appears to also be in good condition.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________ Landmark Assessment Report – 631 Colorado Avenue, Santa Monica, CA 15 Evaluation for Local Landmark Designation
Per §9.56.100(A) of the Santa Monica Landmarks and Historic Districts Ordinance (adopted in 1976 and later amended in 1987, 1991, and most recently 2015), a property merits consideration as a Landmark if it satisfies one or more of six statutory criteria. The following discussion considers the significance of 631 Colorado Avenue under each criterion.

Criterion 1: It exemplifies, symbolizes, or manifests elements of the cultural, social, economic, political or architectural history.

The property does not exemplify, symbolize, or manifest elements of the cultural, social, economic, political, or architectural history or development of Santa Monica.

The existing buildings were constructed in what was once an African American residential neighborhood, replacing four residential cottages and two outbuildings.9 As such, the residential and outbuildings related to the cultural and social history of this area are no longer extant, and the existing buildings do not share the same association.

The subject property is one of the first industrial buildings built in this specific southeast area of downtown but does not appear to be a significant aspect of the larger trend of industrial development in Downtown or Santa Monica as a whole. Industrial buildings were being built throughout the City in the pre-war era, particularly in the nearby Pico neighborhood, in large groupings around and adjacent to transportation outlets.10 Furthermore, the property’s original use as a distributor for the Aztec Brewing Company does not exemplify the economic development patterns Santa Monica was experiencing at this time. As mentioned above, Santa Monica’s aviation industry was the primary source of industrial development prior to World War II.

The City of Santa Monica was not known for its alcohol distribution nor is this building the headquarters or a notable location for the Aztec Brewing Company’s operations, which included various distribution warehouses throughout the Southwest. Additionally, the two existing buildings on the parcel were built as part of a collection of three buildings with a wood-framed platform that all served a specific purpose in the distribution of alcoholic beverages. As a result of the loss of the third building and rear platform, as well as the infill of the Auxiliary Building that was originally a loading canopy and addition of fencing along Colorado Avenue, the site no longer reads as an alcohol distribution center.

Constructed in the industrial vernacular style, the Main Building lacks the primary character defining features that would qualify it as a light industrial building, such as loading docks and doors, and oversized bays of continuous industrial steel sash on two or more façades. Neither building on the site is a notable example of the Art Deco or Streamline Moderne styles, and there is no evidence to suggest this building was influential to the architectural development of the city.

Therefore, neither building at 631 Colorado Avenue appears to be significant under Criterion 1. 9 Sanborn Map Company, Santa Monica, California, Sheet 38, 1918, accessed December 2021, www.proquest.com. 10 Architectural Resources Group and Historic Resources Group, City of Santa Monica Citywide Historic Resources Inventory Update Survey Report, 52.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________ Landmark Assessment Report – 631 Colorado Avenue, Santa Monica, CA 16 Criterion 2: It has aesthetic or artistic interest or value, or other noteworthy interest or value.

Both buildings located at 631 Colorado Avenue were constructed for industrial, utilitarian purposes. Thousands of industrial buildings were constructed throughout Southern California during pre- and post-World War II building booms. As such, the buildings do not possess special aesthetic or artistic interest or value, and do not appear to be significant under Criterion 2.

Criterion 3: It is identified with historic personages or with important events in local, state, or national history.

The existing buildings were constructed in what was once an African American neighborhood, replacing four residential cottages and two outbuildings. The City of Santa Monica Landmark Designation Application for the subject property notes that Etta Moxley, a prominent figure in the African American community, lived in one of the four residential cottages.11 Since the residential and outbuildings related to this cultural and social history are no longer extant, the existing buildings on the property do not share the same association.

The Aztec Brewing Company obtained the permits for both buildings currently on site. Following the end of Prohibition, the Aztec Brewing Company had various distribution warehouses throughout the Southwest. Research did not reveal any evidence to suggest that the Aztec Brewing Company was owned or operated by any historic personages.

Research did not reveal any evidence to suggest that the remaining businesses associated with the site were owned or operated by historically significant individuals. Research also did not reveal any evidence of association with an important historic event.

