CITY OF SANTA MONICA
CITY COUNCIL
STATEMENT
OF OFFICIAL
ACTION
|
PROJECT CASE
NUMBER: Landmarks Designation Case No. LC-01-LM-001 LOCATION: 1855
Main Street (Civic Auditorium) APPLICANT: Santa Monica
Landmarks Commission APPELLANT: Council member Herb Katz
(01APP-033) PROPERTY OWNER: City of Santa Monica CASE
PLANNER: Elizabeth Bar-El, AICP,
Associate Planner REQUEST: Appeal
of the Landmarks Commission’s decision to designate the structure at 1855
Main Street (Civic Auditorium) a City Landmark. CEQA STATUS: The proposed project is categorically exempt from the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Class 31, Section 15331 of the State Implementation Guidelines in that the approval of the landmark designation consists of a project limited to the preservation of a historical resource in a manner consistent with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties with Guidelines for Preserving, Rehabilitating, Restoring, and Reconstructing Historic Buildings. |
CITY
COUNCIL ACTION
April 9, 2002 Date.
Approved based on the following findings
and subject to the conditions below.
X Denied Appeal
01-033. Designation of Landmark Case
No. LC-01-LM-004 upheld.
______________ Other.
EFFECTIVE DATE OF ACTION:
April 9, 2002 Designation of
Landmark Case No. LC-01-LM-001
FINDINGS
Following
a public hearing held on April 9, 2002, the City Council denied the appeal and
upheld the Landmarks Commission’s approval of LC-01-LM-001 based upon the
following findings:
(1) It
exemplifies, symbolizes, or manifests elements of the cultural, social,
economic, political, or architectural history of the City.
This building was constructed in 1958 in response to the
development of the Santa Monica Civic Center.
It was the third of three major 20th century Civic Center structures,
beginning with the Art Deco style City Hall, designed by Los Angeles architect
Donald Parkinson and completed in 1938 and the Los Angeles County Courthouse,
which was added in 1951. It remains an excellent example of the International
Style (Modern), a style that dominated the architectural face of the globe from
the first decade of the 20th century until 1972. It is the only surviving institutional design in the City of
Santa Monica. The Santa Monica Civic
Auditorium replaced a classically inspired facility that had been located at
Lick Pier, known as the Ocean Park Municipal Auditorium. In this way, its construction also served to
strengthen the function of the Civic Center as a primary hub of activity.
Therefore, this resource satisfies this criterion.
(2) It has
aesthetic or artistic interest or value, or other noteworthy interest or value.
The Santa Monica Civic Auditorium is an excellent example of
the mid-century International Style, and the only such example of the work of
master architect Welton Becket in the City.
Furthermore, it is significant for the unique engineering design of its
hydraulic floor, the largest in the nation at the time. This was a landmark use of hydraulic
technology for adapting an assembly space to accommodate a vast variety of
stage performances, athletic events, and exhibitions. It proved to be the forerunner to the retractable domes and
flexible seating of contemporary stadiums (Alan Lieb, 2001). Finally, its acoustical design by
world-renowned acoustical engineer, UCLA Chancellor Vern O. Knudsen, was described
as, “the most perfect and…(deserving)…a rating higher than that of the Royal
Festival Hall in London” (Becket, 2001, and Progressive Architecture, May
1959). Thus, as a truly remarkable resource, the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium
meets this criterion.
(3) It is identified with historic personages
or with important events in local, state or national history.
The Civic Auditorium is associated with its architect,
Welton Becket, as well as its acoustical engineer Vern O. Knudsen, both
internationally prominent professionals in the design of major
institutions. Becket’s work is found
throughout the world with notable Commissions in Cairo, Havana, Manila,
Honolulu, Tokyo, Boston, Philadelphia, Kansas City and Dallas, and includes
numerous civic designs. Vern O.
Knudsen, a professor and Chancellor of UCLA, was the world’s leading authority
on architectural acoustics, and a master designer of acoustically significant
facilities. His principles in
architectural acoustics became the foundation for the design of contemporary
soundstages. Additionally, the Santa
Monica Civic Auditorium is associated with countless events and public
performances, like no other facility in the City. These performances have represented the diversity for which Santa
Monica has become renown. A few
prominent examples include an array of musicians from Andre Previn and Dave
Brubeck in 1959 to Pete Seeger, Ella Fitzgerald, Tony Bennett, Joan Baez and
Bob Dylan in the 1960’s, to Elton John, Ray Charles, Arlo Guthrie, the Beach
Boys and the Carpenters in the 1970’s.
The number of performances eventually reached a level of nearly 60
concerts annually in the peak years of the 1970s. The auditorium also hosted several prominent comedians in the
early years of their careers, such as Bill Cosby, Jonathan Winters and Bob
Hope, as well as a 1967 performance by Beatnik poet Allen Ginsburg. Therefore, this resource meets this
criterion.
(4) It embodies
distinguishing architectural 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 to such a study.
