HomeMy WebLinkAboutITEM 2B_1150 N CALLE ROLPH_HSPB 156
HISTORIC SITE PRESERVATION BOARD
STAFF REPORT
DATE: May 7, 2024 PUBLIC HEARING
SUBJECT: AN APPLICATION BY TODD HAYS FOR HISTORIC DESIGNATION OF
THE “ALBERT FREY BEL VISTA HOME #3” LOCATED AT 1150 NORTH
CALLE ROLPH, CASE HSPB #156. (APN #507-124-011) (SY).
FROM: Department of Planning Services
SUMMARY
The current owner, Todd Hays, completed the restoration of the single-family home
addressed 1150 N. Calle Rolph and is seeking reclassification of the property from a
Class 4 site to a Class 1 historic landmark. Architect Albert Frey designed a modest
floorplan that was used for the Bel Vista tract development of 15 affordable homes. 1150
N. Calle Rolph was completed in 1946, which is its period of significance.
If designated as a historic resource, the property would be subject to the regulations
outlined in Section 8.05 of the Palm Springs Municipal Code.
RECOMMENDATION:
1. Open the public hearing and receive public testimony.
2. Close the public hearing and adopt Resolution HSPB #156, “A RESOLUTION OF
THE HISTORIC SITE PRESERVATION BOARD OF THE CITY OF PALM
SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA, RECOMMENDING THAT THE CITY COUNCIL
DESIGNATE THE “ALBERT FREY BEL VISTA HOME #3” LOCATED AT 1150
NORTH CALLE ROLPH, AS A CLASS 1 (LANDMARK) HISTORIC RESOURCE
HSPB #156, SUBJECT TO CONDITIONS (APN #507-124-011).”
BACKGROUND AND SETTING:
Research indicates that the Bel Vista subdivision is the only completed housing tract in
Palm Springs by Albert Frey that was economical housing subsidized by the government.
The site placement of each home is different on the individual lots to create differing visual
and spatial conditions. The use of conventional materials and utilitarian design features
reflects Frey’s knowledge to the International Style.
Historic Site Preservation Board Staff Report: May 7, 2024
HSPB-156 – Albert Frey Bel Vista Home #3
Page 2 of 8
Historic Context Statement “Post-World War II Palm Springs (1945-1969)”1
After World War II, the demand for residential development was almost immediate and
the construction of single-family housing took shape in various forms, including tract
development. Bel Vista is considered one of the rare examples of wartime housing that
had to adhere to specific design guidelines because it was a project that was being
subsidized by the government. Despite these regulatory requirements, Frey was able to
use site placement and color schemes to create design diversity within the tract.
Related Relevant City Actions by HSPB, Planning, Fire, Building, etc.
April, 2024 Site inspection by members of the HSPB and City Staff.
Ownership Status
June, 2022 Purchased by the current owner.
BELOW: An aerial view of the site. BELOW: Front elevation of 1150 N. Calle Rolph, 2024.
ANALYSIS:
A historic resources report (“the report”) and a site visit by staff and members of the HSPB
are the basis of this staff report.
Alber Frey’s Bel Vista Home #3 is on a 0.24-acre lot in the residential R-1-C zone district.
The modest 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom home is sited in the center of the lot with a curved
driveway that leads to the carport along the front façade of the home. The one-story
rectilinear structure has deep overhangs, a flat roof, and strategically placed locations for
windows and doors. A paint analysis was done by the owner to determine the original
color of the home, and the exterior finish of the unadorned stucco walls remains intact.
No information was provided regarding the landscape design of the property, but the site
1 City of Palm Springs Historic Context Statement “Post-World War II Palm Springs (1945-1969)”.
Historic Site Preservation Board Staff Report: May 7, 2024
HSPB-156 – Albert Frey Bel Vista Home #3
Page 3 of 8
today is a desertscape design with no lawn on the property. The 1972 permit records
reveal a minor expansion was made to the southeast corner of the home by enclosing an
existing rear porch feature to construct a bathroom. Since its completion in 1946, very
little has changed to the original building footprint.
Historic Preservation activities in Palm Springs are regulated under Municipal Code
Section 8.05 (“Historic Preservation”). The purpose of the Historic Preservation
Ordinance is:
“…to stabilize and improve buildings, structures or areas which are
considered to be of historical, architectural, archaeological or ecological
value, to foster civic beauty, to strengthen the local economy and to promote
the use of historic resources for the education and welfare of the citizens.”
Conditions that apply to Class 1 historic sites or resources:
1. It shall meet the definition of a historic site as outlined in Municipal Code Section
8.05.020.
2. An archival file shall be maintained on the property by the City.
3. It may be qualified as ‘historic’ at the federal, state, and/or county level.
4. A marker explaining the historic nature of the site may be installed in a location
viewable from the public way.
5. Compliance with all rules and regulations for Historic Resources and Historic
Districts under Chapter 8.05 of the Municipal Code.
6. If designated, the findings in support of designation shall be stated in a resolution
of the City Council that shall be recorded with the County Recorders’ office within
90 days of the effective date of the Council’s resolution.
Evaluation of the Application. Pursuant to Municipal Code Section 8.05.070 (C,1,a), the
HSPB shall evaluate the application and make findings in conformance with the following
criteria:
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 (“a” and “b”) are met:
a. The site, structure, building or object exhibits exceptional historic
significance and meets one or more of the criteria listed below:
The historic resources report explains the origins of the home as an affordable housing
solution and its direct association with the architect Albert Frey. Little has changed to the
site and exterior building finishes, down to the paint color, have been restored. This
property is also an early example of the International Style in Palm Springs.
Historic Site Preservation Board Staff Report: May 7, 2024
HSPB-156 – Albert Frey Bel Vista Home #3
Page 4 of 8
(Criterion i) The resource is associated with events that have made a
meaningful contribution to the nation, state or community;
No information was provided indicating any significant event was directly associated with
this site. The site does not qualify under Criterion i.
(Criterion ii) The resource is associated with the lives of persons who
made a meaningful contribution to national, state or local history;
Sallie Stevens Nichols and Culver Nichols were the developers of the tract and first
owners of this property. Both individuals played significant roles in the overall
development and planning of Palm Springs. Culver Nichols was one of the original
members of the committee formed to study the incorporation of the city in 1936 and the
first president of the Chamber of Commerce in 1940. Sallie Stevens Nicols was the
daughter of the pioneer Prescott T. Stevens who is considered one of the early founders
of Palm Springs. They later donated the land where the Valley Station and the first tower
are located. Sallie and Culver Nichols made meaningful contributions to the development
of Palm Springs; therefore, staff finds Criterion ii is met.
