Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout1996-10-15 City Council (25)TO: FROM: City of Palo Alto City Manager’s Report HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL CITY MANAGER DEPARTMENT: Planning and Community Environment AGENDA DATE: October 15, 1996 CMR:437:96 SUBJECT:Urgency Ordinance Establishing Additional Exceptions to a Moratorium on Certain Development and Demolition of Older Residences REQUEST: This report transmits two alternative urgency ordinances that add either one or two additional exemption categories to the adopted Urgency Ordinance Establishing a Moratorium on Certain Development and Demolition of Older Residences. Alternative ordinance "A" adds an exemption category for any development project for which a complete application for a demolition permit has been received and filed on or before September 17, 1996. Alternative ordinance "B" includes the above exemption category and an exemption category for residences that are currently under a demolition moratorium under the authority of Chapter 16.49 of the Palo Alto Municipal Code. Both ordinances also include an administrative direction to staff to prepare the necessary historic preservation regulations immediately, before the interim regulations are effective. RECOMMENDATIONS: Staff recommends that the Council either: Adopt the attached ordinance version "A", or Adopt the attached urgency ordinance version "B". BACKGROUND On September 16, 1996, the City Council adopted an urgency ordinance establishing a moratorium on the demolition of residential structures built prior to 1940; directed staff to return to the Council on September 24 with recommendations regarding possible exceptions to the moratorium; agreed to consider on September 30 policy issues related to interim CMR:437:96 Page I of 3 regulations that would supersede the September 16 moratorium; and directed staff to develop interim regulations for consideration at the October 15, 1996 Council meeting. On September 24, 1996, the Council amended the urgency ordinance to add exceptions for projects that have submitted a complete building plan check application prior to September 7. 1996; projects that received a discretionary, planning approval (e.g., variance) prior to September 7, 1996 for which no additional City discretionary approval is necessary; projects that have received a discretionary planning approval (e.g., variance) prior to September 7, 1996 and which subsequently receive a City Council planning approval; and buildings that have been declared unsafe under Section 16.40 of the Palo Alto Municipal Code. POLICY IMPLICATIONS Version "A" of the urgency ordinance would allow two additional properties to have exceptions from the demolition moratorium. Version "B" would, in addition, exempt the three Landmark structures which are currently subject to a Chapter 16.49 demolition moratorium. DISCUSSION In the September 24 amendment to the urgency moratorium, staff inadvertently omitted two possible exemption categories. The first omission was for demolition permits that had been submitted prior to September 17, 1996. Under recently revised permit streamlining procedures, demolition permits are submitted to the Utilities Department rather than the Building Inspection Division. A complete demolition application was received during the week of September 9th for a residential structure, built in 1924, at 1341 Byron Street (a demolition permit for 872 Hamilton Avenue has been determined to be for a house built in 1940, and thus not subject to the moratorium). Neither property is listed on the City’s Historic Inventory. The second category of structure that was not identified by staff are the three residential structures that are currently under demolition moratoriums imposed by City Council. These properties are: 275 Lowell Street - A Category II structure built in 1914. A six-month demolition moratorium was adopted by the Council and expires on October 29, 1996. 453 Melville Avenue - A structure not listed on the Historic Inventory but located in the Professorville Historic District. The house was built in 1897. A six-.month demolition moratorium was adopted by the Council and expires on January 16, 1997. 