Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout010119_Template-CareySmithBldg_315NMain.pdfPage 1 of 4 cm\historic\templates\Main 315 N (Carey Smith Bldg) 8/17/01 NAME Carey Smith Building REF. NO. 250 ADDRESS 315 North Main Street CITY Santa Ana ZIP 92701 ORANGE COUNTY YEAR BUILT C 1906; 1934 LOCAL REGISTER CATEGORY: Key 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Downtown Santa Ana NEIGHBORHOOD NATIONAL REGISTER CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION C NATIONAL REGISTER STATUS CODE 1D Location: Not for Publication Unrestricted USGS 7.5” Quad Date: T R _ of _ of Sec : B.M. Prehistoric Historic Both ARCHITECTURAL STYLE: Art Deco DESCRIPTION/BACKGROUND RELATED TO PERIOD ARCHITECTURE: The Art Deco style is characterized by smooth wall surfaces, often of stucco; zig zags, chevrons, fluting, reeding, and other low-relief stylized and geometric motifs as decorative elements on the façade; accents of terra cotta, glass, or metal; polychromy; rectangular or compound forms; and a more vertical emphasis than its close stylistic relative, Streamline Moderne. Art Deco was essentially a style of decoration, and was applied to jewelry, clothing, furniture and handicrafts as well as architecture. In style between 1920 and 1940, Art Deco was popularized by the Exposition des Arts Decoratifs held in Paris in 1925. It was most commonly utilized on commercial or public buildings. Page 2 of 4 cm\historic\templates\Main 315 N (Carey Smith Bldg) 8/17/01 CONSTRUCTION HISTORY: (Construction data, alterations, and date of alterations) Built circa 1906 (C. M. Jordon, architect) Façade remodeled in 1934 (C. Harold Hopkins, architect) 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 brick building is located mid-block on N. Main Street between 3rd and 4th Streets, and connects to the Dragon Confectionery building (104 E. 4th Street). Constructed circa 1906, it was remodeled circa 1934 in the Art Deco style by C. Harold Hopkins of Balboa. Remnants of the turn of the century design are visible in the south side (alley) elevation windows, which are one- over-one double hung wood sash with arched brick heads. The three bay, front (west) façade is largely intact. At street level, the bays contain a storefront with a recessed entry and, at the north end, recessed access to the upper floor. The bays are divided by applied brushed aluminum vertical elements that are part of the overall brushed aluminum storefront system. This includes the window and door frames, bulkheads, vertical elements, and sign panel above the transom level. The transom windows have been covered. Piers that step back as they rise define three bays on the upper story. Occupied by multi-paned steel sash windows, the bays are set back from the piers in order to emphasize vertical lines. The end piers are embellished with recessed panels. Fluted spandrels top the windows, culminating in a zig zag cornice. A cast concrete figure of a dozing fisherman faces the side alley at the cornice level. HISTORIC HIGHLIGHTS: The 1906 building was designed by C.M Jordon and was associated with the popular Dragon Confectionery. The 1934 façade remodel was designed by C. Harold Hopkins. 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 Page 3 of 4 cm\historic\templates\Main 315 N (Carey Smith Bldg) 8/17/01 RESOURCES PRESENT: 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 in the commercial core area, and by the 1920s Santa Ana’s downtown had expanded in each direction to include both commercial and civic development. In 1933 the Long Beach earthquake hit the southern California area, causing extensive damage to many of the storefronts in Santa Ana’s downtown. Where repair was possible, many of the buildings dating from the late 1800s and early 1900s were remodeled with Art Deco or Streamline Moderne storefronts, the popular architectural styles of the day. This building, originally constructed circa 1906 and altered in 1934 following the 1933 earthquake, displays the characteristics of the Art Deco in its façade design and the related Streamline Moderne in its intact storefront. Art Deco influence is evident in the verticality of the design, the zigzag motif of the spandrels and cornice, the tapered articulation of the piers, and the use of metal sash. The Streamline Moderne storefront consists of well-preserved metal display window and door framing, sign panel, and bulkheads, as well as an operational neon sign in the sign panel. This building has architectural significance as a very good example of the Art Deco and Streamline Moderne styles as they were applied to older buildings following the 1933 earthquake. The building’s high integrity (from the 1930s era) and unusual storefront system make it a very good representative of 1930s-era 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 example of fully realized Art Deco styling applied to a modestly scaled building, the building satisfies Criterion 1 for inclusion in the Santa Ana Register of Historical Property. Additionally, the property has been categorized as “Key” because it has a “distinctive architectural style and quality” and “is characteristic of a significant period in the history of the City of Santa Ana” (Municipal Code, Section 30-2.2(2)). OWNER AND ADDRESS: Innesco International LTD TR FBD Benissa Trust 1755 Robson Street, Suite 402 Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN V663B Page 4 of 4 cm\historic\templates\Main 315 N (Carey Smith Bldg) 8/17/01 RECORDED BY: (Name, affiliation, and address) Leslie Heumann and 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 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.