Commission Asked to Wait Before Deciding Historic Value of Homes Owned By Caltech on South Catalina Avenue

A special meeting of Pasadena’s Historic Preservation Commission on Tuesday was called to consider appeals filed against the Department of Planning and Community Development following its finding that the property at 249-253 S. Catalina Ave. does not meet the criteria to be individually designated as a landmark.

It appears, however, that the matter will likely be decided after a public hearing set for Oct. 5, which was requested by nearby Caltech, owners of three of the five properties located at that address.

In an Aug. 11 letter to the commission, Ken Hargreaves, Caltech assistant vice president, and strategy implementation and external relations officer, said the institute has not had enough time to consider the potential determination or the required historic designation process.

“Caltech has engaged a historic expert to assist in evaluating the matter and needs the additional time to consider the required technical analyses and our response to any eligibility decision,” the letter said. 

On the agenda for Tuesday’s meeting, the Planning Department said it agreed with Hargreaves’ request to hold the public hearing on Oct. 5.

The property consists of three buildings: one constructed in 1907 and an example of a one-and-a-half story Arts and Crafts period house, a second house – a one-story California bungalow – constructed in 1911, and a four-unit apartment building that was constructed at the rear north side of the property in 1953. 

“Both houses are modest examples of residential buildings from the Arts and Crafts period and have had many of their windows on publicly visible elevations replaced with aluminum or vinyl windows. The setting of the buildings has also been compromised by the addition of an apartment building to the site in 1953 and new development in the vicinity. As such, these buildings do not meet the registration requirements for individual landmark designation under Criterion C (under the Zoning Code),” state’s a portion of the commission’s initial decision on May 24. 

The decision added that the property does meet the criteria for designation only as a “contributing structure” to an eligible landmark district on South Catalina Avenue. 

The appeals were submitted by the owners of 261 S. Catalina Ave., who are appealing, requesting that the decision to declare their area as a “historic home district” be reconsidered, and by Los Angeles architect John Poindexter who presented a number of arguments to support a request for the commission to determine that “the identified grouping is not eligible for landmark district designation.”

In his appeal, Poindexter said the designation of eligibility would “lower the bar for the establishment of eligibility for districts.” 

Members of the community may access the Historic Preservation Commission meeting through Zoom, https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87637579501, or by calling (669) 900 6833 and using the webinar ID 876 3757 9501. 

Public comment may be sent by email to mtakeda@cityofpasadena.net before Tuesday, or through www.cityofpasadena.net/planning/public-comment. 

The meeting begins at 4:30 p.m. 

The property consists of three buildings: one constructed in 1907 and an example of a one-and-a-half story Arts and Crafts period house, a second house – a one-story California bungalow – constructed in 1911, and a four-unit apartment building that was constructed at the rear north side of the property in 1953. 

“Both houses are modest examples of residential buildings from the Arts and Crafts period and have had many of their windows on publicly visible elevations replaced with aluminum or vinyl windows. The setting of the buildings has also been compromised by the addition of an apartment building to the site in 1953 and new development in the vicinity. As such, these buildings do not meet the registration requirements for individual landmark designation under Criterion C (under the Zoning Code),” the decision on May 24 said. 

The decision added that the property does meet the criteria for designation only as a “contributing structure” to an eligible landmark district on South Catalina Avenue. 

The appeals were submitted by the owners of 261 S. Catalina Ave., who are appealing that the decision to declare their area as a “historic home district” be reconsidered, and by Los Angeles architect John Poindexter who presented a number of arguments to support a request for the Historic Preservation Commission to determine that “the identified grouping is not eligible for landmark district designation.”

In his appeal, Poindexter said the designation of eligibility would “lower the bar for the establishment of eligibility for districts.” 

The decision was issued on May 24 after a thorough Historic Resource Evaluation of the property by Planning Department staff, as well as a review of available City directories between 1925 and 1947 to determine if any person of local or regional historical significance is known to have owned or resided at the property, as required under the city’s Zoning Code.

The property consists of three buildings: one constructed in 1907 and an example of a one-and-a-half story Arts and Crafts period house, a second house – a one-story California bungalow – constructed in 1911, and a four-unit apartment building that was constructed at the rear north side of the property in 1953. 

“Both houses are modest examples of residential buildings from the Arts and Crafts period and have had many of their windows on publicly visible elevations replaced with aluminum or vinyl windows. The setting of the buildings has also been compromised by the addition of an apartment building to the site in 1953 and new development in the vicinity. As such, these buildings do not meet the registration requirements for individual landmark designation under Criterion C (under the Zoning Code),” the decision on May 24 said. 

The decision added that the property does meet the criteria for designation only as a “contributing structure” to an eligible landmark district on South Catalina Avenue. 

The appeals were submitted by the owners of 261 S. Catalina Ave., who are appealing that the decision to declare their area as a “historic home district” be reconsidered, and by Los Angeles architect John Poindexter who presented a number of arguments to support a request for the Historic Preservation Commission to determine that “the identified grouping is not eligible for landmark district designation.”

In his appeal, Poindexter said the designation of eligibility would “lower the bar for the establishment of eligibility for districts.” 

Caltech, which said it owns three of the five properties located at 249-253 South Catalina Ave., also wrote the Commission on August 11 to request that the Commission “delay consideration of this matter until October 5, 2021.”

The Caltech letter, from Ken Hargreaves, Caltech Assistant Vice President and Strategy Implementation and External Relations Officer, said the institute has not had enough time to consider the potential determination or the required historic designation process. 

“Caltech has engaged a historic expert to assist in evaluating the matter and needs the additional time to consider the required technical analyses and our response to any eligibility decision,” the letter said. 

In the agenda for Tuesday’s meeting, the Planning Department said it is recommending that a public hearing on the subject be continued on October 5. 

Members of the community may access the Historic Preservation Commission meeting through Zoom, https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87637579501, or by calling (669) 900 6833 and using the webinar ID 876 3757 9501. 

Public comment may be sent by email to mtakeda@cityofpasadena.net before Tuesday, or through www.cityofpasadena.net/planning/public-comment. 

The meeting begins at 4:30 p.m.