Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout010119_Template-CommercialBldg_309WThird.pdfPage 1 of 4 cm\historic\templates\Third 309 W (Commercial Bldg) 8/8/01 NAME Commercial Building REF. NO. 235 ADDRESS 309 West Third Street CITY Santa Ana ZIP 92701 ORANGE COUNTY YEAR BUILT 1932 LOCAL REGISTER CATEGORY: Contributive HISTORIC DISTRICT Downtown Santa Ana NEIGHBORHOOD NATIONAL REGISTER CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION C NATIONAL REGISTER STATUS CODE 1D Location: Not for Publication Unrestricted USGS 7.5” Quad Date: T R _ of _ of Sec : B.M Prehistoric Historic Both ARCHITECTURAL STYLE: Mission/Spanish Colonial Revival DESCRIPTION/BACKGROUND RELATED TO PERIOD ARCHITECTURE: The Mission/Spanish Colonial Revival style, as its name implies, encompasses two major subcategories. The Mission Revival vocabulary, popular between 1890 and 1920, drew its inspiration from the missions of the Southwest. Identifying features include curved parapets (or espadana); red tiled roofs and coping; low-pitched roofs, often with overhanging eaves; porch roofs supported by large, square piers; arches; and wall surfaces commonly covered in smooth stucco. The Spanish Colonial Revival flourished between 1915 and 1940, reaching its apex during the 1920s and 1930s. The movement received widespread attention after the Panama- California Exposition in San Diego in 1915, where lavish interpretations of Spanish and Mexican prototypes were showcased. Easily recognizable hallmarks of the Spanish Colonial Revival are low-pitched roofs, usually with little or no overhangs and red tile roof coverings, flat roofs surrounded by tiled parapets; and stuccoed walls. The Spanish vocabulary also includes arches, asymmetry, balconies and patios, window grilles, and wood, wrought iron, tile, or stone decorative elements. The Churrigueresque variant features ornate carvings highlighting arches, columns, window surrounds, cornices and parapets. Page 2 of 4 cm\historic\templates\Third 309 W (Commercial Bldg) 8/8/01 CONSTRUCTION HISTORY: (Construction data, alterations, and date of alterations) Built in 1932 RELATED FEATURES: (Other important features such as barns, sheds, fences, prominent or unusual trees, or landscape) None. DESCRIPTION: (Describe resource and its major elements. Include design, materials, condition, alterations, size, settings, and boundaries.) This small, one-story building is located on the north side of West Third Street between Broadway and Birch Streets. Commercial in use, it is a Spanish Colonial Revival style building of brick construction, and has a wood-framed, side gable roof clad in clay tile. The wooden entrance door is flanked on the east by a set of wood French doors with metal hood that would open onto the sidewalk except for the wrought iron bars that screen them from the street. To the west of the entrance door is a small wood framed quatrefoil window. Although the building is freestanding, the main (south) façade wall extends to connect with the building immediately to the east. An arched opening provides access to the open space behind the building. HISTORIC HIGHLIGHTS: This small one story brick building was built four years after the 1928 construction of the adjacent and similarly designed Horton Building at 315 West Third Street (Thomas, 7:28). RESOURCE ATTRIBUTES: (List attributes and codes from Appendix 4 of Instructions for Recording Historical Resources, Office of Historic Preservation.) (HP 6) 1-3 story commercial building RESOURCES PRESENT: Page 3 of 4 cm\historic\templates\Third 309 W (Commercial Bldg) 8/8/01 Building Structure Object Site District Element of District Other MOVED? No Yes Unknown Date: Original Location: STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: (Discuss importance in terms of historical or architectural context as defined by theme, period, geographic scope, and integrity.) Santa Ana was founded by William Spurgeon in 1869 as a speculative townsite on part of the Spanish land grant known as Rancho Santiago de Santa Ana. Early growth and development was stimulated by the arrival of the Southern Pacific Railroad in 1878 and the Santa Fe Railroad in 1886. By the end of the 1880s, Santa Ana’s downtown business district was defined by five city blocks of brick commercial buildings on Fourth Street, with the heart of the city at the intersection of Fourth and Main Streets (Thomas, 8:1). The period of 1911-1915 saw many characteristic new business blocks or remodels along Fourth Street, and by the 1920s Santa Ana’s downtown had expanded in each direction to include both commercial and civic development. The California style of living evidenced itself in the abundance of Spanish Colonial Revival style buildings, which were commonly built during the 1920s and early 1930s. Character-defining exterior features of this building which should be preserved include, but are not limited to: brick walls; side-gable roof; red clay tile roof cladding; wood bracketed roof overhang; wrought iron detailing such as the east window grille and hood and the entry lantern; “caged” French doors; quatrefoil west window; and the arched opening in the east wing wall. This building is architecturally significant as a typical example of the Spanish Colonial Revival, displaying the archway, window and door types, grillwork, and construction materials which are characteristic of that style. The building retains good integrity, and continues to convey its style and period of construction. SUMMARY/CONCLUSION: This building was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1984 as a contributor to the Downtown Historic District. Under the regulations implementing the California Register of Historical Resources, the building is also listed in the California Register. As an intact example of the Spanish Colonial Revival styling which typified an important architectural trend in Santa Ana development during the 1920s and 1930s, the building satisfies Criterion 1 for inclusion in the Santa Ana Register of Historical Property. Additionally, the property has been categorized as “Contributive” because it “contributes to the overall character and history” of the downtown historic district (Municipal Code, Section 30-2.2(3)). OWNER AND ADDRESS: RECORDED BY: Page 4 of 4 cm\historic\templates\Third 309 W (Commercial Bldg) 8/8/01 Leslie Heumann & Liz Carter Science Applications International Corporation 35 S. Raymond Avenue, Suite 204, Pasadena, CA 91105 DATE RECORDED: January 19, 2001 SURVEY TYPE: (Intensive, reconnaissance, or other) Intensive Survey Update REPORT CITATION: (Cite survey report and other sources) Les, Kathleen. “Santa Ana Historic Survey, Final Resources Inventory: Downtown.” May 1980. Thomas, Harold M. “Downtown Santa Ana Historic District” National Register nomination form, 1984. REFERENCES: (List documents, date of publication, and page numbers. May also include oral interviews.) Harris, Cyril M. American Architecture: An Illustrated Encyclopedia. New York, WW Norton, 1998. Heritage Orange County Inc. “Downtown Santa Ana Historic District Walking Tour.” nd. McAlester, Virginia and Lee. A Field Guide to American Houses. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1984 National Register Bulletin 16A. “How to Complete the National Register Registration Form.” Washington DC: National Register Branch, National Park Service, US Department of the Interior, 1991. Whiffen, Marcus. American Architecture Since 1780. Cambridge: MIT Press, 1969. EVALUATOR: Leslie Heumann DATE OF EVALUATION: January 19, 2001 EXPLANATION OF CODES: • National Register Criteria for Evaluation: (From Appendix 7 of Instructions for Recording Historical Resources, Office of Historic Preservation) C: that embody the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction, or that represent the work of a master, or that possess high artistic values, or that represent a significant and distinguishable entity whose components may lack individual distinction. • National Register Status Code: (From Appendix 2 of Instructions for Recording Historical Resources, Office of Historic Preservation) 1D: Contributor to a listed district.