2008 06 19 HPCI
Historic Preservation Commission Agendas
are now available on the City's Web Page
@ www.la-quinta.orq
HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
AGENDA
The Regular Meeting to be held in the Study Session Room at the
La Quinta City Hall, 78-495 Calle Tampico, La Quinta, California
JUNE 19, 2008
3:00 P.M.
Beginning Minute Motion 2008-003
CALL TO ORDER
A. Pledge of Allegiance
B. Roll Call
II. PUBLIC COMMENT
This is the time set aside for citizens to address the Historic Preservation
Commission on matters relating to historic resources within the City of La Quinta
which are not Agenda items. When addressing the Historic Preservation
Commission, please state your name and address and when discussing matters
pertaining to prehistoric sites, do not disclose the exact location of the site(s) for
their protection.
III. CONFIRMATION OF THE AGENDA
Iv. CONSENT CALENDAR
A. Approval of the Minutes for May 15, 2008.
Historic Preservation Commission Agenda
V. BUSINESS ITEMS
A. City Historic Context Statement Review
Applicant: City of La Quinta
Consultant: City Staff
Location: City-wide
VI. CORRESPONDENCE AND WRITTEN MATERIAL
A. Attendance Update
VII. COMMISSIONER ITEMS
A. Memo regarding Selection of Officers
VIII. ADJOURNMENT
DECLARATION OF POSTING
I, Carolyn Walker, Executive Secretary of the City of La Quinta, do hereby declare that the
foregoing agenda for the La Quinta Historic Preservation Commission meeting of Thursday,
June 19, 2008, was posted on the outside entry to the Council Chamber, 78-495 Calle
Tampico, and the bulletin board at the La Quinta Cove Post Office, on Friday, June 13,
2008.
DATED: June 13, 2008 ezll* 44&
CAROLYN WALKER, Executive Secretary
City of La Quinta, California
PAReports - HPC\2008\6-19-08\AGENDA.doc
MINUTES
HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION MEETING
A Regular meeting held in the Study Session Room
at the La Quinta City Hall
78-495 Calle Tampico, La Quinta, CA
May 15, 2008
This meeting of the Historic Preservation Commission was called to order by Commissioner
Puente at 3:02 p.m. who asked for the roll call.
CALL TO ORDER
A. Roll Call.
Present: Commissioners Puente, Redmon, Sharp, Wright, and
Chairman Wilbur
Absent: None
Staff
Present: Planning Manager David Sawyer, Principal Planner Stan
Sawa, Associate Planner Jay Wuu, and Secretary Monika
Radeva.
II. PUBLIC COMMENT: None
III. CONFIRMATION OF THE AGENDA. Confirmed
IV. CONSENT CALENDAR..:
A. It was moved and seconded by Commissioners Redmon/Sharp to approve the
minutes of April 17, 2008, as submitted. Unanimously approved.
V. BUSINESS ITEMS:
A. Archaeological Testing and Evaluation Report Of Site CA-RIV-8835 (33-
16950)
Applicant: Sobel Enterprises (Brad Sobel)
Archaeological
Consultant: CRM TECH (Michael Hogan, Principal)
Location: Northeast Corner of Highway 111 and Dune Palms Road.
Principal Planner Stan Sawa presented the information contained in the staff
report, a copy of which is on file in the Planning Department.
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Historic Preservation Commission
May 15, 2008
Applicant Brad Sobel and Consultant Michael Hobel were introduced.
Commissioner Redmon referred to the Management Summary section of the
Interim Cultural Resources Report: "the final evaluation of the site cannot be
fully determined without the results of the laboratory analyses of the artifacts
and ecofacts recovered..." and asked how long the results of the analyses
would take because based on the staff report the results were immediately
connected to the issuance of the first building permit.
Consultant Michael Hogan replied CRM TECH would be completing the
analysis this week and would begin working on the final report, which would
be completed within a month or less.
Principal Planner Stan Sawa stated the Planning Department was currently
processing the application and would be heady to present it to the Planning
Commission and City Council no sooner than a month.
Commissioner Sharp asked if the age of the recovered cremation had been
determined.
Mr. Hogan stated that the cremation found on the site was not intact. In fact
it had been previously disturbed and the remains had been scattered.
Commissioner Wright asked if ttie tribe had been notified that a cremation had
been found. Staff said the tribe had been informed.
