HomeMy WebLinkAbout24821RESOLUTION NO. 24821
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA, DESIGNATING "THE DR.
FRANZ ALEXANDER RESIDENCE" LOCATED AT
1011 WEST CIELO DRIVE, A CLASS 1 (LANDMARK)
HISTORIC SITE, (HSPB #132), APN# 504-201-024.
THE CITY COUNCIL FINDS AND DETERMINES AS FOLLOWS:
WHEREAS, Chapter 8.05 of the Palm Springs Municipal Code allows for the
designation of historic sites and districts; and
WHEREAS, on July 13, 2020, Nicholas Pepper, owner, submitted an application
to the City seeking Class 1 historic site designation of the Dr Franz Alexander
Residence located at 1011 West Cielo Drive; and
WHEREAS, on August 6, 2020, members of the Historic Site Preservation Board
(HSPB) and City staff conducted site inspections of the proposed historic resource; and
WHEREAS, on September 1, 2020, a noticed public hearing of the Palm Springs
Historic Site Preservation Board to consider Case HSPB #132 was held in accordance
with applicable law; and
WHEREAS, at the said hearing, the HSPB carefully reviewed and considered all
of the evidence presented in connection with the hearing on the project, including, but
not limited to, the staff report and all written and oral testimony presented and voted 4-
0-2 (Dixon, Rosenow absent) to recommend that the City Council designate the Dr.
Franz Alexander Residence a Class 1 Landmark historic site; and
WHEREAS on October 22, 2020, a noticed public hearing of the City Council to
consider Case HSPB #132 was held in accordance with applicable law; and
WHEREAS, at the said hearing the City Council carefully reviewed and
considered all of the evidence presented in connection with the hearing on the project,
including, but not limited to the staff report and all written and oral testimony presented.
THE CITY COUNICL OF THE CITY OF PALM SPRINGS RESOLVES:
SECTION 1: FINDINGS — PART "A", CRITERIA FOR HISTORIC RESOURCES.
Evaluation of the Application. Pursuant to Municipal Code Section 8.05.070 (C), in
considering a recommendation to designate the site as a Class 1 or 2 historic resource
the HSPB evaluated the application and made findings of conformance with the
following criteria:
Resolution No. 24821
Page 2
Criteria for the Designation of Class 1 Historic Resources. A site, structure, building or
object may be designated as a Class 1 historic resource, provided both of the following
findings are met:
a. The site, structure, building or object exhibits exceptional historic
significance and meets one or more of the criteria listed below:
The Franz residence exhibits exceptional historic significance because of its association
with internationally renowned psychoanalyst Dr. Franz Alexander and because of its
uniquely expressive, organic architectural design.
(Criterion 1) The resource is associated with events that have made a
meaningful contribution to the nation, state or community;
The report does not identify any events associated with the site, thus the site does not
qualify under Criterion 1.
(Criterion 2) The resource is associated with the lives of persons who
made a meaningful contribution to national, state or local history;
Beginning on page 39, the report analyzes the Alexander Residence for conformance
with the Criteria established in the City's historic preservation ordinance. The report
identifies the home's first owner Dr. Franz Alexander as a person who made a
meaningful contribution to the profession of .psychoanalysis at an international level.
According to the report, Alexander is considered "the father of American
psychoanalysis". The report notes in terms of both fame and influence, Alexander was
second only to Sigmund Freud. Alexander was still active in his professional career
during the period in which the home was designed, constructed and occupied, thus the
site is associated with Alexander during his productive period, a stipulation outlined in
the National Register bulletin titled, "How to Apply the National Register Criteria for
Evaluation". Thus the Franz Residence qualifies as a historic resource under Criterion 2.
(Criterion 3) The resource reflects or exemplifies a particular period of
national, state or local history;
The report asserts that the Alexander residence reflects the Post World War II period in
the development of Palm Springs when many businesses and homeowners embraced
the Modern architectural style for the design of their businesses and homes. The
home's design exemplifies the relaxed lifestyle of the post -World War II era with no
reference to the traditional "revival" styles popular in Palm Springs and elsewhere
during the pre -World War II period. As such the Alexander residence qualifies as a
historic site under Criterion 3.