1531 College Avenue - A Category I structure built in the 1890s. A twelve-month demolition moratorium was adopted by the Council and expires on July 5, 1997. CMR:437:96 Page 2 of 3 ALTERNATIVES The alternatives available to the Council are to add both categories of exemption, add one category of exemption, or not amend the urgency ordinance. FISCAL IMPACT There is no fiscal impact related to this item. ENVIRONMENTAL,,ASSESSMENT This item is exempt from the provisions of the California Environmental Quality. Act. ATTACHMENTS Urgency Ordinance Version "A" Urgency Ordinance Version "B" Historic Inventory Sheet -- 275 Lowell Street Historic Information re: 453 Melville Avenue Historic Inventory Sheet -- 1531 College Avenue CC:Architectural Review Board Historic Resources Board Planning Commission Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce Palo Alto Board of Realtors Speakers at the 9/16/96 Council Meeting PREPARED BY: Kenneth R. Schreiber DEPARTMENT HEAD REVIEW: KENNETH R. SCHREIBER Director of Planning and Community Environment CITY MANAGER APPROVAL: C~ CMR:437:96 Page 3 of 3 ORDINANCE NO. ORDINANCE OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALO ALTO ESTABLISHING ADDITIONAL EXCEPTIONS TO A MORATORIUM ON CERTAIN DEVELOPMENT AND DEMOLITION OF OLDER RESIDENCES, AND DECLARING THE URGENCY THEREOF, TO TAKE EFFECT IMMEDIATELY ,< © The City Council of the City of Palo Alto does ordain as follows: SECTION i. Findings. The Council finds and declares: A. At the regular City Council meeting of September 16, 1996, the Council enacted Ordinance No. 4369 as an urgency measure to preserve the public health and safety by temporarily prohibiting the demolition of residential structures originally constructed before 1940. Thereafter the City Council amended Ordinance No. 4639 to add exceptions for property owners who, although they had not yet acquired a legally vested right to proceed, had nonetheless made substantial investments in the preparation of demolition and reconstruction plans, equipment, and materials, all in good faith reliance upon the City zoning and building laws and regulations that existed before September 17, 1996. B. Since enactment of the above-referenced exceptions, City staff have identified an additional category of property owners who, for the reasons described above, should be allowed to proceed upon the-basis of the City zoning and building laws and regulations that existed before September 17, 1996. C. City staff have also concluded that it is necessary to have immediate Council direction to take the actions necessary to develop implementing historic preservation regulations pursuant to the proposed interim ordinance. D. It is necessary for the preservation of the public health and safety to enact as an urgency measure an ordinance which creates additional exceptions to the temporary demolition moratorium so that unreasonable economic hardships resulting from even a short-term delay can be avoided or minimized. SECTION 2.Additional Exceptions for Specified Development Projects and Buildings. The demolition prohibition in Section 3 of Ordinance No. 4639, as amended, shall not apply to the following development projects: i. Any development project for which a complete application for a demolition permit has been received and filed on or before September 17, 1996. SECTION 3. The Director of Planning and Community Environment is directed to commence immediately the preparation of written historic preservation regulations necessary to implement the proposed interim ordinance entitled, "ORDINANCE OF THE COUNCIL 961011 apc0051616 1 OF THE CITY OF PALO ALTO ADDING CHAPTER 16.50 OF THE PALO ALTO MUNICIPAL CODE TO ESTABLISH INTERIM REGULATIONS GOVERNING HISTORIC DESIGNATION AND DEMOLITION OF RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES BUILT BEFORE 1940 AND REVIEW OF THE DESIGN QUALITY AND NEIGHBORHOOD COMPATIBILITY OF REPLACEMENT STRUCTURES." SECTION 4. upon adoption. This ordinance shall be effective immediately SECTION 5. The Council finds that this project is exempt from the provisions of the Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA") because it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that this project will have a significant effect on the environment, and because this ordinance falls within the emergency