Mr. Hogan specified the tribe had a monitor on -site while his team was
removing the remains.
Commissioner Wright asked if the consultant was recommending additional
testing on the site. Mr. Hogan replied he would not recommend any more
testing.
Commissioner Wright commented on the valuable expertise Mr. Hogan has in
this area and stated he would be in favor of moving forward with the project
with monitoring as recommended by staff.
Commissioner Puente asked if the remains were found on the surface or if
they were buried. Mr. Hogan replied the remains were found mostly on the
surface within the first 20 centimeters.
Commissioner Puente asked for clarification on the type of remains found.
Mr. Hogan clarified that it was a cremation pit with a possible turtle shell
artifact used as a rattle.
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Historic Preservation Commission
May 15, 2008
Commissioner Puente asked if the recovered artifacts would be located at the
new museum or somewhere else in Riverside. Staff replied the artifacts, other
than any human remains, would be curated at the La Quinta museum.
There being no further comments it was moved and seconded by
Commissioners Wright/Redmon to approve Minute Motion 2008-002
accepting the interim Archaeological Testing and Evaluation Report of Site CA-
RIV-8835 (33-16950) as submitted. Unanimously approved.
B. City Historic Context Statement Review
Applicant: City of La Quinta
Consultant: City Staff
Location: City-wide
Principal Planner Stan Sawa presented the information contained in the staff
report, a copy of which is on file in the Planning Department.
Commissioner Puente inquired about the schedule of completion for the
Historic Context Statement. Staff replied that the schedule would be followed
as closely as possible and the City Historic Context Statement Review would
be presented to the Commission for review and approval in parts based on its
structure. The first part of the review was the Introduction and Prehistory
and Early Settlement. The Resort Industry and Village and Cove Development
contexts would follow.
VI. CORRESPONDENCE AND WRITTEN MATERIAL: None
VII. COMMISSIONER ITEMS:
Commissioner Wright mentioned that the Commission always goes dark one month
during the summer, but it hasn't been determined yet, which month.
Planning Manager David Sawyer stated the City Council would be dark the second
meeting in August.
Commissioner Wright said he would be out of town during the month of July.
Planning Manager David Sawyer talked about the new regulations adopted by City
Council regarding Commission attendance, which allowed only two absences per
fiscal year. A third absence would automatically remove a Commissioner from
his/her Commission position by order of the City Ordinance 446. He mentioned a
memo was being drafted for all the Commissions as a reminder of the ordnance.
Commissioner Wright commented these regulations were in line with those adopted
by other Commissions he has been on. He suggested an attendance update be
included in the monthly packets to help keep track of absences.
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Historic Preservation Commission
May 15, 2008
Discussion the summer schedule followed. It was unanimously decided to go dark
the month of July.
Commissioner Puente inquired about the scheduled meeting dates for June and
August.
Staff replied the dates were June 19`h and August 21'
Commissioner Puente stated she would not be attending the meeting in June
because she would be out of the country, but she would be back for the meeting in
August.
There being no further business, it was moved and seconded by Commissioners
Redmon/Sharp to adjourn this Meeting of the Historic Preservation Commission to
the next Regular Meeting to be held on. June 19, 2008. This meeting of the Historic
Preservation Commission was adjourned at 2:23 p.m.
It was moved and seconded by Commissioner Redmon/Wright to rescind the motion
to adjourn as the Commission failed to discuss the Historic Preservation Conference
in Napa.
Commissioner Redmon commented on the classes and workshops offered, which
she found to be very interesting and resourceful.
Planning Manager Sawyer stated for the record Chairman Wilbur had arrived at the
meeting.
Commissioner Wright said he found the Conference to be very helpful as well. He
mentioned that the Conference next year would be in Palm Springs, which would
eliminate any travel expenses and would allow them to attend a lot more workshops.
Commissioner Wright added that one of the most important events during these
conferences is the final networking event, which the Commission is normally not a
part of. He would like to ask Council for permission to attend that final event next
year as that would be the perfect place to try to promote the historical district in the
Cove and get some excellent ideas as to what would be the best way to approach
that.
Commissioner Wright mentioned that he and Commissioner Redmon had spoken
with Cindy Heitzman, Executive Director of the California Preservation Foundation,
at the Conference. She plans to visit the Coachella Valley in a few weeks and they
plan to give her a tour of the historic places in La Quinta. He said he had spoken to
a lot of people who showed interest in the La Quinta Resort and the Traditions
development.