(Criterion iii) The resource reflects or exemplifies a particular period of
national, state or local history;
This home was one of fifteen homes completed in the Bel Vista residential tract
development of post-war housing. The home was completed during the “Post World-War
II Period of Palm Springs” using practical methods of construction and materials. The
architect incorporated his understanding of the International Style by using simple
geometric forms and creating the appearance of a lightweight, utilitarian structure with
thin roof overhangs and columns. Conventional materials and finishes such as stucco
were used to create a clean exterior finish and all frivolous ornamentation was stripped
from the exterior. This tract development also reflects the City’s response to the demand
for more affordable housing. Design expression was created through site placement and
colors schemes, not through a customized floorplan. Exterior alterations were kept to a
minimum and the exterior finishes were restored to the original design. The restored home
meets Criterion iii because it is an exceptional example of post-war housing in Palm
Springs that reflects the time period of significance in its current condition.
(Criterion iv) The resource embodies the distinctive characteristics of a
type, period or method of construction;
Unlike the National Register criterion concerning construction, the Palm Springs
evaluation of construction addresses the type (of construction), the period (of
construction) and the method (of construction). As an affordable housing development,
the construction methods and materials were conventional and standard for the period.
Staff finds this project does not qualify for this criterion.
Historic Site Preservation Board Staff Report: May 7, 2024
HSPB-156 – Albert Frey Bel Vista Home #3
Page 5 of 8
(Criterion v) 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 original floorplan and site placement of the home was designed by the master
architect Albert Frey. Recognized as one of the first American architects to work for Le
Corbusier and Pierre Jeanneret, Albert Frey’s work influenced the field of architecture and
design in the United States. His knowledge of the modernist aesthetic and exposure to
the International Style led him to work with other influential designers and architects such
as A. Lawrence Kocher and Wallace K. Harrison. The Bel Vista tract reflects modernist
design aesthetics using utilitarian building materials and construction methods. Frey’s
influence on the field is seen throughout his built work in Palm Springs and his theoretical
work through various publications and exhibits. Albert Frey is a master architect that
continues to influence the field through his work, thus staff finds Criterion v is met.
(Criterion vi) 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
No information has been provided that the resource qualifies under Criterion vi.
(Criterion vii) 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 on any pre-historic significance of the site.
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 Albert Frey Bel Vista Home #3 is evaluated in terms of its historic integrity as follows:
Location.
The location of the home is in its original place of construction; therefore, the integrity of
location is met.
Design.
The original floorplan for the single-family home shows a 3-bedroom, 1-bathroom design
with an exterior block wall enclosing the laundry area. Building records show that an
additional bathroom was added in 1972. It appears the home was constructed on a
concrete slab with integral thresholds poured for each door. The functional layout of the
Historic Site Preservation Board Staff Report: May 7, 2024
HSPB-156 – Albert Frey Bel Vista Home #3
Page 6 of 8
plan resulted in a rectilinear building form with a flat roof. The overhangs cantilever over
the front entrance and the rear porch but the carport overhang is supported by four thin
wooden square beams. The plans show a block wall enclosure around the laundry room
with either a curved or rectilinear configuration. In the case of this home, the rectilinear
plan was constructed and remains intact. The fascia and trim details on the building’s
exterior are thin and simple. The site placement of homes with a carport parallel to the
road had a curved driveway. This was one of three homes in this development with a
curved driveway as an original feature. All original openings remain, including the exterior
door that is internalized as a result of the bathroom addition. The details of the windows
and doors down to the rounded stucco finish remain in good condition. All restoration
efforts reinforced the original design intent. Despite the small bathroom addition to the
rear elevation, the overall design of the home is incredibly intact.
Setting.
The surrounding zoning remains residential, and the home maintains the same spatial
configuration on the lot as originally planned. While the sizes of some of the homes in the
development have been altered or enlarged over time, the overall integrity of setting
reflects the original subdivision.
Materials.
The exterior materials of the building consist mainly of stucco, wood framed fenestration,
and a flat roof. The exterior walls of the bathroom addition match the historic stucco finish,
but the vinyl window remains in place to help identify the addition as new. The roof
remains a flat surface but solar panels, air conditioning equipment and associated duct
work were added. Changes to the original design were made to non-primary façades of
the home and the primary facades accurately reflect the original materials; therefore, the
overall integrity of materials is met.
Workmanship.
Conventional construction methods were used to build all of the homes in this tract. The
attention given to finishing details reflect high-quality workmanship that is still visible
today. Staff finds the integrity of workmanship is met.
Feeling.
The home retains its simple and utilitarian feeling because the footprint of the building
remains relatively intact, and the exterior finishes have been restored to reveal the subtle
details of the original design.
Association.
The property is associated with Albert Frey and the Modernist movement of design. The
building’s high level of physical integrity makes it easy to identify the architect’s
association with the design of the home. The integrity of association is met.
Historic Site Preservation Board Staff Report: May 7, 2024
HSPB-156 – Albert Frey Bel Vista Home #3
Page 7 of 8
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.
In addition to the character-defining features listed on page 17 of the report, staff has
complied the following list of character-defining features for this property:
• Site design and placement of the home on the lot
• Unadorned, painted stucco walls
• Slightly recessed wood casement windows and wood sill detail
• Wood framed exterior doors with horizontal wood mullion that creates two
asymmetric lites
• Rounded stucco detail around all exterior openings
• Flat roof and horizontal fascia and trim detail
• Carport feature and overhang supported by thin square wooden columns
• Rectilinear block wall enclosure around laundry area
Non-contributing elements:
• HVAC condensing unit and ductwork on the roof
• Solar panels on the roof and associated electrical cabinet
• Exterior water heater and associated lines
• 1972 bathroom addition to the southeast corner of the home and vinyl window
• Outdoor swimming pool and pool equipment from 1992
• Corrugated metal fence
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.
NOTIFICATION:
Pursuant to section 8.05.140 of the Municipal Code of Palm Springs, all residents within
five hundred (500) feet of the subject property have been notified and notice was
published in a newspaper of general circulation.
Historic Site Preservation Board Staff Report: May 7, 2024
HSPB-156 – Albert Frey Bel Vista Home #3
Page 8 of 8
CONCLUSION:
The “Albert Frey Bel Vista Home #3” meets the definition of a historic resource based on
Criterion 2, 3 and 5 of the Palm Springs Historic Preservation Ordinance and meets all of
the integrity findings; therefore, staff recommends Class 1 Historic Designation as a site
“Landmark” site.
PREPARED BY: Sarah Yoon, Associate Planner/Historic Preservation Officer
REVIEWED BY: David Newell, AICP, Assistant Director of Planning
ATTACHMENTS:
A. Vicinity Map
B. Draft Resolution
C. Application, related background materials, photos.
ATTACHMENT A
Department of Planning Services
Vicinity Map
CITY OF PALM SPRINGS
HSPB #156 – Albert Frey Bel Vista Home #3
1150 N. Calle Rolph
ATTACHMENT B
RESOLUTION NO. HSPB #156
A RESOLUTION OF THE HISTORIC SITE PRESERVATION
BOARD OF THE CITY OF PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA,
RECOMMENDING THAT THE CITY COUNCIL DESIGNATE
THE “ALBERT FREY BEL VISTA HOME #3” LOCATED AT
1150 NORTH CALLE ROLPH, A CLASS 1 HISTORIC SITE,
(HSPB #156), APN #507-124-011.