Therefore, neither building at 631 Colorado Avenue appears to be significant under Criterion 3.

Criterion 4: It embodies the distinguishing characteristics valuable to a study of a period, style, method of construction, or the use of indigenous materials or craftsmanship, or is a unique or rare example of an architectural design, detail or historical type valuable to such a study.

Both buildings located at 631 Colorado Avenue are examples of industrial vernacular construction in the years prior and during World War II. Industrial buildings constructed during this time featured limited exterior details as they were not intended to attract pedestrians for commercial use and were utilitarian by nature. While the modest use of Art Deco and Streamline Moderne elements is visible on both buildings, the few features alone do not make these buildings notable examples of the Art Deco or Streamline Moderne styles. They lack the more distinguishing characteristics of Art Deco, such as smooth cladding, stylized or geometric decorative elements, ornate metalwork, material such as colorful glazed terra cotta, or an emphasis on verticality. Similarly, the buildings do not possess the distinguishing characteristics of the Streamline Moderne style, which would include features such as curved surfaces, glass block and porthole windows, asymmetrical arrangement of features, and accents such as pipe railings and flat canopies. The construction and features of both structures are not notable in any way, and have been modified over time. 11 Fresco, 1-73.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________ Landmark Assessment Report – 631 Colorado Avenue, Santa Monica, CA 17 Lastly, as indicated on 1950 Sanborn Maps around Santa Monica’s industrial cores, such as along rail lines or present-day freeways, brick industrial buildings were not a rarity for the City.

On the original permit for the Main Building, the construction material is indicated as Groutlock brick, a building material produced by the Simons Brick Company. However, a physical assessment of the site indicates that the brick is not an example of Groutlock, but rather another type of grouted masonry, described as Port Costa Key (see Figure 3 through Figure 6). A few scattered examples of what appear to be the Port Costa Key bricks are visible and have stepped notching at the top of the brick. Although this building material is visible, it was not used for the entire building, or if it was, only a few examples of this type of brick are visible from the exterior. As discussed above, many solutions for increasing the earthquake resistance of masonry buildings were explored in the aftermath of the Long Beach Earthquake, including experimentation with new masonry shapes. These shapes included the Groutlock brick, which had a diagonal or beveled edge, and the Port Costa Key brick, which had interlocking “notches.” However, subsequent engineering studies in the decades after World War II revealed that a special masonry shape was not necessary when good workmanship and an appropriate mortar mix was employed, and the new masonry shapes ostensibly fell out of use. The Groutlock and Port Costa Key bricks were a short-lived experiment in construction technology following the Long Beach earthquake. Research did not indicate that they were ever widely used or influential to later developments in construction technology. As such, it does not appear that the use of these brick shapes was an important building technique.

Therefore, neither building at 631 Colorado Avenue appears to be significant under Criterion 4.

Criterion 5: It is a significant or a representative example of the work or product of a notable builder, designer, or architect.

Research into the construction history of 631 Colorado Avenue did not reveal the name of the architect or the builder for the Main Building. The architect for the Auxiliary Building was identified on the 1941 building permit as Frederic Barienbrock. Frederick Barienbrock was a local architect that worked in Santa Monica for 50 years.12 Barienbrock was responsible for the designs of 1725 Main Street, 827 6th Street, 829 6th Street, and the 1951 addition to the Santa Monica Courthouse and County Building wing of the Santa Monica Civic Center.13 While Barienbrock appears to have been a successful local architect, the utilitarian canopy would not be a notable example of his work, and it no longer conveys its original design intent due to modifications on all elevations.

Therefore, neither building at 631 Colorado Avenue appears to be significant under Criterion 5. 12 Edan Hughes, "Artists in California, 1786-1940" California Arts and Architecture list, 1932; City Directory; Death record. 13 Architectural Resources Group and Historic Resources Group, City of Santa Monica Citywide Historic Resources Inventory Update Survey Report, Appendix B: Individual Resources, 33-56; Wuellner, Margarita J.