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Historic Preservation Commission
May 15, 2008
Commissioner Redmon said the people she spoke to were aware of the historic
public buildings in Palm Springs, but knew nothing of the historic significance of the
rest of the Coachella Valley.
Commissioner Wright commented on the Grand Opening of the new La Quinta
Museum scheduled for Saturday, May 24`" from 2:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. and
emphasized the importance of the Commissioners' attendance.
VIII. ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business, it was moved and seconded by Commissioners
Wright/Puente to adjourn this Meeting of the Historic Preservation Commission to
the next Regular Meeting to be held on June 19, 2008. This meeting of the Historic
Preservation Commission was adjourned at 3:35 p.m. Unanimously approved.
Submitted by:
Monika Radeva
Secretary
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BI #A
HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
STAFF REPORT
DATE: JUNE 19, 2008
ITEM: CITY HISTORIC CONTEXT STATEMENT REVIEW
BACKGROUND:
On May 18, 2008 the HPC reviewed the first part of the City Historic Context
Statement consisting of the introduction and Context 1, which pertains to the
City's prehistory and early settlement.
Staff has revised Context 2 of the City Historic Context pertaining to the City's
resort industry and its influence on the City's development. The Commission
should review the attached and determine its acceptability. Context 3 and the
results and conclusions will follow at a future meeting.
RECOMMENDATION:
Determine acceptability of Context 2.
Attachment:
1. City Historic Context Statement - Context 2.
Prepared by:
Stan Sawa, Principal Planner
P:\stan\hpc\hpc rpt context #2.doc
ATTACHMENT #1
3. CONTEXT 2: RESORT INDUSTRY
3.1 INTRODUCTION
"Every year the mecca of thousands seeking the sunshine, beauty and dry,
health -giving climate of the desert, La Quinta has earned an international
reputation as America's foremost desert resort community.
The quote above is the opening statement in a brochure titled "Presenting La
Quinta published in 1943, by the Palm Springs Land and Irrigation
Company. This brochure was reprinted by the La Quinta Historical Society in
1991.
Pat Young wrote in a description of the history of the Cove Communities,
"that the communities each had a beginning in agriculture, mostly dates and
grapefruit. To varying degrees they were recognizable communities in the
1920's, but their real flowering in the resort mold began after World War II"
(Press -Enterprise, February 24, 1982:B-2). The resort industry wrestled with
the existing agricultural influences.
Since the late 1800's, people have been coming to the desert area for the
healthful benefits. Some of the first settlers and homesteaders were among
those seeking a drier climate for respiratory and arthritic ailments. While the
healthful benefits of the desert were capitalized upon, the charm and beauty
of the desert environment became apparent to those seeking a new place for
recreation and quiet refuge. Since the late 1920's movie starts, celebrities,
and the wealthy have been coming to La Quinta for these reasons.
3.1.1 Definition of Context Theme
This Resort Industry context theme was identified and included in this
document because of the important role the resort aspect had on the
development of La Quinta. In the late 1920's and early 1930's the resort
aspect is what drew people to La Quinta, some of which became permanent
or seasonal residents of the area. The public fascination with movie stars
and celebrities resulted in the lure to La Quinta and the marketing of the
area. The resort aspect of La Quinta continues today and is one of the
dominant "industries" of the community.
3 1 2 Significance Criteria for Properties
The significance criteria for the resort context within La Quinta is primarily
dependent upon the criteria for cultural resources in Section 15064.5 of the
California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines as outlined in the Section
2.1.2 of this document.
all
The La Quinta Hotel appears to be eligible for listing on the National Register
of Historic Places (Mellon and Associates 1997).
3.2 LA QUINTA HOTEL (NOW LA QUINTA RESORT AND
CLUB
The 1951 Palm Springs Yearbook states, the little community of La
Quinta ... was, strangely enough, a product of the First World War. In a front
line trench, thick with mud, two young officers huddled against the rain and
bitter cold and made a pact, resolving that if they lived through the war, they
would return to the United States and seek the driest, warmest, most
enjoyable climate they could find and settle down." These two young men
were Fred Ickes and Walter Morgan.
