|
State of California —The Resources Agency Primary #
<br />DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI #
<br />CONTINUATION SHEET -trinomial
<br />Page 4 of 5 Resource Name or # (Assigned by recorder) Levengood-Bist House
<br />*Recorded by Leslie J. Neumann, SAiC *Date October 1, 2003 ❑O Continuation ❑ Update
<br />*B10. Significance (continued):
<br />in the estimation of Rush and Christy, Brian and Lisa Bists' earliest historically significant activities were in the area of
<br />neighborhood improvement. All three informants for this evaluation noted the Bists were important contributors to the
<br />founding and early operation of the Wilshire Square Neighborhood Association (WSNA), which was established in 1989 to
<br />promote the betterment and maintenance of the city's Wilshire Square neighborhood. Brian was particularly involved in the
<br />organization of the WSNA, serving as a founding co-chair and contributing to the drafting of its by-laws. The Bists' work with
<br />the WSNA was a springboard to involvement in the Communication Linkage Forum (known informally as Com-Link),
<br />described in one source as "an umbrella organization of neighborhood associations" (Adams 2007). Brian and Ball helped to
<br />found the Com-Link in 1989. The organization's purpose was to provide local residents and neighborhood associations a
<br />neutral forum in which they could discuss issues facing neighborhood among themselves and with City staff and elected
<br />officials (City of Santa Ana 2024). In addition to Brian's work with Ball to establish Com-Link, Lisa served on the body's
<br />Neighborhood Improvement and Code Enforcement (NICE) committee, which furthered Com-Link's objectives by targeting
<br />apparent blight in the city (Adams 2007). According to Commissioner Christy, among Lisa's main contributions while serving
<br />on the NICE committee, were initiatives to establish a landscaping ordinance and a commercial code enforcement program
<br />in the city. She was also involved in efforts to help Main Street business owners rehabilitate their building fagades by
<br />lobbying to secure redevelopment funds to finance improvements. Com-Link continues to operate to this day and counts 60
<br />neighborhood associations as participants (City of Santa Ana 2024).
<br />In 1998, Lisa was elected to the first of two consecutive terms on the Santa Ana City Council, serving until 2006. As a
<br />councilmember, she continued to champion neighborhood improvement and built relationships with important businesses
<br />and institutions operating in the City. According to Commissioner Christy, as a member of the City's Environmental and
<br />Transportation Advisory Commission, Lisa championed an urban forestry campaign, in addition to a program of street
<br />modifications to protect entrances into some neighborhoods. Commissioner Christy observed that, Lisa was also a key
<br />player in the City Council's outreach to significant public and private institutions. During her tenure on the City Council, Lisa
<br />contributed to the Council's successful efforts to support the Bowers Museum's acquisition of a new collection from the
<br />British Museum, to facilitate the establishment of the Mexican Consulate in the city, to convince First American Financial
<br />Corporation to keep its headquarters in Santa Ana, and to facilitate the development of the Santa Ana Auto Mall.
<br />Overall, Commissioner Christy claimed, the Bists'significance is due to their instrumental roles in effecting concrete
<br />changes in Santa Ana that improved the cty's public image.
<br />Based on the supplemental research, it is recommended that, in addition to the property's architectural significance as an
<br />example of the Spanish Colonial Revival style, as described in the 2003 evaluation, the property is significant for its
<br />associations with the contributions of Lisa and Brian Bist in the area of local neighborhood activism and politics. Because of
<br />the Levengood-Gist House's associations with the Bists, the property is found to qualify for listing in the Santa Ana Register
<br />of Historic Properties under Criterion 4(b), which recognizes a property's associations "with famous people, original settlers,
<br />renowned organizations and businesses" (Santa Ana Municipal Code, Section 30-2). Additionally, the Levengood-gist
<br />House qualifies in the category "Key,"which provides for the listing on the Santa Ana Register of Historical Properties of a
<br />property that is "associated with a significant person or event in the city" (Santa Ana Municipal Code, Section 30.2.2). The
<br />Levengood-Bist House's character -defining features remain those identified by the 2003 evaluation, as listed above.
<br />*B12. References (continued):
<br />Adams, Brian E. Citizen Lobbyists: Local Efforts to Influence Public Policy. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 2007.
<br />Ball, Guy. Oral interview with James Williams. July 17, 2024,
<br />Christy, Alberta. Oral interview with James Williams. June 28, 2024.
<br />City of Santa Ana. "Com-Link, " City of Santa Ana, Official Government Web Site [web site]. hops://www.santa-ana.org1com-
<br />link/.
<br />Harris, Cyril M. American Architecture: An Illustrated Encyclopedia. New York, WW Norton, 1998.
<br />Neumann, Leslie J. California Department of Parks and Recreation Form 523: Levengood-gist House. 2003. Record on file
<br />with the City of Santa Ana Planning Department.
<br />Historic Resources Commission. Historic Resources Commission, Special Meeting Agenda, May 8, 2024. [video recording
<br />of hearing]. https://santa-ana.primegov.com/Portal/Meeting?meetingTemplateld=22057.
<br />Marsh, Diann. Santa Ana, An Illustrated History. Encinitas, Heritage Publishing, 1994.
<br />McAlester, Virginia and Lee. A Field Guide to American Houses. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1984.
<br />(See Continuation Sheet 5.)
<br />DPR 523L
<br />
|