§ 16.52.090. Cherry Avenue Lifeguard Station.

A.

Location, Description and Reasons for Designation. Located on the beach at the foot of Cherry Avenue, this lifeguard station is a most charming landmark for the many beach goers and inhabitants of the bluff top neighborhood that parallels the seashore. Resting on a raised foundation that is functional for the storing of equipment for saving lives (dories, paddle boards, power boats, etc.), the two and a half (2½) story clapboard structure is basically rectangular in shape. The hexagonal lookout and clock tower rests above a low pitch Spanish gable roof. The east and west facades are distinguished by the shiplike portholes, catwalks, and entrance ramp that leads to the station's working quarters.

The Cherry Avenue Lifeguard Station was first constructed at the foot of Linden Avenue to replace the Lifeguard Headquarters that was washed away along with the Pine Avenue pier during a bad storm. It was moved to Cherry Avenue in 1961 (est.). It was designated and built by the City in 1938. It represents the beach style of the 1930s better than any remaining public structure in the City. The bottom floor of the building will be used as a lifeguard service museum.

The Long Beach Lifeguard Service is the oldest City-owned service of this type on the west coast. It was the first service to operate a power boat in their operations, use a radio communication system, use dories and torpedo cons, and bring water safety instruction to the classroom. Many memorabilia will be displayed in the Cherry Avenue Lifeguard Station Historic Landmark.

B.

General Guidelines and Standards for Any Changes. The "Standards for Rehabilitation and Guidelines for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings" prepared by the Secretary of the Interior (February, 1978), as amended, are incorporated by reference, and the following additional guidelines and standards as recommended by the Cultural Heritage Committee are adopted:

The Cherry Avenue Lifeguard Headquarters Building shall be restored in the manner portrayed on drawings numbered B-3140 in the files of the Long Beach Department of Public Works. Future maintenance of the structure which is found to be in keeping with the architectural style illustrated on these drawings shall receive a certificate of appropriateness from the Cultural Heritage Committee.

The bottom floor of the structure shall be used for public display of memorabilia of the Long Beach Lifeguard Service. Organization and maintenance of the displays shall be the responsibility of others and periodic changes thereto shall not require a certificate of appropriateness. Abandonment of the displays or conversion of the display area to other uses, if proposed in the future, shall require a certificate of appropriateness.

Future changes to the related feature (auxiliary building) shall also conform to the architectural style of the main building.

(Ord. C-5726 § 1,1981)