project exception to CEQA set forth in Section 15268 of the CEQA Guidelines. This ordinance was introduced at a regular meeting of the Council of the City of Palo Alto which commenced on Tuesday, October 15, 1996, and was passed by a four-fifths vote of all Council members present at the meeting as follows: INTRODUCED AND PASSED: AYES: NOES: ABSTENTIONS: ABSENT : ATTEST:APPROVED: City Clerk APPROVED AS TO FORM: City Attorney Mayor City Manager Director of Planning and Community Environment 961011 apc 0051616 2 ORDINANCE NO. ORDINANCE OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALO ALTO ESTABLISHING ADDITIONAL EXCEPTIONS TO A MORATORIUM ON CERTAIN DEVELOPMENT AND DEMOLITION OF OLDER RESIDENCES, AND DECLARING THE URGENCY THEREOF, TO TAKE EFFECT IMMEDIATELY The City Council of the City of Palo Alto does ordain as follows: SECTION i. Findings. The Council finds and declares: A. At the regular City Council meeting of September 16, 1996, the Council enacted Ordinance No. 4369 as an urgency measure to preserve the public health and safety by temporarily prohibiting the demolition of residential structures originally constructed before 1940. Thereafter the City Council amended Ordinance No. 4639 to add exceptions for property owners who, although they had not yet acquired a legally vested right to proceed, had nonetheless made substantial investments in the preparation of demolition and reconstruction plans, equipment, and materials, all in good faith reliance upon the City zoning and building laws and regulations that existed before September 17, 1996. B. Since enactment of the above-referenced exceptions, City staff have identified ~!~!i!~:i:~i~i~i~!~i~:i:~~...~ of property owners who, for the reasons ’d~~~~~~"~d~~~"~’"’~~~~’’~e allowed to proceed upon the basis of the City zoning and building laws and regulations that existed before September 17, 1996. C. City staff have also concluded that it is necessary to have immediate Council direction to take the actions necessary to develop implementing historic preservation regulations pursuant to the proposed interim ordinance. D. It is necessary for the preservation of the public health and safety to enact as an urgency measure an ordinance which creates additional exceptions to the temporary demolition moratorium so that unreasonable economic hardships resulting from even a short-term delay can be avoided or minimized. SECTION 2.Additional Exceptions for Specified Development Projects and Buildings. The demolition prohibition’in Section 3 of Ordinance No. 4639, as amended, shall not apply to the following development projects: i. Any development project for which a complete application for a demolition permit has been received and filed on or before September 17, 1996. 961011 apc 0051619 1 SECTION 3. The Director of Planning and Community Environment is directed to commence immediately the preparation of written historic preservation regulations necessary to implement the proposed interim ordinance entitled, "ORDINANCE OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALO ALTO ADDING CHAPTER 16.50 OF THE PALO ALTO MUNICIPAL CODE TO ESTABLISH INTERIM REGULATIONS GOVERNING HISTORIC DESIGNATION AND DEMOLITION OF RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES BUILT BEFORE 1940 AND REVIEW OF THE DESIGN QUALITY AND NEIGHBORHOOD COMPATIBILITY OF REPLACEMENT STRUCTURES." SECTION 4. upon adoption. This ordinance shall be effective immediately SECTION 5. The Council finds that this project is exempt from the provisions of the Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA") because it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that this project will have a significant effect on the environment, and because this ordinance falls within the emergency project exception to CEQA set forth in Section 15268 of the CEQA Guidelines. This ordinance was introduced at a regular meeting of the Council of the City of Palo Alto which commenced on Tuesday, October 15, 1996, and was passed by a four-fifths vote of all Council members present at the meeting as follows: INTRODUCED AND PASSED: AYES: NOES: ABSTENTIONS: ABSENT: ATTEST:APPROVED: City Clerk APPROVED AS TO FORM: City Attorney Mayor City Manager Director of Planning and Community Environment 961011 apc 0051619 2 Sur~ of California -- Tt~e Re.J~Jr=:~s A~-nz~ DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HISTORIC RESOURCES INVENTORY .:NTIFICATION Cat.TT ~ ~M .....C Attachment 3 Lat...Lon ~,o__ ~ig.