Tech. Character Defining Features Analysis Santa Monica City Hall Landscape and Grounds - 1685 Main Street Santa Monica, California, 2011.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________ Landmark Assessment Report – 631 Colorado Avenue, Santa Monica, CA 18 Criterion 6: It has a unique location, a singular visual characteristic, or is an established and familiar visual feature of a neighborhood, community, or the City.

The property located at 631 Colorado Avenue is located in a portion of Santa Monica’s original township that is now referred to as the Downtown neighborhood. The property is surrounded by residential, commercial, and industrial properties ranging from one to four stories in height. The subject property is an unremarkable infill site that, although part of the original township, does not appear to be an established and familiar visual feature of the neighborhood or City.

Therefore, neither building at 631 Colorado Avenue appears to be significant under Criterion 6.

Summary
Neither building located at 631 Colorado Avenue appears to be eligible for listing under any of the Santa Monica Landmark Criteria. The buildings are further evaluated for listing as a Structure of Merit below.

Evaluation for Structure of Merit Designation
Per §9.56.080 of the Santa Monica Landmarks and Historic Districts Ordinance, an improvement may be designated a Structure of Merit if the Landmarks Commission determines that it merits official recognition for possessing at least one of two characteristics. The following discussion considers whether the property at 631 Colorado Avenue possesses these characteristics.

A: The structure has been identified in the City’s Historic Resources Inventory.

The property at 631 Colorado Avenue was individually identified in the 2018 Historic Resources Inventory (HRI) Update and assigned a status code of 5S3, indicating that the property appeared to be individually eligible for local listing or designation through survey evaluation for conveying patterns of industrial development in the Downtown neighborhood of Santa Monica and being one of one of relatively few extant industrial buildings in this area from the pre‐World War II period.

However, based on further analysis, the property does not appear to merit designation. _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Landmark Assessment Report – 631 Colorado Avenue, Santa Monica, CA 19 B: The structure is a minimum of 50 years of age and meets one of the following criteria:

B1. The structure is a unique or rare example of an architectural design, detail or historical type.

The property at 631 Colorado Avenue is over fifty years of age, but it is not a unique or rare example of an architectural design, detail, or historical type. As discussed above, the buildings are industrial vernacular buildings with utilitarian purposes that are ubiquitous throughout Santa Monica’s industrial areas, such as the Pico neighborhood, and Southern California as a whole.

B2. The structure is representative of a style in the City that is no longer prevalent.

The subject property represents the industrial vernacular style which is still represented in the City in large numbers. While the resource is one of the few remaining industrial buildings in the southeastern portion of the Downtown, it is not rare when considered with the larger inventory of buildings in the industrial areas of Santa Monica. Industrial development in this area was not as historically prevalent in Downtown as other areas in the city, such as the Pico neighborhood. Further north on Colorado Avenue there are numerous extant examples of similarly scaled industrial development (see Appendix F).

B3. The structure contributes to a potential Historic District.

The subject property is not located within any previously identified potential historic district, and a historic district is unlikely to exist in the area surrounding 631 Colorado Avenue. The subject property is surrounded by commercial, industrial, and multi-family buildings of various styles, sizes, and construction dates. They are not visually or historically unified and do not form a significant or cohesive grouping.

Summary
Neither building located at 631 Colorado Avenue appears to be eligible for listing as a Structure of Merit.

Integrity Analysis
It is standard practice to assess a property’s integrity as part of a historic evaluation. Integrity is a property’s ability to convey its historic significance through its physical features. National Register Bulletin #15 defines seven aspects of integrity: Location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, and association. In order to convey significance, a property must retain some combination of these aspects of integrity from its period of significance. The aspects of integrity that are essential vary depending on the significance of the resource.

Location: The place where the historic property was constructed or the place where the historic event occurred.

The property retains integrity of location as the existing buildings have not been moved. _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Landmark Assessment Report – 631 Colorado Avenue, Santa Monica, CA 20 Design: The combination of elements that create the form, plan, space, structure, and style of the property.

The property does not retain integrity of design. The Main Building’s integrity of design has been lost as a result of modifications over time, including a second story addition, construction of a modified, contemporary styled recessed entryway, and a new one-story addition on the west elevation. The Main Building no longer reflects an industrial alcohol distribution center and currently conveys the feeling of an office space. The Auxiliary Building also does not retain integrity of design, as it has been essentially reconstructed over time and is now a fully enclosed building that no longer reflects its original function as an industrial loading canopy. The property as a whole no longer retains integrity of design as the rear wine storage building and raised wooden platform noted on the 1950 Sanborn Map related to the site’s use as an alcohol distribution center have been removed, access to the site from Colorado Avenue has been fenced off, and the remainder of the parcel has been paved and divided into parking spaces with added landscaping.

Therefore, 631 Colorado Boulevard no longer retains integrity of design.

Setting: The physical environment of a historic property.

The integrity of the property’s immediate setting has been diminished, as original buildings on the parcel, such as the rear raised platform and wine storage noted on the 1950 Sanborn Map, have been removed, and the site surrounding the buildings has been converted into surface parking with contemporary landscaping. Additionally, the original access point from Colorado Avenue has been enclosed with a contemporary fence and the curb cut has been removed, forcing access to the site to the rear alleyway. The surrounding setting neighborhood has also changed through the continued development of the surrounding area throughout the twentieth century, including infill construction and redevelopment with a combination of new and old residential, commercial, and industrial buildings as well as the recently constructed Expo Line. Therefore, 631 Colorado Avenue no longer retains integrity of setting.

Materials: The physical elements that were combined or deposited during a particular period of time and in a particular pattern or configuration to form a historic property.

The property does not retain integrity of materials. The Main Building retains key elements such as reinforced concrete, steel windows, and masonry walls, but the integrity of materials has been diminished by the introduction of new features, including a contemporary entryway. The Auxiliary Building does not retain integrity of materials as its original materials were removed when three out of its four elevations were infilled. Therefore, 631 Colorado Avenue no longer retains integrity of materials.

Workmanship: The physical evidence or the crafts of a particular culture or people during any given period in history or prehistory.

The property does not retain integrity of workmanship. The integrity of workmanship for the Main Building has been diminished by modifications to the exterior over time, including sandblasting of all façades. The Auxiliary Building does not retain integrity of workmanship as it has been largely reconstructed over time. Therefore, the property as a whole no longer retains integrity of workmanship.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________ Landmark Assessment Report – 631 Colorado Avenue, Santa Monica, CA 21 Feeling: A property’s expression of the aesthetic or historic sense of a particular period of time.

The property no longer retains integrity of feeling. As a result of the modifications to the property, it no longer evokes the sense of a prewar industrial warehouse and distribution center.

Association: The direct link between an important historic event or person and a historic property.

The integrity of association does not apply to either building, as there are no historic associations for the physical integrity to convey.

Summary
While the Main Building retains some aspects of physical integrity, its overall integrity has been diminished through exterior modifications, including two additions, sandblasting, and the introduction of contemporary new elements. The Auxiliary Building does not retain integrity as it has been largely reconstructed, and the integrity of the site overall has been lost through the demolition of buildings and structures associated with the alcohol distribution operation, reconfiguration of its street access, enclosure with a privacy fence, and contemporary paving and landscaping for the surface parking lot. As a result, the property no longer retains sufficient physical integrity to reflect its original use.

Conclusions
The property at 631 Colorado Avenue does not appear to be eligible under any of the Santa Monica Landmark Criteria, nor does it appear to merit recognition as a Structure of Merit. The property was identified as individually eligible for local listing or designation through survey evaluation for conveying patterns of industrial development in the Downtown neighborhood of Santa Monica.

However, during the additional analysis conducted for this report, it was revealed that the grouping of industrial buildings at 631 Colorado Avenue has been modified and does not have an important association with a significant aspect of Santa Monica’s industrial history. In the event the property had retained its original design and configuration, the property as a whole would still be an example of a ubiquitous, industrial property type in Santa Monica and Southern California that does not possess the distinctive characteristics of a specific style or property type. Research did not reveal any other potential significant associations with important persons or events, or the cultural, social, economic, political, or architectural history of Santa Monica, and the property does not appear likely to contribute to a potential historic district.