(Criterion 4) The resource embodies the distinctive characteristics of a
type, period or method of construction;
The Alexander residence is a noteworthy example of steel frame construction applied in
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an expressive, artistic manner. Supporting the roof on thin steel columns allowed for
the expansive wall of glass along the south facade. The steel frame construction also
allowed for flexibility in the location and placement of partitions and walls, since their
placement was not dependent on the structural needs of the roof. Furthermore the
cambered steel beams allowed for the gentle upswept curving lines of the roof plane; all
distinctive characteristics of its method of construction. For these reasons the
Alexander Residence qualifies under Criterion 4.
(Criterion 5) The resource presents the work of a master builder,
designer, artist, or architect whose individual genius influenced his age, or
that possesses high artistic value;
The Alexander Residence was designed by Walter S. White. The structural engineering
was by Stanley E. Malora and the home was constructed by the firm Rooth & Carr. The
report provides a detailed account of White's architectural career, having interned at
Taliesin West under Frank Lloyd Wright and worked with notable architects such as
Rudolf Schindler, John Porter Clark and Albert Frey. The report characterizes White as
an architect who paid careful attention to the site conditions, not only in terms of views
but also prevailing winds, local materials (stone), solar impacts and other environmental
factors. His design for the Alexander residence reflects this site -specific approach with
a large expanse of glass facing the views to the south while turning its "back" against
the prevailing winds. The upswept roof line can be seen as a physical expression of the
windy conditions at the site while the locally -quarried stone, dubbed "Mexican driftwood"
contributes to the home's integration with the site. The highly expressive and organic
nature of the forms and materials used in the design of the Alexander residence give it a
strong artistic quality thereby justifying its qualification as a historic site under Criterion
5.1
(Criterion 6) The resource represents a significant and distinguishable
entity whose components may lack individual distinction, as used in
evaluating applications for designation of historic districts, for parcels on
which more than one entity exists, or
The report does not assert that the Alexander residence qualifies under Criterion 6.
(Criterion 7) The resource has yielded or may be likely to yield
information important to national, state or local history or prehistory.
No information has been provided in the historic resources report on any pre -historic
significance of the site.
SECTION 2 — FINDINGS PART "B" — ANALYSIS OF INTEGRITY.
' Although the report asserts White to be a master architect, no evidence was provided to support the
notion that his skills as an architect influenced his age or the profession of architecture in general,
however the home's high artistic value qualifies it as a historic site under Criterion 5.
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Analysis of Integrity. (PSMC 8.05.070 (C,1,b). The site, structure,
building or object retains one or more of the following aspects of integrity,
as established in the Secretary of the Interior's Standards: integrity of
design, materials, workmanship, location, setting, feeling, or association.
The application includes an evaluation of the site relative to the seven aspects or
qualities of integrity, as recognized by the National Register of Historic Places. The
seven aspects or qualities include location, design, setting, materials, workmanship,
feeling, and association. The report concludes that the Las Palmas Liquors building
retains a high degree of integrity. Below is the City Counicl's evaluation of the site's
integrity.
1. Location:
The Alexander residence remains in the same location that it was constructed, thus it
retains integrity of location.
2. Design:
Although there have been some modifications to the home, the design of the major
alterations and additions were also credited to Walter S. White. Thus the Alexander
residence possesses a high degree of design integrity and has been well maintained.
3. Setting:
The setting of the Alexander residence, within a rugged rock and boulder -strewn site
remains as it was from the time of its construction; it thus retains integrity of Setting.
4. Materials. -
The Alexander residence is a steel frame building clad in glass, wood, and locally
quarried rock. The material composition of the home remains intact. The additions
constructed in the 1980's are carefully integrated using similar materials. Thus the
home exhibits a high degree of material integrity.
5. Workmanship:
The workmanship in the Alexander residence reflects high quality craftsmanship typical
of a custom designed and built residence. The rock walls are beautifully laid up
reflecting a high degree of skilled craftsmanship on the part of the stone mason. Thus
the home retains integrity of workmanship.