THE HISTORIC SITE PRESERVATION BOARD (“HSPB”) FINDS AND DETERMINES
AS FOLLOWS:
A. WHEREAS, Chapter 8.05 of the Palm Springs Municipal Code allows for the
designation of historic sites and districts; and
B. WHEREAS, Todd Hays filed an application with the City pursuant to Article III,
Section 8.05.070 (Procedure and Criteria for Designation of Historic Resources) of the
Palm Springs Municipal Code requesting historic resources designation for the “Albert
Frey Bel Vista Home #3” located at 1150 North Calle Rolph. The application included a
historic resources report (“the report”).
C. WHEREAS, on April 25th and May 1st, 2024, members of the Historic Site
Preservation Board (HSPB) conducted site inspections of the proposed historic resource,
accompanied by City staff; and
D. WHEREAS, on May 7, 2024, a noticed public hearing of the Palm Springs Historic
Site Preservation Board (“HSPB”) to consider Case HSPB #156 was held in accordance
with applicable law; and
E. WHEREAS, 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.
THE HISTORIC SITE PRESERVATION BOARD OF THE CITY OF PALM SPRINGS
RESOLVES:
SECTION 1: FINDINGS – PART “1”, CRITERIA FOR HISTORIC RESOURCES.
Evaluation of the Application. Pursuant to Municipal Code Section 8.05.070 (C,1,a), the
HSPB shall evaluate the application and make findings in conformance with the following
criteria:
1. 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 (“a” and “b”) are met:
Resolution No. HSPB #156 – “Albert Frey Bel Vista Home #3”
Page 2 of 6
May 7 2024
a. The site, structure, building, or object exhibits exceptional historic
significance and meets one or more of the criteria listed below:
The historic resources report explains the origins of the home as an affordable housing
solution and its direct association with the architect Albert Frey. Little has changed to the
site and exterior building finishes, down to the paint color, have been restored. This
property is also an early example of the International Style in Palm Springs.
(Criterion i) The resource is associated with events that have made a
meaningful contribution to the nation, state or community;
No information was provided indicating any significant event was directly associated with
this site. The site does not qualify under Criterion i.
(Criterion ii) The resource is associated with the lives of persons who
made a meaningful contribution to national, state or local history;
Sallie Stevens Nichols and Culver Nichols were the developers of the tract and first
owners of this property. Both individuals played significant roles in the overall
development and planning of Palm Springs. Culver Nichols was one of the original
members of the committee formed to study the incorporation of the city in 1936 and the
first president of the Chamber of Commerce in 1940. Sallie Stevens Nicols was the
daughter of the pioneer Prescott T. Stevens who is considered one of the early founders
of Palm Springs. They later donated the land where the Valley Station and the first tower
are located. Sallie and Culver Nichols made meaningful contributions to the development
of Palm Springs; therefore, staff finds Criterion ii is met.
(Criterion iii) The resource reflects or exemplifies a particular period of
national, state or local history;
This home was one of fifteen homes completed in the Bel Vista residential tract
development of post-war housing. The home was completed during the “Post
World-War II Period of Palm Springs” using practical methods of construction and
materials. The architect incorporated his understanding of the International Style
by using simple geometric forms and creating the appearance of a lightweight,
utilitarian structure with thin roof overhangs and columns. Conventional materials
and finishes such as stucco were used to create a clean exterior finish and all
frivolous ornamentation was stripped from the exterior. This tract development also
reflects the City’s response to the demand for more affordable housing. Design
expression was created through site placement and colors schemes, not through
a customized floorplan. Exterior alterations were kept to a minimum and the
exterior finishes were restored to the original design. The restored home meets
Criterion iii because it is an exceptional example of post-war housing in Palm
Springs that reflects the time period of significance in its current condition.
(Criterion iv) The resource embodies the distinctive characteristics of a
type, period or method of construction;
Resolution No. HSPB #156 – “Albert Frey Bel Vista Home #3”
Page 3 of 6
May 7 2024
Unlike the National Register criterion concerning construction, the Palm Springs
evaluation of construction addresses the type (of construction), the period (of
construction) and the method (of construction). As an affordable housing
development, the construction methods and materials were conventional and
standard for the period. Staff finds this project does not qualify for this criterion.
(Criterion v) 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 original floorplan and site placement of the home was designed by the master
architect Albert Frey. Recognized as one of the first American architects to work
for Le Corbusier and Pierre Jeanneret, Albert Frey’s work influenced the field of
architecture and design in the United States. His knowledge of the modernist
aesthetic and exposure to the International Style led him to work with other
influential designers and architects such as A. Lawrence Kocher and Wallace K.
Harrison. The Bel Vista tract reflects modernist design aesthetics using utilitarian
building materials and construction methods. Frey’s influence on the field is seen
throughout his built work in Palm Springs and his theoretical work through various
publications and exhibits. Albert Frey is a master architect that continues to
influence the field through his work, thus staff finds Criterion v is met.
(Criterion vi) 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
No information has been provided that the resource qualifies under Criterion vi.
(Criterion vii) 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 on any pre-historic significance of the site.
SECTION 2: PART “B” ANALYSIS OF HISTORIC INTEGRITY.
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 “Albert Frey Bel Vista Home #3” is evaluated in terms of its historic integrity as
follows:
Location.
The resource remains in its original location of construction, therefore, retains its integrity
of location.
Resolution No. HSPB #156 – “Albert Frey Bel Vista Home #3”
Page 4 of 6
May 7 2024
Design.
The original floorplan for the single-family home shows a 3-bedroom, 1-bathroom design
with an exterior block wall enclosing the laundry area. Building records show that an
additional bathroom was added in 1972. It appears the home was constructed on a
concrete slab with integral thresholds poured for each door. The functional layout of the
plan resulted in a rectilinear building form with a flat roof. The overhangs cantilever over
the front entrance and the rear porch but the carport overhang is supported by four thin
wooden square beams. The plans show a block wall enclosure around the laundry room
with either a curved or rectilinear configuration. In the case of this home, the rectilinear
plan was constructed and remains intact. The fascia and trim details on the building’s
exterior are thin and simple. The site placement of homes with a carport parallel to the
road had a curved driveway. This was one of three homes in this development with a
curved driveway as an original feature. All original openings remain, including the exterior
door that is internalized as a result of the bathroom addition. The details of the windows
and doors down to the rounded stucco finish remain in good condition. All restoration
efforts reinforced the original design intent. Despite the small bathroom addition to the
rear elevation, the overall design of the home is incredibly intact.
Setting.
The surrounding zoning remains residential, and the home maintains the same spatial
configuration on the lot as originally planned. While the sizes of some of the homes in the
development have been altered or enlarged over time, the overall integrity of setting
reflects the original subdivision.
Materials.