Prior to settling on the site that is now the La Quinta Hotel, Ickes and
Morgan spent one year investigating the area and talking to people about
where the best suited land would be. They narrowed their selection of a site
based upon the "abundance of water reasonably close to the surface for
irrigation, minimum wind, warmest winter climate, and the highest
percentage of clear blue sky." After purchasing the property they had two
wells drilled, one a 350 foot well that produced over two million gallons of
water per day for irrigation, and the other well, a shallower one for domestic
purposes that produced over 250,000 gallons per day (Anonymous 1951).
The La Quinta Hotel was the first resort hotel in La Quinta, constructed in
1926, by Walter H. Morgan. It is located at 49499 Eisenhower Drive.
Morgan was the youngest son of wealthy John S. Morgan, owner of the
Morgan Oyster Company, in San Francisco. The younger Morgan came to
the desert in 1921 for health reasons. He fell in love with the area and
wanted to build a small, secluded retreat. Morgan purchased 1,400 acres in
the name of Desert Development Company, in the lower La Quinta cove
area, in order to build his retreat hotel. Part of this land was originally part
of a railroad land grant and the other part was a portion of a State Grant
Patent (BLM Historical Indices). The land that Morgan purchased is said to
have been named "Happy Hollow" by the Cahuilla Indians who lived in the
area.
Only a portion of the land was developed with the Hotel (Coachella Valley
Submarine, February 4, 1927). Six cottages were constructed as well as a
dining room, and office building. Through time, the Hotel has grown from
the original six adobe cottages to a resort of 796 rooms, villas and suites.
Morgan made the Hotel a "social must" by inviting Hollywood celebrities,
politicians, and society members to come for a visit.
41
A nine -hole golf course designed by Norman Beth was also constructed on
the property in 1927. It was the first golf course in the Coachella Valley,
and the greens fee was just $1 . A horse stable was also located behind the
Hotel, to the west. Horses were provided for trail rides and boarding
facilities were available. The Hotel had the area's only telephone service in
1926 (Press -Enterprise, Feb. 3, 1982: B-4).
There is some speculation that Morgan might have selected La Quinta to
build his resort in response to the anti-Jewish atmosphere present in Palm
Springs at that time. Particular subdivisions in Palm Springs had clauses in
property deeds that prohibited people of the Jewish faith from owning
property. In the late 1920's and 30's Jack Benny attracted many people to
the desert with his references to CU-CA-MONGA and Palm Springs. Palm
Springs developed in response to the visitors with some of the overflow
reaching La Quinta (Cooper n.d.)•
During the first year of operation, 1927, a Southern Pacific train became
marooned in Indio because of severe flooding. Charles Taft, son of former
Presidential William H. Taft, was a passenger on that train. He discovered La
Quinta when he and the other passengers were invited by the Hotel to stay
as guests until the train could continue on.
Morgan established the first post office in La Quinta, with himself appointed
as the Postmaster on November 22, 1930 (Record of Appointments of
Postmasters). The post office operated until June 30, 1943, and most likely
closed when the Hotel closed because of World War Il. Until 1948, all mail
went to the Indio Post Office with no delivery to La Quinta. On May 1,
1948, the post office was re-established as a winter post office. It is not
known where the post office was located, but was most likely at the Hotel.
Until 1970, postmasters were political appointees. A list of postmasters and
their dates of appointment is found in P.0
In the Spring of 1942, the Hotel closed for the duration of World War II
because gasoline and automobile tire rationing prevented travel to the desert.
During the war years, the United States Army requisitioned the property.
Troops were not officially stationed at the Hotel; however, Government signs
were posted at the entrance forbidding unauthorized entry. It is said that
both Army Tank and Army Air Corps Divisions used the Hotel grounds and
surrounding areas. Members of General George Patton's staff are said to
have used some of the Hotel's facilities (La Quinta Hotel, n.d.). During this
time, the cottages were locked, the pool drained, and the landscaping died.
After the war, interest in the Hotel was renewed as pre-war lifestyles
resumed. The La Quinta Hotel resumed being a favorite vacation spot for
the Hollywood stars and celebrities who came for the cuisine, privacy, and
42
pampering service provided by the hotel staff. The Hotel provided the
opportunity to escape the paparazzi and fast -paced life style of Hollywood.
Today the Hotel has 796 rooms, 41 pools, 53 heated spas, seven
restaurants, a variety of shops, and five (two on site) golf courses. A
ballroom, Las Flores Ballroom, with subterranean parking garage was
constructed in 1996 to cater to large groups. In 1997, a new spa and
fitness building and attached resort units was approved and constructed.