Therefore, GPA concludes that neither building on the property appears to warrant designation as a Landmark or Structure of Merit.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________ Landmark Assessment Report – 631 Colorado Avenue, Santa Monica, CA 22 Sources
Ancestry.com. Various digital collections.

Architectural Resources Group and Historic Resources Group. City of Santa Monica Citywide Historic Resources Inventory Update Survey Report. Santa Monica: City of Santa Monica Planning and Community Development, August 9, 2019.

The Brick Industry Association. “Technical Notes 17 – Reinforced Brick Masonry.” October 1996.

Accessed December 2, 2021, https://www.gobrick.com/docs/default-source/readresearch-documents/technicalnotes/17-reinforced-brick-masonry--- introduction.pdf?sfvrsn=0.

Fresco, Nina. "City of Santa Monica Landmark Designation Application - 631 Colorado Avenue." May 20, 2021, 1-73.

Hughes, Edan. Artists in California, 1786-1940. California Arts and Architecture list, 1932; City Directory; Death record.

National Research Council. Modern Masonry: Natural Stone and Clay Product. Washington, DC:

The National Academies Press, 1956. Accessed December 2, 2021. https://doi.org/10.17226/9551.

Sanborn Map Company. Santa Monica, Los Angeles, California, 1918. Accessed December 2021. www.proquest.com.

Wuellner, Margarita J. Tech. Character Defining Features Analysis Santa Monica City Hall Landscape and Grounds - 1685 Main Street Santa Monica, California, 2011.

Attachments
Attachment A: Résumé
Attachment B: Photographs
Attachment C: City Directory Listings
Attachment D: Sanborn Maps
Attachment E: Building Permits
Attachment F: Low-Rise Industrial Development
_____________________________________________________________________________________________ Landmark Assessment Report – 631 Colorado Avenue, Santa Monica, CA Attachment A Attachment A: Résumé
Emma Haggerty is an Associate Architectural Historian at GPA and has been involved in the field of historic preservation since 2016. Emma graduated from the University of Vermont with a Master of Science in Historic Preservation. She has since worked in the public sector in both New Jersey and California on a variety of projects. Emma joined GPA in 2021 and her
experience has included review of environmental compliance documents in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA); design review for consistency with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards (SOIS); and municipal code compliance. Additionally, Emma has experience reviewing Mills Act Applications, preparing Mills Act Contracts, and performing site inspections for properties under and interested in the Mills Act.

Educational Background:
▪ M.S., Historic Preservation, University of
Vermont, 2018
▪ B.A., Planning and Public Policy, Rutgers
University, 2016
Professional Experience:
▪ GPA Consulting, Associate Architectural
Historian, 2021-Present
▪ City of San Diego, Historical Resources
Senior Planner & Mills Act Coordinator,
2018-2021
▪ New Jersey Historic Preservation Office,
Program Associate, 2018
▪ National Trust for Historic Preservation –
Lyndhurst Mansion, Historic Preservation
Intern, 2017
Qualifications:
▪ Meets the Secretary of the Interior’s
Professional Qualifications Standards for
architectural history pursuant to the
Code of Federal Regulations, 36 CFR
Part 61, Appendix A.

Selected Projects:
▪ Mills Act Application Review, Mills Act
Coordinator, City of San Diego,
February 2020-November 2021
▪ Mills Act Research and Contract Preparation,
Mills Act Coordinator,
City of San Diego, February 2020-November
2021
▪ Mills Act Inspection and Contract
Recordation, Mills Act Coordinator,
City of San Diego, February 2020-November
2021
▪ Quieter Homes Program – Section 106
Compliance Review, Planner, City of San
Diego,
January 2019-January 2020
▪ Preliminary Design Assistance for Historic
District Design Guideline Compliance,
Senior Planner, City of San Diego, December
2020- November 2021
▪ CEQA Significance Report Evaluation,
Planner, City of San Diego,
July 2018- November 2021
▪ Prepared and presented formal presentations
for over 50 different properties
at Historical Resources Board Meetings and
City Council, City of San Diego,
July 2018- November 2021
_____________________________________________________________________________________________ Landmark Assessment Report – 631 Colorado Avenue, Santa Monica, CA Attachment B Attachment B: Photographs
Photo 1: South elevation of Main Building, view looking north.

