§ 16.52.930. The Le Grande Apartments.

Pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 2.63 and with the recommendation of the Planning Commission, the City Council designates the following building as an historical landmark in the City: The Le Grande Apartments.

A.

Location, Description and Reasons for Designation. Located at 635 East 9th Street, this is a two-story, twenty (20) unit courtyard apartment designed in the Chateauesque style. This style became popular in Southern California in the 'twenties and appeared occasionally in apartment buildings in Long Beach at that time. The design is asymmetrical, with the entry under a projecting Romanesque portal of triple attached columns and a series of arches decorated with geometric motifs. The upper portion has flattened decorative corbels. The wrought iron gate has a series of arches, echoing the curves of the portal. The courtyard is landscaped, and exterior stairs lead to the upper units. There is a mansard roof, turrets, and partial dormers. Multipaned wood sash windows are used. The exterior stucco is strongly textured in curves, giving a hand-troweled appearance.

This courtyard apartment building was constructed during a period of very rapid growth for the City that had been stimulated by a strong demand for rental housing in a fast-growing economy. The 'twenties were boom years in Long Beach, due in part to the new oil industry, but also to the flourishing beach resort economy, and business and industrial growth. The type of housing represented here served working class people. The architectural charm and picturesque quality must have been an attempt to give this building a competitive edge in an expanding housing market.

This building is an excellent example of the Medieval Revival Chateauesque style, which was popular in this period. In the years following the first World War, exposure to European castles resulted in Chateauesque Revival buildings. Long Beach has other examples built at this time, such as the Lowena Historic District and the Gaytonia. The architectural type represented here is courtyard housing, which was a popular form of housing in Southern California from approximately 1915-1935. Two (2) stories of living units are arrayed in parallel wings around a central landscaped courtyard, screened from the street by a Romanesque Revival portal and decorative entry gate. The use of exterior stairs and varied massing conveys the quality of a miniature townscape to the complex.

B.

The Secretary of the Interior's "Standards for Rehabilitation and Guidelines for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings" are incorporated by reference, and shall serve as standards and guidelines for future exterior changes to the building. All exterior changes, whether or not they require a building permit, shall require a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Cultural Heritage Commission. Any exterior alterations, modifications or repair of the structure shall be consistent with the character-defining architectural features, and shall not adversely affect the historical materials, design or detailing.

(Ord. C-7345 § 2, 1995)