The exterior materials of the building consist mainly of stucco, wood framed fenestration,
and a flat roof. The exterior walls of the bathroom addition match the historic stucco finish,
but the vinyl window remains in place to help identify the addition as new. The roof
remains a flat surface but solar panels, air conditioning equipment and associated duct
work were added. Changes to the original design were made to non-primary façades of
the home and the primary facades accurately reflect the original materials; therefore, the
overall integrity of materials is met.
Workmanship.
Conventional construction methods were used to build all of the homes in this tract. The
attention given to finishing details reflect high-quality workmanship that is still visible
today. Staff finds the integrity of workmanship is met.
Feeling.
The home retains its simple and utilitarian feeling because the footprint of the building
remains relatively intact, and the exterior finishes have been restored to reveal the subtle
details of the original design.
Association.
The property is associated with Albert Frey and the Modernist movement of design. The
building’s high level of physical integrity makes it easy to identify the architect’s
association with the design of the home. The integrity of association is met.
Resolution No. HSPB #156 – “Albert Frey Bel Vista Home #3”
Page 5 of 6
May 7 2024
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.
Character-defining features of the resource are as follows:
• Site design and placement of the home on the lot
• Unadorned, painted stucco walls
• Slightly recessed wood casement windows and wood sill detail
• Wood framed exterior doors with horizontal wood mullion that creates two
asymmetric lites
• Rounded stucco detail around all exterior openings
• Flat roof and horizontal fascia and trim detail
• Carport feature and overhang supported by thin square wooden columns
• Rectilinear block wall enclosure around laundry area
Non-contributing elements:
• HVAC condensing unit and ductwork on the roof
• Solar panels on the roof and associated electrical cabinet
• Exterior water heater and associated lines
• 1972 bathroom addition to the southeast corner of the home and vinyl window
• Outdoor swimming pool and pool equipment from 1992
• Corrugated metal fence
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 Class 1 historic site as outlined in Municipal Code
Section 8.05.020.
2. An archival file on the property shall be maintained by the City.
Resolution No. HSPB #156 – “Albert Frey Bel Vista Home #3”
Page 6 of 6
May 7 2024
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 Historic Site Preservation Board recommends that the City
Council designate the “Albert Frey Bel Vista Home #3” located at 1150 N. Calle Rolph, a
Class 1 Historic Resource (HSPB #156).
ADOPTED THIS SEVENTH DAY OF MAY 2024.
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
ATTEST: CITY OF PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA
Christopher Hadwin
Director of Planning Services
ATTACHMENT C
Albert Frey Bel Vista Home #3:
__________________
1150 N Calle Rolph
Palm Springs, CA 92262
________________________________________________________
Nomination Application
For City of Palm Springs
Class 1 Historic Site
__________________
Prepared By
Todd Hays
April 4, 2024 — final
2 Table of Contents
_________________________________________________
Designation Criteria – House History page 3
Chain of Title page 3
Aerial photo of the site page 5
Historic Resource Designation Application Form page 6
Current Site Photos page 11
Historic Context Statement page 13
Statement of Significance page 15
Integrity Analysis page 19
Bibliography page 21
Appendices page 22
fig. 1 & 1A U.S. Department of Agriculture Farmers’ Bulletin No. 1738
fig. 2 Original building permit
fig. 3 Original CC&Rs
fig. 4 Architectural Record magazine, April 1931
fig. 5 & 6 Original tract drawings by Albert Frey
fig. 7 Daily Enterprise interview
fig. 8 Original floor plan of Bel Vista by Albert Frey
fig. 9 Interior photo by Gail Thompson with view to 1150 N Calle Rolph
fig. 10 Early site photo of the tract by Julius Schulman
fig. 11 Original plan drawings by Albert Frey
fig. 12 Nichols Real Estate Ad
fig. 13 Plot sketch showing added bath (1972) and pool (1992)
fig. 14 Permit for bathroom added in 1972
3
Designation Criteria – House History
__________________________________________________________
Master architect Albert Frey designed the single-family residence located at 1150 N Calle
Rolph in the early 1940s as part of the 15-home Bel Vista tract. Based on a design he first
created in 1934 for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (fig.1 and 1A), the tract was not built until
after the War largely due to cost issues.1 Built on land owned by Sallie Stevens Nichols and
Culver Nichols, the building permit for the structure was pulled by Culver Nichols on August
23, 1945 (fig.2) and construction was completed in 1946. The Nichols, along with Frey, served
as the developers of the subdivision. (fig. 3). Sallie Stevens Nichols owned this particular
property until 1963.
1150 N Calle Rolph is one of only three homes in the 15-home Bel Vista tract currently in a
restored, near-original condition. The remaining 12 homes have been significantly altered and
are noncontributing, removing the possibility of a district nomination.
Chain of Title: Assessor’s data show ownership for 1150 N Calle Rolph as follows:
Date Owner(s)
1946 to October 1963 Sallie Steven Nichols
October 1963 to August 1972 Gerard P. and Freed L. Diaz
August 1972 to November 1972 Ada Fothergill
November 1972 to June 1977 Pamela F. White
June 1977 to June 2022 Angela Ruth Dunbar (Davis) - Scott Davis added in 1993
June 2022 to Present Todd A. Hays
Culver Nichols and Sallie Stevens, courtesy Palm Springs Historical Society.
The home and tract represent the first International Style, early-modern subdivision built in the
City of Palm Springs and one of the first in the State of California. It is also the City’s earliest
example of post-war government sponsored affordable housing. It reflects the aesthetic of
seminal modern designer Le Corbusier and his influence on Frey’s early work.
Bel Vista is the only completed and built housing tract designed by Albert Frey, realizing the
theories about subdivisions and low-cost housing Frey and A. Lawrence Kocher first
developed and wrote about in 1931. (fig.4) Frey’s name alone appears on all of the tract and
house drawings’ title blocks. (fig.5 and 6)
1 Joseph Rosa, Albert Frey: Architect, (New York: Rizzoli, 1990), 74.
4 From a national context, Bel Vista pre-dates the Country’s two most-recognized post-war
modern housing tracts by four years: Hollin Hills outside of Washington D.C. and Arapaho
Acres outside Denver, CO. Construction began on Hollin Hills and Arapaho Acres in 1949.2
1150 N Calle Rolph has not previously been evaluated for Class 1 Historic Site eligibility. The
Bel Vista subdivision was featured in the April 1951 issue of Architect and Engineer magazine,
a September, 1959 issue of Daily Enterprise newspaper featuring an interview with Albert Frey
(fig. 7), in Joseph Rosa’s 1990 book, Albert Frey, Architect, in the City of Palm Springs 2016
Citywide Historic Context Statement & Survey Findings, and was featured as a part of the
Palm Springs Art Museum’s Albert Frey Symposium in 2024.
Two other homes in the Bel Vista tract — 1164 N Calle Rolph and 1520 E Tachevah — are
Class 1 historic sites and 1520 E Tachevah is also on the National Register of Historic Places.