~ Adm T2 T3 Cst HA£~S HAER Fed Historic name, if known:Haehl Residence Street or rural address 275 Imwell/1680 Bryant Street City: Palo Alto " ZIP: Present owner, if known: 279-Adolph ~mc[ .~i%h ~a3 3~ -ABdress: Santa ClaraCounty: Same City:ZiP:Ownership is:Public [-"] "Private 5. Present Use:Residence Original Use:Residence Other past uses: DESCRIPTION 6.Briefly describe the present physical appearance of the site or structure and describe any major alterations from its original condition: The two-story stucco building at 275 Lowell was originally joined to the prin- cipal building at 1680 Bryant to form a single family residence. A one-story connecting wing was bulldozed in the mid-2Oth century creating two separate houses. It is a superb example, even in i~s mutilated state, of Thomas’ ability to fuse Prairie Style, Seeessionis~, Craftsman and PueBlo Kevival architectural expressions. 7. Locational sketch map (draw and label site and ¯ surrounding streets, roads, and prominent’landmarks): ¯ Z~ NORTH ¢-/ ) 3 (Rev. 7175) 8. Approximate property size: Lot size (in feet)Frontage 150 Depth .........150 ......’" or approx, acreage g. Condition: (check one) a. Excellent [’] b. Good ~c. Fair {’-’] I’- d..Deteri°rated, r--] e. No longer in existence [---] 10.- Is the feature a. AItered? ~ b, Unaltered? 11.Surroundings: (Check more than one if necessary) a. Open land [--] b. Scattered buildings [~ c, Densely built-up [’-] d. Residential ~ e. Commercia,f. , stria, F] ¯ g. Other r-] 12.Threats to site: a.: None known [~ b. Private development c. Zoning ~ d. Public Works project [~ ~3. ~ o~ ~ pho~9-~(d: 1978 TE The followin.q (Items 14-I.9) are for structures only. Primary exterior building material: a. Stone [] b. Brick [] f. Other [] ....... Is the structure: a. On its original sJte? ~ b. Moved? Year of initial c~nstruct}on 1914 This date is: a. Factual [-~ Architect (if known): John Hudson Thomas c. Stucco [~] d. Adobe [~ e. Wood [~ (Central portion of struc- c. Unknown?[] ture remeved ,creating 2 ~separate houses.)b. Estimated 5~ilder (if known): Original builder not known; studio addition 1996, Aro and ~erman Windmill D g. Watertower/tankhouse [] h. Other [~i. None [~] ~FICANCE 5riefly state historical and/or architectural importance (include dates, events, and persons associated with the site when I< nown) : ?his is a milestone design in the career of an important Bay Area designer, John Hudson Thomas. The original owners were Harry Lewis Haehl and wife }~ry (Burrel). Haehl (1877- 1949) was a mining and civil engineer who, after taking his engineer degree from Stanford in 1901, lived in Palo Alto until his death. He served on the board of the city’s high school district until unification of the school system. In 1936, the property was purchased by Frank J. and E~genia (Jean) M. Frost, who divided it and ~dded a studio. Frost was a distinguished amateur musician a~d patron of music. He was trained as a mining engineer who became treasurer of Standard Oil of New Tork ~.~ vice-president of Guaranty Trus.t Co. Upon rearmament to OJai, he e~tabllshed OJai V~ey School and the OJal ~sic Festival in the early 1920s. ~ovi~g to Wash- "- ingtcm, D.C., he founded the National Sympho~ Orchestra and Washington String Q~artet. The Frosts came ~o Palo Alto ~_n 1935, and their hmme and studio becamm a ¢~mmunlty music center. ~ms. Frost was president of the International Women’s League for a number of years and, after her husbknd’s death in 1939, reta~ed the house unti~he early Main theme o! the historic resource: (Checkonly one): a. Architecture Z’L~_J b. Arts& Leisure L_J c. Economic/Industrial [~F d. Exploration/Settlement [’--] e. Government F-’] f. Military g. Religion [’--] h. Social/Education 22 Sources: List books, documents, surveys, personal interviews, am:l their dates: Bay Area Guide to Architecture Palo Alto Historical Association.files 8 ,Z985 . .EE Date form prepared:l_.~.~ ~._~.