6. Feeling:
The casual informal living style expressed in the Alexander residence with its large
expanses of glass that create a strong visual connection between the inside and outside
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of the home is still intact. The home continues to exude a comfortable sense of casual
"indoor / outdoor" living and thus retains integrity of feeling.
7. Association:
The association with Dr. Franz Alexander is well documented in the report and the
home also retains its association with architect Walter S. White, structural engineer
Stanley Malora and builder Rooth & Carr; thus integrity of Association remains strong.
SECTION 3: DEFINING HISTORIC CHARACTERISTICS
In considering a recommendation for historic resource designation it is important to
distinguish those physical elements that are original or from the period of significance
that contribute to the resource's historic significance from alterations, additions or
features that were added at a later time that may be sympathetic to the original
character, but which may create a false sense of historicity. Distinguishing original
character -defining features from non -original elements aids the HSPB when it is tasked
with evaluating future alterations to the historic resource.
The physical character -defining historic features of this resource include the following:
1. Its expressionistic, organic style of architecture.
2. The upswept lines of the roof and the 2 x 4 wood roof deck exposed on the
underside of the roof.
3. The horizontal shade element on the south fagade and the expansive wall of
glass on the south fagade.
4. The V-shaped steel columns and angled steel railing at the upper level of the
home.
5. The natural unpainted "Mexican driftwood" stone walls.
6. The vertical redwood siding.
7. The clerestory windows.
8. The cantilevered pendant chandelier on the east elevation.
9. The round swimming pool.
10. The palm trees (from the landscape design by the Moortens)
11. The landscape at the front entry to the residence.
The non-contributing features include the following:
1. The guest house built in the 1990's.
2. The hot tub.
3. The landscape except as noted above.
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SECTION 4: ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
The proposed historic resource designation is not subject to the California
Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) (the activity will not
result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment)
and 15060(c)(3) (the activity is not a project as defined in Section 15378) of the CEQA
Guidelines, California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Chapter 3, because it has no
potential for resulting in physical changes to the environment, directly or indirectly.
SECTION 5: CONDITIONS THAT APPLY TO CLASS 1 HISTORIC SITES.
According to Section 8.05 of the Municipal Code, the following shall apply to a Class 1
Historic Resource:
1. It shall meet the definition of a historic site as outlined in Municipal Code Section
8.05.020.
2. An archival file on the property shall be maintained by the City.
3. It may be qualified as 'historic' at the federal, state, and/or county level.
4. The structure/site may not be modified nor objects removed without following the
procedures outlined in Municipal Code Section 8.05.110 "Demolition or Alteration
of Class 1 and Class 2 Historic Resources — Certificate of Appropriateness".
5. A marker explaining the historic nature of the site may be installed at the site in a
location viewable from the public way.
6. Compliance with all rules and regulations for Historic Sites and Historic Districts
under Chapter 8.05 of the Municipal Code shall be required.
7. The site shall not be further subdivided.
8. The City Clerk shall submit the Council Resolution to the County recorder for
recordation within 90 days of the effective date of the Council's resolution.
Based upon the foregoing, the City Council designates "The Dr. Franz Alexander
Residence located at 1011 West Cielo Drive, a Class 1 (Landmark) Historic Resource
(Case HSPB #132).
ADOPTED THIS 12t" DAY OF NOVEMBER, 2020.
David H. Ready, City ger
ATTEST:
4tah`ony J. erk
Resolution No. 24821
Page 7
CERTIFICATION
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE ) ss.
CITY OF PALM SPRINGS)
I, ANTHONY J. MEJIA, City Clerk of the City of Palm Springs, hereby certify that
Resolution No. 24821 is a full, true and correct copy, and was duly adopted at a regular
meeting of the City Council of the City of Palm Springs on November 12, 2020, by the
following vote:
AYES:
Councilmembers
and Mayor Kors
NOES:
None
ABSENT:
None
ABSTAIN:
None
RECUSED:
None
Garner, Middleton, Woods, Mayor Pro Tern Holstege,
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the official seal of
the City of Palm Springs, California, this `1y day of -ec�,,,,, ht,i Zo z�
nth J. M ji Jerk
City of Palm prings, C ifornia