HomeMy WebLinkAbout24151-1 RESOLUTION NO. 24151-1
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA, DESIGNATING THE
PROPERTY LOCATED AT 2796 NORTH PALM CANYON
DRIVE, "THE TRAM WAY SHELL GAS STATION", A
CLASS 1 HISTORIC SITE, AND DETERMINE THE
PROJECT AS EXEMPT FROM CEQA (HSPB 99)
(ZONE C-1 / RGA-6 / RESORT COMBINING ZONE)
(APN 504-091-001).
THE CITY COUNCIL FINDS AND DETERMINES AS FOLLOWS:
A. On January 12, 2016 at a regularly scheduled meeting of the Historic Site
Preservation Board (the 'Board"), the Board initiated study pursuant to Municipal Code
Section 8.05.135 on the parcel located at 2796 North Palm Canyon Drive, "The Tram
Way Shell Gas Station", to consider the possible historic significance of the parcel.
B. The City commissioned the professional services consultant, Architectural
Resources Group ("ARG") to investigate the possible historic significance of the parcel
and produce a historic resources report (the "Report" or "ARG Report") summarizing
their findings. The Report was received by the City on October 6, 2016 and was
distributed to members of the Board at their regularly scheduled meeting of October 11,
2016. A revised version of the Report was distributed dated December 5, 2016 that
corrected minor details in the Report.
C. On October 17th, October 24th, October 26th and November 3rd, 2016,
members of the Board and City staff conducted inspections of the subject site to further
inform themselves on its possible historic significance.
D. A written notice of a public hearing of the Board was issued in accordance with
applicable law.
E. On December 13, 2016 a noticed public hearing to consider Case HSPB 99 was
held by the Board in accordance with applicable law.
F. The proposed historic site 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.
G. At said meeting the Board carefully reviewed and considered all of the evidence
presented in connection with the hearing on the project, including, but not limited to, the
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staff report, the ARG Report, and all written and oral testimony presented and voted
5-0-2 (Dixon / Marsh absent) to recommend that the City Council designate the site at
2796 North Palm Canyon Drive "The Tram Way Shell Gas Station" as Class 1 historic
site HSPB #99.
H. A written notice of public hearing of the City Council was issued in accordance
with applicable law.
I. On January 4, 2017 a noticed public hearing to consider Case HSPB 99 was
held by the City Council in accordance with applicable law. At said meeting 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, the ARG
Report, and all written and oral testimony presented
J. REQUIRED FINDINGS: In considering a recommendation for Class 1 historic
designation, pursuant to PSMC 8.05.160, the City Council must make findings that the
purposes of the Historic Preservation chapter are furthered by designation of such
property as a historic site or district. The purpose of the Historic Preservation chapter
of the Municipal Code is outlined in PSMC 8.05.010:
This chapter is adopted pursuant to the authority of (California)
Government Code Section 37361 for the purpose of preserving areas and
specific buildings of the city which reflect elements of its cultural, social,
economic, political, architectural and archaeological history. This chapter
is intended to stabilize and improve buildings, r p g , 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 specific buildings for the education and welfare
of the citizens.
The Council determines that Class 1 designation of the Tram Way Shell Gas Station
would further the purpose of the historic preservation ordinance because the site
reflects elements of the City's architectural, social, and cultural history and meets the
definition of a historic site as follows:
Definition of a Historic Site. Palm Springs Municipal Code (PSMC) Section 8.05.020
provides the definition and criteria against which the City Council must evaluate a site
for consideration of possible historic designation. The City Council determines the site
meets the definition of a historic site in the following ways:
(a) Historic Site.
An historic site is any real property such as: a building; a structure, including but not
limited to archways, tiled areas and similar architectural elements, an archaeological
excavation or object that is unique or significant because of its location, design,
setting, materials, workmanship or aesthetic effect and:
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The site is significant because of its design, which is reflective of the minimalist
aesthetic of the mid-century modern period, the type of construction, and its association
with an architect of regional significance and because it meets the following criteria that
comprise the definition of a historic site:
Criterion 3: That reflects or exemplifies a particular period of the national, state or
local history; or
The ARG Report states that the site exemplifies the post-World War II period of
development of Palm Springs during which the City grew from a relatively small town of
custom-designed homes and businesses in traditional "revival" styles of architecture to
a world-renowned resort community in which businesses, developers and homeowners
embraced the bold, minimalist forms of Modern-era architecture.
Development in Palm Springs during the post-World War II period also reflected the
growth of the "auto-related culture" in the United States — a period in which service
stations, drive in and drive through restaurants, banks, movie theaters, and other "auto-
centric" building forms became popular and common. The ARG Report notes that the
subject property is a product and reflection of postwar transportation trends and the
effect it had on auto-related commercial development.
More specifically, in this period, the City's Planning Commission and City Council
determined that the service stations in Palm Springs, although utilitarian in nature,
should be as beautiful, stylish and well-designed as other more fashionable building
types. Six gas stations were designed by notable architects during this period, of which
only two survive (the Tram Way Esso / Enco service station, now the Palm Springs
Visitor's Center at 2901 North Palm Canyon Way', and the station at 2796 North Palm
Canyon Drive.
