04-17-19 CHB Report 02 - Laserfiche WebLink

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IV. BACKGROUND: The University Avenue Specific Plan (Specific Plan) was prepared in 1992 and identified several buildings, including the Farm House Motel, as potentially eligible for designation. The Specific Plan recommended formal historic evaluations of the properties. In 1998, City of Riverside Development Department hired consultants, Lauren Weiss Bricker and Janet L. Tearnen, to complete a Historic Resources Survey (Exhibit 2) for the Hacienda and Farm House Motels. The survey to addressed the recommendation in the University Avenue Specific Plan and included an assessment of the historic and architectural significance of the properties. The Farm House Motel was identified as eligible for designation as a local landmark and for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. The eligible determination was reinforced in the 2013 Modernism Survey. The former City of Riverside Redevelopment Agency acquired the Farm House Motel in 2008 with the goal of removing blight from the neighborhood and protecting the historic building. On March 27, 2018, the City's Successor Agency (formerly Redevelopment Agency) staff received an unsolicited proposal from Bailey California Properties, LLC for an adaptive reuse project at the site. The City Council Development Committee reviewed and selected the proposal on June 21, 2018 to move forward. Prior to the proposal by Bailey California Properties being selected, staff worked with the applicant and advised them of the Certificate of Appropriateness requirements, the California Historic Building Code, and the Mills Act. On January 29, 2019, Bailey California Properties submitted an application (Exhibit 3) for Landmark Designation. The City will remain in City ownership until the close of escrow following entitlements. The Community and Economic Development Department Director has consented to the applicant's Landmark Designation application (Exhibit 4). V. ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION: The Farm House Motel, located at 1393 University Avenue, fronts the north side of University Avenue between Iowa and Cranford Avenues. Constructed in 1953, it originally consisted of three one-story buildings with 23 units on a 0.97 -acre site. The buildings include two parallel lines of buildings with a paved drive aisle running down the center of the property. The prominent vehicular access and the integrated carports are key features of the motor -court building type. The motel features a variant of the California Ranch style of architecture. This includes character -defining features such as gambrel roofs, board -and -batten siding, diamond -paned or multi -lite windows, and wood multi -lite half glass and four panel cross doors. The neon pole sign, in the shape of a gambrel roof, was added to the property in 1958. A fire in March 2017 destroyed the rear building which included four units. CHB - Historic Designation April 17, 2019 2 of 5 P19-0073