GPA Consulting, December 2, 2021.

Photo 2: West elevation of Main Building, view looking east.

GPA Consulting, December 2, 2021.

Photo 4: East elevation of Main Building, view looking west.

GPA Consulting, December 2, 2021.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________ Landmark Assessment Report – 631 Colorado Avenue, Santa Monica, CA Attachment B Photo 5: North and east elevation of Main Building, including second-story addition, view looking southwest.

GPA Consulting, December 2, 2021.

Photo 6: West elevation of Main Building, entrance detail, view looking east.

GPA Consulting, December 2, 2021.

Photo 8: Main Building, north elevation, typical brick.

GPA Consulting, December 2, 2021.

Photo 10: Main Building, south elevation, “key shape” brick detail.

GPA Consulting, December 2, 2021.

Photo 12: Auxiliary Building, west and south elevations, view looking NE.

GPA Consulting, December 2, 2021.

Photo 14: Auxiliary Building, east elevation, view looking west.

GPA Consulting, December 2, 2021.

Photo 16: Auxiliary Building, east elevation, entrance detail.

GPA Consulting, December 2, 2021.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________ Landmark Assessment Report – 631Colorado Avenue, Santa Monica, CA Attachment C Attachment C: City Directory Listings
1938 (Ancestry.com): ABC Distributing Company - Glen Moyer, General Manager _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Landmark Assessment Report – 631Colorado Avenue, Santa Monica, CA Attachment C 1940 (Ancestry.com): ABC Distributing Company - Glen Moyer, General Manager _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Landmark Assessment Report – 631Colorado Avenue, Santa Monica, CA Attachment C 1952 (Ancestry.com): ABC Distributing Company – Sam Hecht, General Manager _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Landmark Assessment Report – 631Colorado Avenue, Santa Monica, CA Attachment C 1958 (Ancestry.com): Keystone Body Shop – Jack Hammer, Owner _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Landmark Assessment Report – 631 Colorado Avenue, Santa Monica, CA Attachment D Attachment D: Sanborn Maps
Sanborn Map, 1950
_____________________________________________________________________________________________ Landmark Assessment Report – 631 Colorado Avenue, Santa Monica, CA Attachment D Sanborn Map, 1950 – Close up of 631 Colorado Avenue
_____________________________________________________________________________________________ Landmark Assessment Report – 631 Colorado Avenue, Santa Monica, CA Attachment D Sanborn Map, 1963
_____________________________________________________________________________________________ Landmark Assessment Report – 631 Colorado Avenue, Santa Monica, CA Attachment D Sanborn Map, 1963 – Close up of 631 Colorado Avenue
_____________________________________________________________________________________________ Landmark Assessment Report – 631 Colorado Avenue, Santa Monica, CA Attachment E Attachment E: Building Permits
1937 Building Permit – Main Building
_____________________________________________________________________________________________ Landmark Assessment Report – 631 Colorado Avenue, Santa Monica, CA Attachment E 1941 Building Permit – Auxiliary Building
_____________________________________________________________________________________________ Landmark Assessment Report – 631 Colorado Avenue, Santa Monica, CA Attachment F Attachment F: Low-Rise Industrial Development
GPA Consulting, December 2, 2021.
1501 and 1517 Colorado Avenue 1531 Colorado Avenue
1547 and 1551 16th Street, 1601 Colorado Avenue 1547 14th Street 1805 Colorado Avenue 1831 Colorado Avenue

Santa Monica City CouncilJune 14, 2022

Santa Monica City Council
June 14, 2022