A summary of how the property meets the City of Palm Springs definitions of a historic site:
8.05.020 (a) paragraph 2, associated with persons who made meaningful contribution: Sallie
Stevens Nichols and Culver Nichols, two of Palm Springs’ most important early real estate
developers, developed the home and subdivision along with Albert Frey. The Nichols later
donated the land for the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway Valley Station designed by Albert Frey,
Robson Chambers, John Porter Clark and Stewart Williams.
861 N Palm Canyon Drive. Courtesy Palm Springs Historical Society
8.05.020 (a) paragraph 3, exemplifies a particular period: The Bel Vista Residence is eligible
as a Historic Site under the theme of early modern architecture as it possesses unique and
significant characteristics and attributes. Its plain façade stripped of ornamentation, use of
cantilevered design elements and open interior spaces are reflective of “International Style”
modernism. The home also exemplifies the description defined in the 2004 City of Palm
Springs Historic Resources Survey;
“Emphasizing geometric forms and textures, strong linear qualities, sparce ornamentation, outdoor living, and usually of a
single story, the homes of this era are readily identifiable. From the 1940s through the 1960s, the residential architecture in the
modernist idiom flourished and became integral to the character now strongly identified with Palm Springs.”3
2 James C. Massey and Shirley Maxwell, “A Modern Model,” Old-House Journal, January, 2011, 62.
3 City of Palm Springs Historic Resources Survey; 2004.
5 8.05.020 (a) paragraph 5, presents the work of a master architect: As the work of Albert
Frey, it must be considered the work of a “master architect.” Frey is one of Palm Springs’ most
noted architects and many of his works are listed on the National Register – including one of
the homes in the Bel Vista tract.
In conclusion, 1150 N Calle Rolph retains nearly all of its original architectural integrity and
represents numerous characteristics that make it an important and complementary part of the
historic context of the Bel Vista tract and the Post-WWII, early-modern period of Palm Springs.
Of particular note, 1150 N Calle Rolph presents fundamental and distinct differences from the
other two Class 1 homes in the Bel Vista tract:
- it is flipped and rotated on the lot differently from the other two Class 1 sites
- of the original six with a squared exterior block laundry wall, this is the only one extant
- its cantilevered carport is unaltered and positioned parallel to the street
- one of only three homes designed with a curved driveway, this is the only one extant
As such, the property is important to the overall understanding of Frey’s concept for Bel Vista
and is eligible for listing as a Palm Springs Historic Site under 8.05.020 (a) paragraphs 2, 3 &
5 of the local ordinance’s seven criteria.
Aerial photo of the site. Source: Google Maps
6
7
8
9
10
11
Western Elevation. Photo taken by Kelly Peak on April 7, 2023.
Southern Elevation. Photo taken by Kelly Peak on April 7, 2023.
12
Eastern Elevation. Photo taken by Kelly Peak on April 7, 2023.
Northwest corner Elevation. Photo taken by Kelly Peak on April 7, 2023.
13 Historic Context Statement
___________________________________________________________
Evaluating Albert Frey’s Bel Vista tract and its importance in his body of work must begin prior
to the architect’s arrival in America. The buildings Frey worked on and the ideas he was
exposed to while working in Europe after World War I would form the foundation for his ideas
about housing when he came to America.4 Frey’s preoccupation with affordable housing is
evident as early as 1928.5 His earliest design for an affordable housing unit came that same
year with his Minimal Metal House.6 Many of the European pioneers of Modernism were deeply
interested in creating inexpensive housing for working people, including Le Corbusier, Mies
van der Rohe and Walter Gropius.7 It is during Frey’s tenure at the offices of Le Corbusier,
specifically in his work on Centrosoyuz in Moscow and Villa Savoye in France, where Frey’s
interest in contrasting curved and rectilinear forms in architecture first appears.8
These theories and practice would continue taking shape following Frey’s arrival in the United
States. In the April 1931 article for The Architectural Record titled, “Real Estate Subdivisions
for Low-Cost Housing,” authored with A. Lawrence Kocher, Frey and Kocher explored the
concept of varying the placement of an identical house plan within a development to reduce
costs. The pair’s first realized example of low-cost housing is the Aluminaire House designed
for the Allied Arts and Building Products Exhibition in 1931. Kocher and Frey's design concept
for the Aluminaire House was to incorporate the aesthetic of European Modernism,9 and it is
considered to be one of the earliest buildings in America to reflect the influence of European
Modernism and is the first in the United States influenced by Le Corbusier.10 Although credited
to A. Lawrence Kocher and Albert Frey, design for the Aluminaire House was largely the work
of Albert Frey.11 Kocher allied himself with more proficient designers in the creation of several
important buildings, as he was more of an ideas man than a designer.12
The early modern period in the Coachella Valley began with the area’s first modern building,
Rudolph M. Schindler’s Paul and Betty Popenoe Cabin in 1922 (demolished). Lloyd Wright
followed in 1925 with his Oasis Hotel in Palm Springs (mostly demolished). According to the
City of Palm Springs 2016 Citywide Historic Context Statement, it was Pearl McCallum
McManus and her husband Austin McManus, a realtor from Pasadena, who first proposed
modern architecture for a residential subdivision. “In 1925, she approached Lloyd Wright,
whom she had engaged to design the Oasis Hotel (1925) to design a “prototype house” for a
subdivision that McManus, herself, described as ‘very modern’.” The homes were never built.
Prior to this period of modern design, there was a wide range of architectural styles
throughout the residential neighborhoods of the Coachella Valley – from adobe and Mexican
hacienda to ranch, craftsman and Prairie Style. While Palm Springs had proven itself fertile
ground for innovative styles of residential architecture, it was only in the form of one-of-a-
kind, single family homes.
4 Rosa, 13.
5 Ibid, 15.
6 Gloria Koenig, Frey, (Hong Kong: Taschen, 2008), 9.
7 Aluminaire House, Historic Structure Report, (New York: Higgins & Quasebarth, 1996), 14.
8 Allen Cunningham, do.como.mo Modern Movement Heritage, (London: Taylor & Francis, 1998), 137.
9 Higgins & Quasebarth, 15.
10 Higgins & Quasebarth, 13.
11 Cunningham, 137.
12 Higgins & Quasebarth, 11.
14 The decade following Wright and Schindler’s first projects, the early modern movement
continued in Palm Springs when Albert Frey and A. Lawrence Kocher built their Kocher-
Samson building in 1934, followed closely by Frey and John Porter Clark’s Guthrie House in
1935 — featured in the Perdue University Housing Research Project entitled, “Portfolio of Low-
Cost Houses.”13 Frey & Clark progressed the early modern period with their Halberg House
(demolished) in 1936. Soon after, Millard Sheets designed his Ship of the Desert in 1936,
Richard Neutra designed the Grace Lewis Miller House in 1937 and John Porter Clark ended a
remarkable decade with his own house (still standing nearby to Calle Rolph) in 1939.
