M E M O R A N D U M

PLANNING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT

CITY OF SANTA MONICA

PLANNING DIVISION

DATE: March 11, 2002

TO: The Honorable Landmarks Commission

FROM: Planning Staff

SUBJECT: Landmark Designation LC-01-LM-007

236 Adelaide Drive – Isaac Milbank House

Public Hearing to Consider a Landmark Designation Application

PROPERTY OWNER: Mrs. Phila Caldwell

APPLICANT: Mrs. Phila Caldwell

INTRODUCTION

On December 10, 2001, Mrs. Phila Caldwell filed an application for Landmark Designation of her property located at 236 Adelaide Drive. On February 11, 2002, the Landmarks Commission unanimously voted to schedule a public hearing for formal consideration of the landmark designation for March 11, 2002.

BACKGROUND

The Isaac Milbank House at 236 Adelaide Drive is sited on a raised lot on the south side of Adelaide Drive, between Ocean Avenue and Fourth Street in the potential Adelaide Drive historic district. The property, built in 1911 as a summer retreat, was identified in the City’s Historic Resources Inventory as both individually eligible for local designation and as a contributing resource to a district that could be designated under local ordinance (Adelaide Drive District). Previous evaluation of the structure also found the structure to be eligible individually for the National Register of Historic Places.

The Landmarks Ordinance permits the Commission to designate a landmark if a structure under consideration meets one or more of the designation criteria. The Commission supported the initial analysis contained in the February 11, 2002 staff report indicating that the property appears to meet five of the six designation criteria, and directed staff to consider that the sixth criteria might also be applicable (see Statements of Significance, below).

PUBLIC NOTIFICATION

Pursuant to SMMC Section 9.36.120, notice of the public hearing was mailed to all owners and residential and commercial tenants of property within a 300-foot radius of the project and was published in the “California” section of The Los Angeles Times at least ten consecutive calendar days prior to the hearing. A copy of the notice is included as Attachment C.

ANALYSIS

The Landmarks Ordinance requires the Commission to review a building’s eligibility as a landmark based on the criteria discussed below. If designated, the Commission may consider applications for Certificates of Appropriateness for any proposed alteration, restoration, construction, removal, relocation, or demolition, in whole or in part, to the Landmark structure or parcel.

Statements of Significance

The Landmarks Ordinance permits the Commission to designate a landmark if the structure under consideration meets one or more of six criteria. These criteria and the statements of significance for the proposed property at 236 Adelaide Drive are as follows:

(1) It exemplifies, symbolizes, or manifests elements of the cultural, social, economic, political, or architectural history of the City.

The Isaac Milbank House was constructed in response to the 20th Century northward expansion of the City of Santa Monica. It was built as part of an early 20th century trend by wealthy Los Angeles families to build coastal vacation homes. It was one of the first such residences to be constructed along Adelaide Drive. The home remained a vacation retreat until it became the full-time residence of the current owner in the 1950’s. Throughout this time, the property has been maintained with very little change to the exterior and remains an excellent example of the Craftsman Style. As such, it reflects the social and architectural history of the City.

(2) It has aesthetic or artistic interest or value, or other noteworthy interest or value.

This single-family residential building is an excellent example of the Craftsman style, with its complex roofline, wide over-hanging eaves with exposed rafters, ribbon casement windows, and extensive use of shakes, as well as its ancillary structures (garage, shed and porte-cochere), mature landscaping (Morton Bay Fig and two Canary Island Palms) and circular drive. This building has been identified as the best example of the Craftsman style in the City of Santa Monica. Hence, this building meets this criterion.

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

This building is associated with the development of the City of Santa Monica’s resort industry and its expansion of weekend/beach dwellings. Furthermore, it is associated with Isaac Milbank, a nationally significant industrialist, corporate director, and oil industry investor, who made Los Angeles his permanent home, while maintaining a vacation residence in Santa Monica. As such, this property 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 Isaac Milbank House is an excellent example of the Craftsman style, the best such example in the City of Santa Monica, and retains good integrity. The architectural consistency of the design and the attention to detailing, including the design of accessory buildings makes this property one of the most valuable to a study of the early 20th Century Craftsman style in the City of Santa Monica.

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

The Isaac Milbank House is a significant example of the work of the Los Angeles master design firm, the Milwaukee Building Company (architects Meyer & Holler). This firm was a leading architectural practice in the City of Los Angeles during the first half of the 20th century. Many of the firm’s projects received local acclaim, and are considered outstanding local landmark designs. Alfred Willis (Dean of Library Services, Savannah College of Art & Design) recognized Meyer & Holler for their significant contributions in the “building of modern Los Angeles," and the City of Los Angeles noted that the firm was one of the most respected architectural firms in the city. This property, therefore, meets this 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.

This property was one of the first to be developed in the tract, and has long been a familiar visual feature of this neighborhood, remaining constant and relatively unaltered as the neighborhood has developed around it. The character of its architecture in many ways has set the tone for the street. In addition, the extensive canopy of the large and well-established Moreton Bay Fig Tree located on the north side of the back yard is visible from the street and adds to the character of this property as an established visual feature of the neighborhood. Therefore, the resource meets this criterion.

RECOMMENDATION

Based on the evaluation performed on this property, staff concludes that it meets all six of the designation criteria and recommends that the Commission designate the property at 236 Adelaide Drive as a City Landmark based on the findings outlined below. Staff recommends including in the designation the Moreton Bay Fig Tree and two Canary Island Palm Trees in the back yard as significant contributing landscaping features.

FINDINGS

Per SMMC 9.36.100 (a), staff recommends that the Landmarks Commission designate the Isaac Milbank House at 236 Adelaide Drive as a City landmark, including the Moreton Bay Fig Tree and two Canary Island Palm Trees in the back yard as significant contributing landscaping features, based on the following findings: