TRAILER PARK MAY BE DESIGNATED A LANDMARK

Dec 12, 2011 by Peggy Clifford

The Landmarks Commission will hear a consultant’s report on the Village Trailer Park, 2930 Colorado Avenue, and decide whether to file an application to designate it as a City Landmark at tonight’s meeting. at 7 p.m. in City Hall. According to the City Landmark Assessment Report, “…the property located at 2930 Colorado Avenue appears to meet two of the City of Santa Monica’s Landmark Criteria (1 and 4). The property was evaluated according to statutory criteria as follows: “Landmark Criteria: It exemplifies, symbolizes, or manifests elements of the cultural, social, economic, political or architectural history of the City. “The subject property is an excellent example of a traditional trailer park exhibiting all of the key character defining architectural features typical of the type (permanent buildings, amenities, plan, and landscaping). It also represents a tangible example of when Santa Monica was a vacation destination for motorists towing recreational vehicles that became an additional component of the City’s economic development after World War II. “Further, Village Trailer Park manifests the social evolution of trailer parks in Santa Monica from transient stopovers to permanent residential communities with a look and ambiance unique to the property type. “In sum, the property exhibits a substantial degree of physical and historical integrity in its location, design, setting, workmanship, materials, feeling and association that manifests the architectural, economic and social history of the City of Santa Monica in the postwar era. “Therefore, the subject property appears to satisfy this criterion. “It embodies distinguishing architectural characteristics valuable to a study of a period, style, method of construction, or the use of indigenous materials or craftsmanship, or is a unique or rare example of an architectural design, detail or historical type valuable to such a study. “The subject property appears to meet this criterion. As one of only two remaining trailer parks in Santa Monica – and the only one that exhibits a very high level of integrity – Village Trailer Park fully embodies the distinguishing architectural characteristics of the type. “Specifically, the property features private paved roads; numerous trailer spaces with concrete pads and hookups for electricity, gas, water, and sewage; a recreational club house; manager’s residence; management office; laundry room/community bathroom facility; swimming pool; and landscaping. “The property also contains a substantial number of trailers manufactured from the 1950s through the 1970s. “Therefore, it can be concluded that Village Trailer Park is valuable to a study of the architectural history of the middle decades of the 20th century in Santa Monica. Report Excerpts: “Consistent with the design of most trailer parks, the subject property features numerous narrow trailer spaces. Based on the site map posted near the park entrance, there are 105 available spaces arranged in six rows with each space outfitted with a concrete pad and connections for electricity, water, gas, and sewage. Pole lamps illuminate the spaces along an asphalt strip of sidewalk fronting the driveway. Woven throughout the site are dozens of enormous mature trees of many varieties and dense landscaping that provide abundant shade and a park-like setting to the property…. “Given that the Village Trailer Park has existed at this location for 61 years there is an understandably wide variety of makes, models, and sizes of trailers scattered throughout the complex. In addition, it appears that many of the trailers were manufactured as early as the 1950s and 1960s with a few as recent as the 21st century. Visual inspection suggests that a substantial number of the trailers have occupied their spaces for many years – perhaps decades. Quite a number are thoroughly embraced by mature plants and have substantial additions attached to them, particularly on the side with the trailer entrance. These additions greatly expand a trailer’s available living space. Although technically roadworthy (each is on wheels and has a tow hitch on the front) it appears that, due to deterioration, age and disrepair, many would no longer fare well on the highway…. “A review of the occupations listed for residents of Village Trailer Park in 1958-59 reveals a wide variety of affiliations… Occupations include construction superintendent, postal carrier, postal clerk, Bullock’s clerk, PBX operator, accountant, electrician, several salesmen, machinist, YMCA engineer, office manager, mason, student, beautician, construction foreman, mechanic, writer, a number of retirees, widows, and, somewhat surprisingly given his high position, an assistant vice president of the General Telephone Company (Henry L. Williamson). There were also four employees of Douglas Aircraft: three technicians and a blue printer. Similar results were found in the 1960-61 city directory suggesting that the residents of Village Trailer Park were employed in a broad spectrum of blue and white collar occupations…. “In 2002, the City of Los Angeles declared the Monterey Trailer Park (6411 North Monterey Road) a Historic Cultural Monument.15 In the addendum to the property’s landmark nomination under significance, the Monterey Trailer Park is described as ‘a prime example of an early 20th Century recreation and housing resource in the booming Post WWII Los Angeles area…. “Photographic evidence and city directory research confirm that trailer parks were prevalent in Santa Monica, particularly after World War II in the eastern portions of the City. Trailer parks in Santa Monica initially served as convenient locations for travelers to rest as recreational stopovers or longer term seasonal vacation destinations. As such, they represent an important component of Santa Monica’s economic development as a vacation destination in the middle decades of the 20th century. In addition, they also served as accommodations for workers at local manufacturing plants such as Douglas Aircraft Company due to a widespread regional housing shortage during World War II. Over time, trailer parks transitioned from recreational stopovers into semi-permanent and permanent housing for blue and white collar workers in the City. “Due to their generally standard design in terms of plan, circulation, small narrow lot size, amenities (club house, swimming pool, manager’s residence, laundry building) and landscaping, trailer parks as mature residential communities took on a specific look and ambiance unique to the property type. This is especially true of Village Trailer Park, which, on account of its high level of integrity (in comparison with Mountain View Mobile Home Park), is unlike any neighborhood in Santa Monica.” +++++++++++ Should the Commission vote to designate Village Trailer Park as a Landmark, it could not be demolished by its owners, the Luzzatto family and associates, to make way for their large mixed use commercial development. However, the Luzzatto family could appeal the designation, and, as it has done far too often when landmarks have been appealed. the Council could grant the appeal. The report clearly establishes the trailer park as a unique element In the Santa Monica townscape in that it exemplifies certain aspects of our history and, obviously, is irreplaceable, but, last week, the Council refused to ask staff to explore any and all options for saving the park and ensuring the well-being of its residents -–except purchasing the park. Thus, while we believe the Landmarks Commission has ample grounds for designating the trailer park a landmark – which is very good news, we fear the Council will reject such designation – which is very bad news for the trailer park residents and the town as a whole, because, among other things, five of them have taken campaign contributions from the Luzzattos: Mayor Richard Bloom, Mayor Pro Tem Gleam Davis, Council members Bob Holbrook, Pam O’Connor and Terry O’Day, according to the Transparency Research Project. Given that, we urge residents to continue to express their support for the preservation of the trailer park now and, again, if and when, it comes back to the Council. Note: We thank Mid-City Neighbors President Gregg Heacock for the excerpts from the Landmarks Report, as the website wasn’t working when we tried to download it. The opinions are ours, not his.