In 1939 Albert Frey authored “In Search of a Living Architecture;” wherein he further develops
his ideas on how the natural environment influences the built environment, writing, “...curved
and irregular contours create and welcome contrasts to the rectilinear practical house form.”14
He put these theories and his early modern design influences into practice in his designs for
Frey House #1 in 1940 (dramatically altered) and the Sieroty Residence (still standing and an
adaptation of the Halberg house) in 1941.
Modern design continued to flourish in Palm Springs after the War and the City’s economy
began to prosper. Celebrities and wealthy business people discovered the desert oasis and
stimulated the need for hotels, nightclubs and restaurants. Tourism — driven, in part, by
Hollywood elite — transformed Palm Springs from a quiet village into a city. In 1946, Frey
designed a home for noted industrial designer Raymond Lowey, Schindler designed the Toole
House and Richard Neutra designed the Kaufmann House. E. Stewart Williams’ house for
Frank Sinatra followed in 1947.
The City also became an economical destination for some of the nearly 13 million service men
and women returning from the war.15 This influx of soldiers led to a post-war building boom that
saw the need for schools, hospitals, a larger airport and other public projects.16
It was the war workers coming to Palm Springs after the War who enabled construction of Bel
Vista. While some architect-designed contemporary houses were built after the war, the
economical ranch house was more the norm.17 Construction of Bel Vista began with financial
assistance from the Home Owners Loan Corporation 18. Built of standard wood frame
construction with wood lath and stucco, Bel Vista was originally designed specifically as war
workers’ housing. Since the government subsidized the development’s construction, it had to
follow specific design guidelines. Fifteen single-family homes were built using a single floor
plan. (fig.8) Using the theories he wrote about more than a decade earlier, Frey achieved a
variation in appearance from the street by rotating and flipping the plan on each lot, thereby
allowing different sides to face the street. (fig. 5 and 6) Each house was given added
individuality by altering the setbacks from the street. The plan features six two-light glass
exterior doors – a dramatic departure from the norm at the time – in both private and
communal spaces, thereby creating a heightened sense of indoor/outdoor living. The Bel
Vista plan is very similar to Frey’s Farmhouse design for the United States Department of
Agriculture (fig.1 & 2) in 1934; that design, like Bel Vista, sought to provide economical
housing.19
13 Koenig, 13.
14 Albert Frey, In Search of a Living Architecture, 1939, 38.
15 James C. Massey and Shirley Maxwell, “After the War,” Old-House Journal, March/April, 2004, 88.
16 Patrick McGrew, “The Hugh Stephens Residence,” HSPB Nomination, February, 2010, 15.
17 Massey and Maxwell, 90.
18 Rosa, 74
19 Ibid, 75.
15 Statement of Significance
__________________________________________________________
Criterion 2: (associated with lives of persons who made meaningful contribution to national,
state or local history.)
Architect Albert Frey designed the Bel Vista Residence and executed its construction with the
developer/builder team of Frey, Sallie Stevens Nichols and Culver Nichols.
The Builders and first owners of 1150 N Calle Rolph were Sallie Stevens Nichols (1908-
1982) and Culver Nichols (1905-1995), two prominent and influential local real estate owners
and developers. Culver Nichols, one of the original members of the committee formed in
1936 to study the incorporation of Palm Springs, was the first President of the Palm Springs
Chamber of Commerce in 1940. Sallie Stevens Nichols is the daughter of Prescott T.
Stevens, an early founder and real estate developer of Palm Springs. Stevens is credited
with stabilizing the public water system in the City and building its first golf course.20
Additionally, Culver served on the committee that investigated the feasibility of the Palm
Springs Aerial Tramway. It was the Nichols’ who donated the property used for the Valley
Station and first tower.21
While playing no role in Bel Vista. John Porter Clark is credited with introducing Frey to the
Nichols’. After graduating from Cornell, Clark returned to Pasadena where he apprenticed
with Garrett Van Pelt, in the architectural firm of Van Pelt and Lind. While in Pasadena, Clark
met Culver Nichols, then a Pasadena Realtor, who encouraged him to relocate to Palm
Springs.22 It was this introduction to the Nichols’, and their later introduction to Albert Frey,
that would lead to Frey’s work on Bel Vista and Clark and Frey’s later working on the Palm
Springs Aerial Tramway Valley Station.
The residence qualifies for listing as a Class 1 Historic Site on the local registry under
Criterion 2.
Source: Architecture and Design Center, Palm Springs Art Museum
20 McGrew, 13.
21 Janice Kleinschmidt, High and Mighty, Palm Springs Life, September, 2013.
22 Ron and Barbara Marshall, “The Dougherty Residence,” HSPB Nomination, February, 2014, 16.
16
Criterion 3: (reflects or exemplifies a particular period of the national, state or local history).
The aesthetic influences of the Bel Vista residence place it clearly in the historic context of
Palm Springs’ Early Modern Period. Frey's intimate knowledge and understanding of the
International Style afforded him the opportunity to incorporate practical, modern designs that
heightened postwar optimism. As such, the residence can be viewed as an important
example of the historic trends that have come to define Palm Springs’ reputation as a center
of important mid-century architecture. 1150 N Calle Rolph is eligible under the theme of
modern architecture because it possesses distinctive characteristics that make up the many
qualities of the early roots of the style. The structure’s overall horizontality, flat roof, carport,
inexpensive mass-produced materials and plan that strives to blur the line between indoors
and outdoors with multiple glass exterior doors, all working together to embody the modern
aesthetic.
The home was erected in 1946 by the developer team of Frey and Sallie Stevens Nichols
and Culver Nichols as a part of the 15-home Bel Vista tract. The project was financed
through the Home Owners' Loan Corporation (HOLC), a government-sponsored corporation
established in 1933 under President Franklin D. Roosevelt as part of the New Deal.23
Built following years of Spanish influenced tracts, including Palm Canyon Mesa in 1924, Las
Palmas Estates and Merito Vista in 1926 and Palm Springs Estates in 1927 (built by Sallie
Stevens’ father, Prescott T. Stevens), Bel Vista represents the first International Style modern
subdivision built in the City of Palm Springs. Bel Vista was completed ten years before Jack
Meiselman would build his earliest modern-style tracts in 1956: Karlisa Cove and Palm Lane.
The residence qualifies for listing as a Class 1 Historic Site on the local registry under
Criterion 3.
Criterion 5: (represents the work of a master, or possesses high artistic values).
The architect Albert Frey qualifies individually as “master architect,” having been identified as
such in several previous city designations.
Born in Zurich, Switzerland in October, 1903, Frey received his architecture diploma in 1924
from the Institute of Technology in Winterthur, Switzerland. Frey worked on various
architectural projects in Belgium from 1924 through 1928. In 1928, Frey secured a position in
the Paris office of the noted International Style architect Le Corbusier and Pierre Jeanneret.
Frey left after 10 months to take up work in the United States, yet maintained a friendship
with Le Corbusier for many years.