~/~y (name): H&s~r3.c kesources .Boa:z~_: P.A. l~Lst. Assn. Address:250 Hamilton Ave ....City Palo Alto, Ca 9&301 ZIP: Phone:Organization: (State Use Only) ~-~$ince then it has bee Ballet, and his wife Edl was first occupied separ~ Charles J. (Jerry) Simps, expert; .hXs S~n Francisc, anted more than 200 Bay first judge in ~dera Co~ Burbank plan the lamdsca~ leadar in the Los Angels’ Simpsons from 1968 an attorney in the law f~ the home of the .internationally-known pianist, Adolph ,h. ~e portion of the property at 1680 Bryant Street ~tely in 1946 by W.S. Allen Jr., followed (1955-66) by ~n a~i his wife Venice. Simpson was a labbr relations firm, the Na$ional Labor Bureau, at one time repres- ~rea labor unions. His pioneer ancestors included the sty, a pioneer landscape architect who helped Luther ~- ~Ing for early Los Angeles, and (his father) ~ early lumber a~d sash-and-door industry. Following the the ’70s were Clayton O. and Tannisee Rost; Rost was rm of EIJ_iott Robertson and Roar. Attachment 4 453 MELVILLE ¯ House built 1897 by J.W. Wells, builder, for Irene Hardy .(Live Oak 2/3/97 attached) ,Footprint of house on Sanborn Insurance maps the same in 1901, t904, 1908, 1924 and 1945. (1901 and 1945 maps attached) Footprint of house on maps and current house seem to be at same location on lot. House is shown as being one story with a frame partition across the front on all the Sanborn maps At the time of Irene Hardy’s death in 1922 ELlen Coit Elliot-t, wife of Stanford’s first secretary and registrar, wrote a poem about Irene Hardy which mentions "The porch glassed in". (poem attached) There is a Nassed in porch on the current house. ¯ irene Hardy, the origina! owner of the house, was a member of the Stanford English faculty from 1894 until 1901 when she retired. She also wrote poetry including one called "Palo Alto Hills". (obituary attached) The present house has obviously been remodelled as it now has a second story and also an extra one story piece at the back, but it does seem that the core, or perhaps the fn’st floor of the house?, is the original cottage. Live Oak, February 3, 1897 This ~s.~miat+imt +s ~me of t, hp -tr,,n~pst+ h~ 1,hu v:~lh’.v and ht~.s (:tnd J~. Immt: (Jr t, lmir ,)\vn) r~ll,mhl J.W. Wells has contracted to erect a cottage, at a cost of $1000, for Miss Irene Hardy,instructor in English at Stanford. The building will be located on Melville avenue, between Waverly and Cowper. ~ ". f; L "i AN IVORY MASK CFo, ~.r.~,*~__E~,ra~’, J,,,,~ 6. ’9=.) An ivory mask. Gone the suffusing tint of hidden pulses, The tips’ blue-carmine gone. The clouded eyes Gaze no more, sightless, toward the warm sun, But smoothly closed lie under curving lids. ~he noble aspect o~ the chiseled ~ace~ Crowned sohly still with silver hinting gold~ ¯ he li~t o~ brow and chin, Speak frankly o~ the austere day now done: Only a conqueror ~rries such a pride. And she has left k here, this ivory mask, For us to wreathe with roses till they die, And then, farewell. Even this exquisite shape Wc may not have, but all forego To knmv her~spirit. How she smiles, regarding us Tcndcrly from behind the transparent veil; How she sces with wide, bright eyes, the oaks. The grass, the border [lowcrs. the knocker on the d~r; The porch glassed in. hcr books, her couch, Her table there; the inner room And the great, cushioned chair where she has sat Enthroned, now heaped with blue larkspur, in memoD’. Oh. she is not a memory--ever a presence~ She will leave us soon, not linger here, Bu~ eagerly quest forward on ~he trail She (oIlowed long blindfolded. We, as we sought her here must seek her there [n her own shrine, and ~oIlow, i~ we lollow, At a pace. Yet in the timeless realm XVe know her lor a presence, as before. An ivo~" mask, the best that earth can carve, And greatly done. Cold, pure in deathless beauty, Not ea.