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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-09-03 - HSPB 160_RESO - Merrill Lynch BuildingRESOLUTION NO. HSPB #160 A RESOLUTION OF THE HISTORIC SITE PRESERVATION BOARD OF THE CITY OF PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA, RECOMMENDING THAT THE CITY COUNCIL DESIGNATE THE MERRILL LYNCH BUILDING LOCATED AT 415 SOUTH PALM CANYON, A CLASS 1 HISTORIC SITE (HSPB #160), APN #513-213-001. 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, The City of Palm Springs filed an application 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 Merrill Lynch Building" located at 415 South Palm Canyon. The application included a historic resources report ("the report"). C. WHEREAS, on August 22 and August 29, 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 September 3, 2024, a noticed public hearing of the Palm Springs Historic Site Preservation Board ("HSPB") to consider Case HSPB #160 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: 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 #160 —The Merrill Lynch Building Page 2 of 6 September 3. 2024 a. The site, structure, building, or object exhibits exceptional historic significance and meets one or more of the criteria listed below: 415 South Palm Canyon Drive is a unique example of a commercial property designed in the New Formalist style. The building expresses a level of permanence and longevity, yet the modern materials allow it to fit into its contemporary context. While the interior was significantly rehabilitated to accommodate a new use, the exterior of the building remains relatively in -tact. The following is a detailed analysis of the criterion and integrity findings. (Criterion i) The resource is associated with events that have made a meaningful contribution to the nation, state or community; No meaningful event is associated with this site, thus 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; The building was constructed to address the financial needs of a growing community. The report did not reveal any individual of significance being associated to the site; therefore, Criterion ii is not met. (Criterion iii) The resource reflects or exemplifies a particular period of national, state or local history; In the Post World War II period, the shifting economic climate created new opportunities for designers and architects to move to Palm Springs and explore and implement the latest design trends. In response to the International Style, New Formalism, which may be seen as the abstraction of Classical architecture, developed into a style of architecture that was often used for public and institutional buildings. The scale and symmetry of the buildings evoked a sense of permanence and stability. While there are limited examples of this style of architecture in Palm Springs, the Merrill Lynch Building would be an outstanding example of this form of architecture. This building is one of many iconic buildings along South Palm Canyon and Indian Drive that demonstrate the development of the financial district and the prosperity of finance during the post-war period. Criterion iii is met. (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). It appears that the building was constructed using standard construction methods and materials and 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 Resolution No. HSPB #160 — The Merrill Lynch Building Page 3 of 6 September 3, 2024 possesses high artistic value; Donald Wexler is a notable and well -respected architect that has influenced the field with his work. He trained under other master architects such as Richard Neutra and William F. Cody but quickly developed his own sense of design using materials like steel in a desert setting. His portfolio of work ranges from residential homes to large civic projects, and he explored a variety of architectural styles throughout his career. In addition, the architectural detailing of the columns and use of scale at the Merrill Lynch Building clearly shows Wexler's design genius, thus 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 The resource is not within a historic district and does not qualify 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 is available 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 Merrill Lynch Building is evaluated based on the following topics of integrity based on the Secretary of the Interior's Standards: Location. The location of the structure is in its original place of construction; therefore, the integrity of location is met. Design. The two-story, steel -framed building is situated on a podium (platform) elevated from the adjacent sidewalk and has free-standing columns and pilasters supporting the entablature. The columns in the front also create a portico around the main entrance making it a prominent feature. The building uses traditional design concepts yet uses a panelized system to clad the exterior. The concept of New Formalism focuses on scale and a sense of balance and simplifies decorative elements rather than strip them from the building completely. The integrity of the original design has been preserved. Resolution No. HSPB #160 — The Merrill Lynch Building Page 4 of 6 September 3, 2024 Setting. The building remains in its original location on South Palm Canyon Drive and the concentration of buildings specifically designed for financial institutions are still in the general vicinity, even if many have been adaptively reused and serve a different function. The overall integrity of setting remains intact. Materials. The steel -framed building and the plaster cladded entablature and columns all have a textured finish, painted white. Some exterior walls are arranged with a split -face concrete block and high clerestory windows adorn the fagade. The report specifies restoration work occurred in the mid-2000s but the exterior materials, excluding the original front doors, were replaced to match the historic photos of the building. The integrity of materials remains. Workmanship. The attention to detail, particularly around the columns and pilasters showing the simple decorative aluminum channels and the reveals at the top and bottoms of each vertical element illustrates a design aesthetic that is clean and functional. The white -plaster and exterior wall surfaces appear to be in good condition with no visible damage. The integrity of workmanship is intact. Feeling. The overall mass, scale and design details of the building's exterior remain unchanged and clearly demonstrates the sense of stability and authority associated with financial institutions of that era. The integrity of feeling is intact. Association. The property is associated with the architect Donald Wexler and his interpretation of Classical principles using modern materials and construction methods. The design was well -received by the community and recognized in 1972 with the "Desert Beautiful" award. The integrity of association is met. 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: • Monumental, flat -roofed two-story structure inspired by a more Classical style of architecture that includes freestanding columns in the front of the building, supporting a colonnade, with engaged columns surrounding the structure on the Resolution No. HSPB #160 - The Merrill Lynch Building Page 5 of 6 September 3, 2024 sides and back. • Squared, white -painted plaster columns with vertical "U"-shaped brushed aluminum decorative channels. • Wide, white -painted plaster fascia emulating a simplified entablature. The fascia is embellished with vertical "U"-shaped brushed aluminum channels, in line with the same vertical channels in the columns directly below. • Recessed lighting and anodized bronze can downlights on the ceiling of the colonnade. • Tan split -faced block walls and podium. • Concrete paving with tiles arranged in a geometric pattern at the building entrances. • Solar glass panels and clerestories. • Concrete -curbed planting beds in the rear parking lot. • Tan split -faced block walls enclose the property. • Four mature olive trees specimens at the entrance to the parking lot, and a single mature olive at the southwest corner of the building. • Mature California fan palms in the parking lot Non-contributing elements: • Bronze anodized aluminum and bronze -tinted solar glass entry doors, which replaced the Ackerman Panelcarve doors and transom. • Large-scale bronze wall sculpture by artist Abbott Pattison, previously hung on the wall of the Spa Hotel. • Replacement tiles embedded in the concrete of the podium surface. • Handrails on the main stairs leading to the front entrance. • Existing desert landscape design. 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. 3. It may be qualified as 'historic' at the federal, state, and/or county level. Resolution No. HSPB #160 - The Merrill Lynch Building Page 6 of 6 September 3, 2024 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 Merrill Lynch Building located at 415 South Palm Canyon, a Class 1 Historic Resource (HSPB #160), ADOPTED THIS THIRD DAY OF SEPTEMBER 2024. AYES: Nelson, Hansen, Bachman, Herr, Moruzzi. NOES: None. ABSENT: Rosenow, Maschka Hitchcock. ABSTAIN: None. ATTEST: CITY OF PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA QaA L Christopher Hadwin Director of Planning Services