The Civic Auditorium is an excellent example of the
mid-century International Style in the City of Santa Monica. The style was a response to the
industrialization of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It advocated the use of the “machine”,
rather than historical precedents for building and product designs, as well as
the use of contemporary materials such as steel, concrete and glass for their
construction. The Civic Auditorium
retains many significant character-defining elements of this style, including,
a grand canopy, supported by parabolic pylons, a glass curtain wall, and
brise-soleil.
The Civic Auditorium also retains a number of significant
interior features that are integral to the overall concept of the Civic
Auditorium’s architecture. Conceived
as a space for a variety of activities, Welton Beckett designed the Civic
Auditorium for functionality and flexibility.
Some intact features that are part of the public space include the
original adjustable auditorium main hall hydraulic floor, touted as
revolutionary for its time, the innovative acoustical design and the soundproof
sliding doors to the east conference rooms.
Additionally, although some alterations have been made, interior
elements such as the wood paneling in the lobby, the auditorium entry doors,
the volume and configuration of the lobby (both the first and second floors
including the height and semi-circular shape of the lobby, the upper lobby’s
shape being reflective of the lower lobby, and the columns), all contributing
to the overall light, open and modernistic feeling), the volume and
configuration of the auditorium main hall, the metal acoustical panels and wall
sconces in the auditorium main hall, and the two floating staircases in the
lobby, all attributes of the building’s integral design, remain intact and
continue to be valuable to a study of this unique architectural style and method
of construction.
The Civic Auditorium also includes some character-defining
features in the backstage area that are not part of the public space, and thus
not part of the landmark designation. These include the orchestra pit hydraulic
lift mechanism, stage area and proscenium opening, stage rigging and historic
signage along the east wall at the rear of the stage.
As a resource that still retains a comprehensive integrity
of its original architectural design, the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium satisfies
this criterion.
(5) It is a significant or a representative
example of the work or product of a notable builder, designer, or architect.
The Civic Auditorium is the only surviving institutional
design of master architect and Santa Monica resident Welton Becket in the City
of Santa Monica. Becket is significant not only as a leading local designer,
but, internationally. His work is found
throughout the world with notable commissions in Cairo, Havana, Manila,
Honolulu, Tokyo, Boston, Philadelphia, Kansas City, and Dallas, and includes
numerous civic designs.
The Santa Monica Civic Auditorium is also significant for
its association with internationally renowned acoustical engineer Vern O.
Knudsen. Knudsen, a professor and
Chancellor of UCLA, was the world's leading authority on architectural
acoustics, and a master designer of acoustically significant facilities. An ardent researcher and author on
architectural acoustics, Knudsen wrote two seminal books and over one hundred
articles, which appeared in scientific and technical journals. As a consultant he was responsible for the
acoustical design of over five hundred structures. His principles in architectural acoustics became the
foundation for the design of contemporary soundstages. The systems developed for the Civic
Auditorium by Knudsen are still highly functional and have required minimal
maintenance over the last 43 years.
Therefore, the Civic Auditorium meets this designation criterion.
(6) It has a unique location, a singular physical
characteristic, or is an established and familiar visual feature of a
neighborhood, community or the City.
The Santa Monica Civic Auditorium has a unique location
within the Civic Center, at the bend of Main Street. Its grand scale, and
unique design with futuristic pylons, commands attention as one travels south
along Main Street. Pigmy Date Palm
trees frame the north entry to the building.
The Civic Auditorium is also a familiar and integral part of the Civic
Center complex. The Civic Auditorium is, thus, an important visual monument in
the City of Santa Monica. Therefore, the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium
satisfies this criterion.
ADDITIONAL DESIGNATION INFORMATION
As determined by the Landmarks Commission, the designation
of the Civic Auditorium includes the exterior of the building, the remaining
original pygmy palm trees as a secondary feature, and the following interior
elements located in public areas of the resource:
§
Configuration of
lobby spaces (first and second floors) and auditorium entry doors (height and
semi-circular shape of lobby, upper lobby shape reflective of lower lobby, and
columns contributing to the overall light, open and modernistic feeling);
§
Wood paneling along
south wall of first floor lobby;
§
Two original lobby
staircases;
§
Volume and
configuration of auditorium main hall space;
§
Adjustable auditorium
main hall floor with hydraulic lift mechanism;
§
Metal acoustical
panels and wall sconces in auditorium main hall;
§
Soundproof sliding
doors to conference room (adjacent to the east elevation).
VOTE
Ayes: Bloom, Genser, Holbrook, McKeown, O’Connor, and Mayor Feinstein
Nays: Katz
Abstain: None
Absent: None
NOTICE
If this is a final decision not subject to further appeal under the City of Santa Monica Comprehensive and Zoning Ordinance, the time within which judicial review of this decision must be sought is governed by Code of Civil Procedures Section 1094.6, which provision has been adopted by the City pursuant to Municipal Code Section 1.16.010.
I hereby certify that this Statement of Official Action
accurately reflects the final determination of the City Council of the City of
Santa Monica.
_____________________________ _____________________________
MARIA M. STEWART, City Clerk Date