~c nor comfortable chance Cut every contour, true and left no trace Of one unworthy line: but she .and life \Vrought hard together down the hindering years. For such a gift we thank thee. $culpto’r Life. ~EIIc~ Colt EF, i¢:: Dies A~Cter Illness of Few Days F U N E R A L Pioneer ’Member" o[ " ngtish Facuhy Verse Widely Known " :... -.Mi~s Irene Nardy,-for~er. mere- . ber’of the S~anford English £acul~y, ~one of the pioneer teachers of Eng- lish in California, ~nd known more .,widely ~s a. writer of verse, died her home at 453 Mebq]]e A~enu’e night after an illness of.;~ur pneumgnia berg the cause of :The ~funeral will be held at her late home at 3 o’clock tomorrow ernoon, ~o which friends are Invlted. Miss .Hard:," was a native of Yel- low Springs, Ohio, and.we% 81 y~ars :.of age. ;Although she held a plaGe of activity for many years.ln educa-~ tional circles, she had lived in tirement for the lasL fifteen years, .having suffered the hnndigap -of tel blindnes~, but .her mentality was$ ~unim~aired. One of Palo Alto’s No.hies M~ss Hzrdv wzs one o£ Palo Ako’s~ lish Jn Cslifozniz, she h~s influe~ced~ the [ezchin~ o~ composifi~n espec~-~~lty throu~hou~ H{e S~[e. She came. zo ~alfforni~ in lST1 [or her hezlth. here. ’For ~wehe years she ~s Oakland High School t0]towin~ I Professor S£11~’ work snd con%inuin~{ his method~. M~ny z m~n , ~ow , ceived his inspiration. ~rom her ~[~s ;exDressm~ Hze -sppreclz~lon.-her: ;[orn*er sLuden:s=[el[ 4or’her service’ ,~o them Jn 6pen~n~ £heJr eyes ~o~ [he rMiss Hard)" came to Stanford in IS94, where she gave courses ;American literature, composition and, .short story- writing,- holding her pro- ~,.fessorship until 1901. Noied as Poet Miss Hard)- was known widely a peel A l[~tle book of verse was published in 1902 in San Francisco, and is now rarelyseen, for half the edition was destroyed, in a book store fire and the remaining volumes " Mis’s .Hardy began her teachingicareer far earlier than is possible nowadays, " .conducting a country. schoo! at the age of 16. Later, .she taught in ABtioeh Preparatory School.~ Iowa, an’d. thus "earned money- for, her tultion.’.~ " " " ’- . ’ Antioch Colleee was the alma mater, the Iirs~ college, Miss Hardy "once said, to’offer more than a ]adylike course to women. Oberlin ~hough an older co:educational ins~i- ~tu~ion,:dld no~ allow women to grad- .ua~e’on--the same platform with the ~men. Antioch’s firs~ president, was ~Horace Man~, the first of liberal ed- [ ucator~[In OoHe~e [n Civil :War ~ays - " A~ .the time hiis~ Hardy)attended ’Antioch College’, in 15~i, the Civil Wa~ had begun, and this creatdd the unusual ratio - of -more women ’~men. Every day, Miss ~ard~- re- membered. men a~uden~s dropped out fo enlist, until, in I~63, the col- lege was forced to close for ~ year. The student body, during these war y~ars, was reduced to about ~S0 in numbS, and this gave opportunity for contac~ with the splendid faculty the firgt~ president .had attracted from New En~land educational’ cen- ters. Thi~. Miss ~ardy considered. d~e mos~ valuable par~ of her college training, n par~ often entirely missed in the crowded u~iversities of the present day. O~her valuable traiuing came with the preparation of papers and ~he mutual criticism in a society, and in wide reading. To read widely was early taught the poet by her raffler, who was a teach- or. ~- . Pale Al~ans feel an especial debt to Mi~ Hardy, for in her poetry she expressed her lore’of the, ~eau~y in local ~urroundings. Here is a sample of her ver~e, which is one of the poems published in her book. Its title is "P~o Alto Hills.". The verse follows : When. some fair eve, in lands afar. I walk where fancy wills, And one shall say, "So beams that star - On PMo Alto Hills,". I~ needs must be the star Will pale, . And seem less kindly "near, Than if, through tears, the voice should fail To name a name so dear. For tranquil are the days to me And charmed from old-time Ills, By windows fa~ing field and ~ree, A~d Pale Alto Hills; There cloud and shine such dream- land sl]ow Of purpl~ cud of mist. I sometimes think I almost know. The look of amethyst. And chrysolite and chrysoprase of Miss Hardy’s work which began when she was in colleo_e. .Many of ha poems appeare~ in California’s famous Over- land Month.Iv and more r.ecently in t~e Suns~ Maga- Z1De. State of California -- The Re~>JrC~ Agency Dr-PARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HISTORIC RESOURCES INVENTORY IDENTIFICATION Cat. 3" ~.i [ I, Common name: U’TM ............ L~t Adm__ T2 Attachment 5 Site MO.Yr. Q NR __ SHL Lon Era Sig -- Cat__HAaS _...