Frey, the first architect in America to have worked directly with Le Corbusier, soon began
working with the American architect A. Lawrence Kocher, managing editor of Architectural
Record. Their collaboration would last until 1938. The pair contributed significantly to the
American modernist movement through their work and numerous articles published in
Architectural Record on urban planning, the modernist aesthetic, and technology — one
collaboration was the 1931 Aluminaire House, designed for an exhibition, and later sold to
New York architect Wallace K. Harrison. Harrison used it as a guesthouse on his Long Island
property for years. Another of their commissions was an office/apartment dual-use building
for Kocher's brother, Dr. J. J. Kocher of Palm Springs. This project introduced Frey to the
23 “Home Owners’ Loan Corporation,” accessed on 21 October 2016, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Home_Owners'_Loan_Corporation
17 California desert, which was to become his home and the backdrop for most of his
subsequent work. From 1935 to 1937 Frey worked with John Porter Clark (1905–1991),
under the Pasadena, CA firm of Van Pelt and Lind Architects as both were yet unlicensed in
California. In April of 1937, Frey briefly returned to the east coast to work on the Museum of
Modern Art in New York. While in New York, Frey married Marion Cook, a writer whom he
had met in Palm Springs. Having completed his work on the Museum of Modern Art in 1939,
he and Cook returned to Palm Springs where Frey resumed a collaboration with Clark that
would last nearly twenty years.
At the end of World War II, Palm Springs' population nearly tripled and the city experienced a
building boom. Known as an escape for the Hollywood elite and a winter haven for east coast
industrialists, Palm Springs emerged as a resort community for a broader segment of the
American populace with more leisure time than any previous generation. Veterans and their
families also migrated to the desert after the war. Clark and Frey received several
commissions from the returning soldiers for homes and small businesses during this time.
Frey and Clark were well positioned to capitalize on this, and both the city and their firm
benefited from an unprecedented period of construction. Buildings associated with Frey
include:
- Aluminaire House, 1930 (with A. Lawrence Kocher)
- Kocher-Samson Building, 1934 (with A. Lawrence Kocher)
- Frey House I, 1940 and Frey House II, 1963
- Loewy House, built for industrial designer Raymond Loewy, 1946
- Palm Springs Aerial Tramway Valley Station, 1949-1963 (with Chambers, Clark and Williams)
- Palm Springs City Hall, 1952
- North Shore Beach and Yacht Club at North Shore, Salton Sea, 1958
- Tramway Gas Station, 1961 Source: Wikipedia
Bel Vista House at 1150 N. Calle Rolph exhibits key character-defining features associated
with the work of Albert Frey: it is unadorned, utilitarian and constructed of wood, stucco, glass
and concrete block, it features deep eaves on the front and side elevations as well as one
opposing corner, it has thin wood posts support an expansive cantilevered carport space, and it
has an exterior laundry area created from a simple exterior block wall extending from the main
square structure. Stucco finish covers the walls of the four elevations.
Unlike the other two Class 1 Bel Vista homes, this home is positioned flipped and rotated on
the lot with its carport running parallel to the street— thus presenting visually as a very different
building from the street —and it is an important example of Frey’s goal to differentiate and
distinguish the singular design of the fifteen identical houses in the tract from each other.
Contributing features are:
- the stucco, facia and trim - painted the original colors
- the doors (interior and exterior) and windows
- the original open carport
- the original block wall enclosing the laundry area
Non-contributing features are:
- HVAC unit and solar panels placed on the roof (not detracting from the resource.)
- a bathroom added in 1972 at rear southeast corner (not visible from the street.)
- a pool added in 1992.
As the work of a Master, and for its high artistic values, the residence qualifies for listing as a
Class 1 Historic Site on the local registry under Criterion 5.
18
Source: Architecture and Design Center, Palm Springs Art Museum
19 Integrity Analysis: The Seven Aspects of Integrity
(source: U.S. Department of the Interior) ___________________________________________________________
Integrity
The National Register traditionally recognizes a property's integrity through seven aspects or qualities:
location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, and association.
INTEGRITY SUMMARY: The Calle Rolph Residence is in excellent condition. It is painted its
original exterior colors. The house has not been moved, and the residential setting is unchanged, thus
the property retains integrity of location and setting. Integrity of design, materials and workmanship
remain high. The property was commissioned as a one-family home and is still in use as such, thus
retains integrity of feeling and association. The only notable alteration is a small bathroom at the rear
corner of the structure added in 1972. The Bel Vista House at 1150 N. Calle Rolph is able to convey its
architectural significance because the property exhibits the physical features associated with the work of
Albert Frey. It maintains its original, unique characteristics as designed as part of the only realized tract of
mass-produced housing designed and built by Albert Frey.
The California State Historical Resources Commission recently evaluated a nomination of 1150 N.
Calle Rolph to the National Register of Historic Places. The nomination was forwarded to the
National Park Service after unanimous consent of the SHRC. The resource was placed on the
National Register of Historic Places in March of 2024.
Location
Location is the place where the historic property was constructed or the place where the historic event
occurred. The relationship between the property and its location is often important to understanding why
the property was created or why something happened. The actual location of a historic property,
complemented by its setting, is particularly important in recapturing the sense of historic events and
persons. The Calle Rolph Residence remains in its original location and therefore qualifies under
this aspect.
Design
Design is the combination of elements that create the form, plan, space, structure, and style of a property.
It results from conscious decisions made during the original conception and planning of a property (or its
significant alteration) and applies to activities as diverse as community planning, engineering,
architecture, and landscape architecture. Design includes such elements as organization of space,
proportion, scale, technology, ornamentation, and materials. A property's design reflects historic functions
and technologies as well as aesthetics. It includes such considerations as the structural system; massing;
arrangement of spaces; pattern of fenestration; textures and colors of surface materials; type, amount,
and style of ornamental detailing; and arrangement and type of plantings in a designed landscape.
Design can also apply to districts, whether they are important primarily for historic association,
architectural value, information potential, or a combination thereof. For districts significant primarily for
historic association or architectural value, design concerns more than just the individual buildings or
structures located within the boundaries. It also applies to the way in which buildings, sites, or structures
are related: for example, spatial relationships between major features; visual rhythms in a streetscape or
landscape plantings; the layout and materials of walkways and roads; and the relationship of other
features, such as statues, water fountains, and archeological sites. The Calle Rolph Residence’s
essential characteristics of form, plan, space, structure, style, and materials have survived almost
entirely intact.
Setting
Setting is the physical environment of a historic property. Whereas location refers to the specific place
where a property was built or an event occurred, setting refers to the character of the place in which the
property played its historical role. It involves how, not just where, the property is situated and its
relationship to surrounding features and open space. Setting often reflects the basic physical conditions
under which a property was built and the functions it was intended to serve. In addition, the way in which
20 a property is positioned in its environment can reflect the designer's concept of nature and aesthetic
preferences. These features and their relationships should be examined not only within the exact
boundaries of the property, but also between the property and its surroundings. This is particularly
important for districts. The setting of the Calle Rolph Residence still retains the architect’s original
design relationship to the site.