Criterion 4: That embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period or method
of construction;
The ARG Report notes that Cody's Shell Gas Station design is exemplary of the mid-
century modern design aesthetic. It is also a notable example of thin-shell reinforced
concrete building technology. The technology behind modern thin-shell reinforced
concrete began to develop in the early 1920's and was used in many innovative
structures worldwide. In terms of the evolution of design of automobile service and
fueling stations, the site also reflects the "stylized box", a simple building typology with
bold forms (noted in the expansive concrete canopy) intended to capture the attention
of motorists. The vast area of the concrete canopy also pre-saged the much larger
gasoline service station canopies that began to emerge nationally in the 1980's and
1990's.
' Various references denote the Tram Way station carried both the Enco and the Esso brand names.
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Criterion 5: That presents the work of a master builder, designer, artist, or architect
whose individual genius influenced his age; or that possesses high artistic value;
The design of the building on the site is credited to architect William F. Cody (1916 —
1978). As noted in the ARG Report, Cody is an accomplished architect who practiced
in the Palm Springs area during the peak of the mid-century modern era, from about
1942 until 1972. Cody designed a number of notable structures in Palm Springs, and
throughout the Coachella Valley, the southwestern United States, Mexico and Cuba.
As noted in the ARG Report, Cody's designs have been celebrated for their unique
minimalist aesthetic and include The Del Marcos Hotel (1947, HSPB #78), The
Thunderbird Country Club (1950), L'Horizon Hotel (1952), The Palm Springs Spa
Resort (1960), The Racquet Club Cottages West (1960, HSPB #88 / HD-3), The James
Abernathy Residence (1962, HSPB #86), Saint Theresa's Catholic Church (1968), the
Palm Springs Library Center (1972) and others. Cody is considered one of the
preeminent architects from the mid-century modern period and whose work contributed
to the unique modernist design aesthetic that has become known as "desert modern".
Based on the above, the Council determines that Class 1 historic site designation of the
parcel located at 2796 North Palm Canyon Drive, "The Tram Way Shell Gas Station"
would further the purpose of the City's historic preservation ordinance.
K. Defining historic characteristics of the site. The City Council determines that the
physical defining characteristics that contribute to the site's historic significance are:
• The very thin cast-in-place, reinforced concrete upper canopy supported on
evenly spaced thin steel columns, including the thin fascia profile.
• The "expressed structure" of the "X"-bracing as ornament on the underside of the
concrete canopy.
• The integral recessed light "troffers" in the underside of the canopy.
• The "floating" effect of the canopy above the masonry and glass service / market
building created by the visual separation between the top of the service / market
building and the upper canopy.
• The clerestory windows set within very thin aluminum frames which allow the
service bay to be taller in height, while still appearing structurally separate from
the concrete canopy above. These windows, shielded from direct sun by the
deep cantilever of the concrete roof plane, also flood the service bay with ample
natural light.
• The "solid masonry box" comprised of slump-stone concrete block that contains
the service bay alongside the "glass box" of the attendant's office, (this "glass
box" characteristic created by a floor-to-ceiling glass and aluminum curtain wail
was removed in the 1980's mini-mart addition, but could be rebuilt to again
convey this feature.
• The "visual movement" created by the lower "box building" which seems to be
sliding out from under the taller concrete canopy, further enhanced by the
separation of the lower building from the columns of the upper canopy.
• The use of commonly available, mass-produced, rustic slump stone concrete
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masonry units that provide texture and contrast to the full-height glass of the
original attendant's office.
• The corrugated metal overhead doors of the service bay (east and north side of
the building).
• The thin-roofed "porte-cochere" on the south fagade of the building including the
perforated metal plank ceiling panels.
L. Non-contributing elements. Those aspects of the site which the City Council
believes do not contribute to its historic significance include the following:
• Those portions of the building that comprise the 1984 addition.
• The gasoline pumps (recently replaced).
• The asphalt parking areas and drive areas.
• The storage sheds and gasoline vapor recovery apparatus on the east side of
the building.
• The metal halide surface mounted light boxes on the underside of the concrete
canopy.
• The signage on site.
THE PALM SPRINGS CITY COUNCIL HEREBY RESOLVES:
Based upon the foregoing, the City Council of the City of Palm Springs,
California hereby designates the parcel located at 2796 North Palm Canyon Drive "The
Tram Way Shell Gas Station", (APN #604-091-001), a Class 1 Historic Site #HSPB 99.
ADOPTED THIS 4T" DAY OF JANUARY, 2017.
DAVID H. READY, E§W1.zPrD.
ATTEST:
KATHLEEN D. HART, MMC
Interim City Clerk
Resolution No. 24151-1
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CERTIFICATION
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE ) ss.
CITY OF PALM SPRINGS )
I, KATHLEEN D. HART, Interim City Clerk of the City of Palm Springs, California,
do hereby certify that Resolution No. 24151-1 is a full, true, and correct copy, and was
adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council held on 4th of January, 2017, by the
following vote:
AYES: Councilmembers Kors, Mills, Roberts, Mayor Pro Tern Foat, and
Mayor Moon
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
RECUSED: None
1
KATHLEEN D. HART, MMC
Interim City Clerk