~..HAE R -- Fed -- 2. Historic name, if known: 3. Street or rural add.tess .....15~,l, Colle~ Avenue ZIP: ....... (earli~, ~J+08 and lllS.Palo Alto Avenue) County: Santa Clara Address: 58 ~Street ZIP: Ownership is: Public [~ ~esidenti a! city: Palo A!to 4. Present owner, if known: J. Guerrez’o City:~ Fra.nci~ cot Ca 5. Present Use: Residential Original Use: Private [] Other past uses: DESCRIPTION 6. Briefly describe thepresent physlcal a~pe~ranc~ of the site or structure and desc’ribe any major alterations from its original condition: This small house is m~e visual~v outst~.nding .by genius use of mzchlned ornaments. Although the general image and most of the ornamentation derives from Queen Anne styling, there are ~some Stick Style elememts, as w~. .The hous~ retains its rails and newel’posts as well as its water towmr. : 7.Locational sketch map (draw and label Site and sur=ounding streets, roads, and prominent landmarks): ~NORTH ~ 573. (R~. 7175) 8. Approximate property s~ze: Lot size (in feet)Frontage ,, Depth 115 .... or approx, acreage 9.Condition: (check one} ~. Excellent d. Deteriorated ~ 10. Is the feature b. Good r-I e. No longer in existence a. Altered? ~ 11.Surroundings! (Check more than one if necessary) a. Open land [~ " b. Scattered buildings D c. Densely built-up ~ d. Resldential ~] e. Commercial [~f. lndustria~ ~ g. Other ~ ¯ 12, Threats to site: a. None known ~] .b. Private development C. Zoning ~ d. Public Workspro}ect [~ e. Vandalism [~ t. Other [~ l TS t,’O TE: The folio wing (Ite~n$14.1~) are for structur~ ~nlW. 14. ~ima~ exterior building m~t~ial: a. Stone ~ b. B~ ~ f. Other ~ 15. Is the stature: a. On itsorigi~l ~te? ~ b. ~? ~ 16. Year of initial~truction ~8 This date is: a. F~a~ ~b. E~imated ~ e. Wood 17. Architect (if known): 18, Builder (if known): ¯ pump originally run by noisy one-cy]zLnder gasoline engineSt=~NIFICANCE Briefly state ~nis is a superb, elaborately-decorated I~een Arme cottage. Among builders o£ the time mud locale who might have put it ~rp for Ale~er Gordon, developer of Co]_lege Terrace, were Wi]_liam Peacock (builder of the slm!larly-elaborate, but larger, Decker house at 510 Waverley Street in 1904)~ P.P. Q~uLun ar~ E.A. Hettinger, who b~t in Mayfield as well as Palo Alto in the !89Os, ar~ L.S. Bean, who b~t a nearby house in 1904. Like the houses at i~7 and 1528 College Avenue, it was meant to be a model or "c~me-on" house, according to Birge Clark, who grew up nearby in the 1890s. By 189~. its occupants were the O.C.. (Carter) Coffin ramie, whose daughter Bessie and soz James, began their undergraduate studies at Stanfor~ in German (Bessie, A.B. 1898) a~d Lat~u (James, A.B. 1900, ~.A. 1902). ~he three or four family cows supplied milk to the neighbors. ~e Goffins apparently were renters, for it was Alexander Gordon ~ho sold the house in 1905 to Ann Eliza Reed and her sister, Clara Hackley, of Syracuse, N.T. F~s. Hackley’s son Robert attended Stanford and becam~ a well-establlshed civil engineer on the Peni~ historical and/or ar~hite~tura! importance (irwzlude dates, events, and persons associated with the site when known) : (see 353 Melville Avenue).. Her*** 21. Main theme of the h,storic resoJrce: (Che~k only one): a. Architecture ~l b. Arls & Leisure [~ C. Economic/Industrial ~ d. Exploration~ettlement [-"l e. Government I--~ f. Military g Religion D h: Social/Education "[~] 22. Sources: List books, documents, surveys, personal interviews, and their dates: P.A. City D:Lrectories; P.A. Ti~.~s 9/1A/O~, 10/27/48, i1/15/69; Stanford University Alumni Directory (Z957); ..,.,Gone To=orro~?, p. 60; Book 293 (Deeds), p. l~, 6/3~3/05; ]Book 319 (Dee6s), p. 36, 3/1/07; Book 486 (Deeds), p. 63, 3/20/19 (Santa Clara Co. Recorder); interview-1985, Mary Lou (Hackley) Vivanco; 1986, Birge Clark; U.S. Census 19OO, Santa Clara Co.,d-k+ 23. Date form prepared:~ By (name):.JAnet London... H~Btorde Resources Boa_~d,.