Materials
Materials are 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 choice and combination of
materials reveal the preferences of those who created the property and indicate the availability of
particular types of materials and technologies. Indigenous materials are often the focus of regional
building traditions and thereby help define an area's sense of time and place. A property must retain the
key exterior materials dating from the period of its historic significance. If the property has been
rehabilitated, the historic materials and significant features must have been preserved. The property must
also be an actual historic resource, not a recreation; a recent structure fabricated to look historic is not
eligible. Likewise, a property whose historic features and materials have been lost and then reconstructed
is usually not eligible. The Calle Rolph Residence’s exterior surface materials are painted in the
original color palette. With the exception of the southeast corner where a small bathroom was
added, the exterior doors, trim, facia, windows and exterior materials all match original
specifications. Inside, all of the doors are original and have the originally specified ivory-colored
Bakelite doorknobs, and the original bathroom has its original tub and tile.
Workmanship
Workmanship is the physical evidence of the crafts of a particular culture or people during any given
period in history or prehistory. It is the evidence of artisans' labor and skill in constructing or altering a
building, structure, object, or site. Workmanship can apply to the property as a whole or to its individual
components. It can be expressed in vernacular methods of construction and plain finishes or in highly
sophisticated configurations and ornamental detailing. It can be based on common traditions or innovative
period techniques. Workmanship is important because it can furnish evidence of the technology of a craft,
illustrate the aesthetic principles of a historic or prehistoric period, and reveal individual, local, regional, or
national applications of both technological practices and aesthetic principles. Examples of workmanship
in historic buildings include tooling, carving, painting, graining, turning, and joinery. The Calle Rolph
Residence continues to express a high degree of early-modern period workmanship.
Feeling
Feeling is a property's expression of the aesthetic or historic sense of a particular period of time. It results
from the presence of physical features that, taken together, convey the property's historic character. For
example, a rural historic district retaining original design, materials, workmanship, and setting will relate
the feeling of agricultural life in the 19th century. A grouping of prehistoric petroglyphs, unmarred by
graffiti and intrusions and located on its original isolated bluff, can evoke a sense of tribal spiritual life.
When constructed in 1946, the Calle Rolph Residence was part of one of the first planned early-
modern tract developments in California and the first early-modern tract built in Palm Springs. It is
as originally sited to take advantage of panoramic, mountain views to the west. Accordingly, the
Calle Rolph Residence retains its original integrity of feeling.
Association
Association is the direct link between an important historic event or person and a historic property. A
property retains association if it is the place where the event or activity occurred and is sufficiently intact
to convey that relationship to an observer. Like feeling, association requires the presence of physical
features that convey a property's historic character. For example, a Revolutionary War battlefield whose
natural and manmade elements have remained intact since the 18th century will retain its quality of
association with the battle. Because feeling and association depend on individual perceptions, their
retention alone is never sufficient to support eligibility of a property for the National Register.
The Calle Rolph Residence is an important example of post-WWII early-modern affordable
housing (private residence) built under the direction of the U.S. government. It continues its
association with a pattern of events that have made a meaningful contribution to the community.
21 Bibliography
___________________________________________________________
Books —
Rosa, Joseph, Albert Frey, Architect, Rizzoli, New York 1990
Bogert, Frank M., PALM SPRINGS First Hundred Years, Palm Springs Heritage Associates 1987
Henry-Russell Hitchcock and Philip Johnson, The International Style, Norton, New York 1995
Aluminaire House, Historic Structure Report, Higgins & Quasebarth, New York 1996
Magazines and Journals —
“Residential ‘Bel Vista’,” Architect and Engineer, April, 1951
“Real Estate Subdivisions for Low-Cost Housing,” A. Lawrence Kocher and Albert Frey,
Architectural Record, April 1931
“High and Mighty,” Janice Kleinschmidt, Palm Springs Life, September, 2013
“Belle Vista,” Michelle Gringeri-Brown, Atomic Ranch, Fall 2014
“Design Evolution and Spatial Composition…” Jin-Ho Park, Architectural Research, Dec, 2007
“After the War,” James C. Massey and Shirley Maxwell, Old-House Journal, March/April, 2004
“A Modern Model,” James C. Massey and Shirley Maxwell, Old-House Journal, January, 2011
Newspapers —
“Frey Honored by Institute of Architects,” The Desert Sun, May 7, 1957
Ringwald, George, “Cookie Cutter Tract Solution Offered PS”, Daily Enterprise, Sept 11, 1959
Volgelsang, Jeri, “History: Albert Frey, a Modern Master,” The Desert Sun, Sept, 2015
Special Thanks and Sincere Appreciation to —
Matthew Berkley, MA
Frank D. Lopez, Palm Springs Art Museum
Jeri Vogelsang, Palm Springs Historical Society
Additional Sources —
Architecture and Design Center, Palm Springs Art Museum
Art, Design & Architecture Museum, University of California, Santa Barbara
City of Palm Springs Citywide Historic Context Statement & Survey Findings, 2016
Culver Nichols political ad, The Desert Sun, March 26, 1948
The Hugh Stephens Residence, HSPB Nomination, Patrick McGrew, February, 2010
Palm Springs Historical Society
Paul Dougerty Residence, HSPB Nomination, Ron and Barbara Marshall, February, 2014
Photographs and Images
Architecture and Design Center, Palm Springs Art Museum
Art, Design & Architecture Museum, University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB)
Getty Research Institute
Palm Springs Historical Society
The City of Palm Springs
Todd Hays
22 Appendices
fig. 1 U.S. Department of Agriculture Farmers’ Bulletin No. 1738. Source: Todd Hays.
fig. 1A U.S. Department of Agriculture Farmers’ Bulletin No. 1738. Source: Todd Hays.
23
fig. 2. Original Building Permit. Source: City of Palm Springs.
24
fig. 3. Original CC&Rs. Source: Architecture and Design Center, Palm Springs Art Museum.
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fig. 4. Architectural Record, April 1931. Source: Todd Hays.
fig. 5. Tract drawing by Albert Frey. Source: Art, Design & Architecture Museum, UCSB.
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fig. 6. Original Tract Plan. Source: Art, Design & Architecture Museum, UCSB.
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fig. 7. Daily Enterprise, September 11, 1959. Source: Architecture and Design Center, PS Art Museum.
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fig. 8. Original floor plan. Source: Art, Design & Architecture Museum, UCSB.
fig. 9. Interior photo by Gail Thompson looking out at 1150 N Calle Rolph through the window. Source: Art,
Design & Architecture Museum, UCSB.
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fig. 10. Early site photo of tract looking south, by Julius Schulman. Source: The Getty Institute.
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fig. 11. Original plan drawing by Albert Frey Architects. Source: Art, Design & Architecture Museum, UCSB.
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fig. 12. 1951 Culver Nichols real estate ad for a Bel Vista home. Source: Palm Springs Villager archives.
fig. 13. Plot sketch showing location of added bath (1972) and pool (1992) Source: Todd Hays.
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fig. 14. Permit for bathroom added in 1972. Source: City of Palm Springs.