- P.A. HiBt.A~sn. Address: .....250 Hamilton Ave City Palo Alto, Ca 9~301 ZIP: P~one:Organization: (State Use Only) brother~ Albert L. Trowbridge, and his bridge became an assistant .con~ maintenance at Stanford. school before her marriage in Church in Palo Alto. The Reed. the property to a neighbor, in 1919. Flood was an Army ca School in San Francisco, 1919- 19~0-19~6, Mrs. Lily L. Ball o~ until 1981. It has been occup: ~fe Alma, also lived in the house. Trow- ;roller and engineer in charge .of operations and Trowbridge was an accomplished husician who taught .928, a~i was a vocal soloist at St. Thomas Aquinas Hackley-Tro~bridge tenure ended with the sale of .est L. Walker, and re-sale to W.J. and ~my F. Flood ~tain who supervised the R.O.T.C. at ~ssion High .928. ~he Floods kept the house until~ 193A. From :cupied the house, followed by short-term tenants - .ed since then by JeweL1 C. Hines. City of Palo Alto Historic Resources Inventory Detail Date: 25-Jan-95 Historic Building Inventory ID:120 location status Ownership use description Historic name: Common or current name: Number & street: 1531 College Avenue City: Palo Alto Alternate Address: Past Address: 1408 and 1115 Palo Alto Avenue Category: 1 Historical District:. Owner: J. Guerrero Address: 58 Dolley Street City: San Francisco, CA Present: Residential Original: Residential Past: ZIP:County: Santa Clara ZIP: [] National Registry [] State Registry public ~ private This small house is made visually outstanding bY generous use of machined ornaments. Although the. general image and most of the ornamentation derives from Queen Anne styling, there are some Stick Style elements, as well. The house retains its rails and newel posts as well as its water tower. Photo Date: 1978 ¯. Property Size frontage: 50 depth: 115 acreage: Condition: deteriorated Alteration: Unaltered Surroundings: [] Open [] Residential [] Scattered Buildings [] Commercial [] Densely Built [] Industrial Othec Threats: [] None Known [] -Vandalism [] Private Developmen Other: [] Public Works [] Zoning page 22 ! description (cont.) significance SOUrCeS Architect: Builder: Date: 1890s O factua{ Notes: estimated Exterior Material: wood Other Material: Origina! Site: original Theme: archite~ure Features: [] Barn [] F~rmal Garden [] Outhouse [] Cardage House "[] Windmill [] Shed OtherFeatures: pump originally run by noisy one-cylinder gasoline engine [] Watertower [] None This is a superb, elaborateriy decoratd Queen Anne cottage. Among builders of the time and locate who might have put it up for Alexander Gordon, developer of College Terrace, were William Peacock (builder of the similarly-elaborate, but larger, Decker house at 510 Waveriy Street in 1904); P.P. Quinn and E.A. Hettinger, who buitt a nearby house in 1904. Like the houses at 1487 and 1528 College Avenue, it was meant to be a model or "come-on" house, according to Birge Clark, who grew up nearby in the 1890s. By 1894 its occupants were the O.C. (Carter) Coffin family, whose daughter Bessie and son James, began - their undergraduate sludies at Stanford in German (Bessie, A.B. 1898) and Latin (James, A.B. 1900, M.A. 1902). The three or four family cows supplied milk to the neighbors. The Goffins were apparently renters, for it was Alexander Gordon who sold the house in 1905 to Ann Eliza Reed and her sister, ClaraHackley, of Syracuse, N.Y. Mrs. Hackley’s son Robert attended Stanford and became a well-established civil engineer on the Peninsula (see 353 Melville Avenue). Her brother, Albert L. Trowbddge, and his wife Alma, also lived in the house. Trowbddge became an assistant ¢ontrotler and engineer in charge of operations and maintenance at Stanford. Mrs. Trowbridge was an accomplished musician who taught s~hool before her marriage in 1928, and was a vocal soloist at St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Palo Alto. The Reed-Hackiey-Trowbddge tenure was ended with the sale of the property to a neighbor, Ernest L. Walker, and re-sa!e to W.J. and Mary F. Flood in 1919. Flood was an army captain who supervised the ROTC at Mission High School in San Francisco, 1919-1928. The Floods kept the house until 1934. " . From 1940-1946, Mrs. Lily L. Ball occupied the house, followed by short-term tenants until 1961. It has been occupied since then by Jewell C. Hines. P.A. City Directories; P.A. Times 9/14/1904, 10/27/48, 11115/69; Stanford University Alumni Directory (1957); AAUW"..Gone Tomorrow?", p.60; Book 293 (Deeds), p. 193, 6113105; Book 319 (Deeds), p. 36, 311107; Book 486 (Deeds), p. 63, 3120119 (Santa Clara Co. Recorder); interview 1985, Mary Lou (Hackley) Vivanco; 1986,Birge Clark; U.S. Census 1900, Santa Clara Co. Roll 110, E.D. 53, p.6. preparation Organization: By: Janet London; Historic Resources Board; P.A. Date: 1978, 1986 DB Record Date: 6/24/94 Address: 250 Hamilton Avenue City: Palo Alto State: CA ZIP: 94301 Phone: page 222