The original landscaping around the Hotel comprises a cultural landscape that
was documented by Mellon and Associates.
3.2.1 Architect and Architecture
Morgan hired, then unknown Pasadena architect, Gordon Kaufmann in 1925
to design the future resort. Kaufmann later became famous for his
architectural designs and received numerous accolades and awards. The
first of these awards was the Certificate of Honor, in 1930, from the
American Institute of Architects "in appreciation of the merit on design and
execution of work in the building of La Quinta."
Kaufmann designed the main buildings, the lobby areas, the open and
glassed -in dining rooms, the six guest cottages, and the grounds. He also
designed the furniture and lights while supervising all of the construction,
including the firing of the bricks done on the Hotel premises. Kaufmann
developed a project, which drew on regional and Spanish influences evolving
into a style now known as Spanish Revival. The design incorporated
elements, which would become Kaufmann's "signature details" including
"loggias, arches, chimneys, pots of multitudinal forms, armadas for dining
and private patios enclosed by walls" (Mellon & Associates 1997, after
Muntz, 1992, p. 31).
Additional information about the distinguished career of Gordon Kaufmann is
highlighted in the "La Quinta Hotel Historic Resource Evaluation," prepared
by Mellon & Associates, September 1997, on file at the City of La Quinta.
The La Quinta Hotel is said to be an "exquisite example of Spanish Colonial
architecture" (Britton, May 3, 1996). The architectural features of the
Spanish Colonial style (1565-1840) include red tile roofs, adobe or stucco
exterior finish, walled gardens, decorative iron work, and arcaded porches.
The La Quinta Hotel is tiled from roof to floor and with pillared breeze ways
that connect it to the original dining room. The buildings feature archways,
clay tile roofs, thick walls, after the California Mission architectural style.
The Mission Revival architectural style features hand -troweled smooth
finished stucco walls, arches, arcades, courtyards, tile roofs, windows and
doors may be recessed and framed with rough-hewn wood.
43
The high ceiling lobby is decorated with a series of sketches by noted
Mexican artist Diego Rivera. The sketches were covered over during a
redecorating effort some years ago, but were discovered by an employee
during the 1989 renovation (Britton 1996).
The Hotel was designed around three courtyards that are still present today:
the Hotel entry, the service area to the northwest of the Lobby, and the
interior ovals in the middle of the guest cottages. The first 20 cottages were
built in two concentric ovals around the interior courtyard and were named
alphabetically for saints: San Anselmo, San Benito, San Carlos, San Dimas,
San Jacinto, San Lucas, San Marcos, San Nicolas, San Onofre, San Pedro,
San Quintin, San Rafael, San Sebastian, San Timoteo, and Santa Ursula.
The first swimming pool was built in 1937 (La Quinta Hotel: n.d.).
The landscaping and grounds around the Hotel were important in Morgan's
vision for his resort. The siting of the buildings in relationship to each other
and natural features of the environment were carefully considered.
Landscape architect Edward Huntsman -Trout was hired to design the
grounds and residential landscape areas of the Hotel.
Huntsman -Trout is noted for the many gardens he designed throughout
Southern California from the 1920's to the early 1970's, and his
development of a "California Style" landscape. Additional details of
Huntsman-Trout's career are discussed in the "La Quinta Hotel Historic
Resources Evaluation," prepared by Mellon and Associates in 1997.
The original landscape design of the Hotel's formal entry, drive, and garage
court have been reconfigured. However, the design of the residential
grounds around the casitas remains remarkably intact. The design of the
grounds and the placement of the casitas around the walkways are formal
and symmetrical in plan. A pair of walkways lead south from the hotel
building and intersect with a cross axis which runs east -west. The pair of
walkways leading south, amble out as they cross the axis. An elongated
oval garden walkway is centered in each of the garden courts. Four casitas
are arranged around each oval. Parallel east -west walkways are situated to
the north and south of the main cross axis. Twelve other historic casitas are
located around these walkways (Mellon & Associates 1997).
3.2.2 Owners
There have been several changes of ownership of the La Quinta Hotel. The
original owner was Walter H. Morgan who owner the property until 1931.
Morgan died in April of 1931 as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning. He
had a tubercular condition and it is speculated that he took his own life
because of his poor health and the decline of his family's finances due to the
Depression. Morgan was cremated and his ashes spread over the date
garden and flower gardens. As a result, the hotel closed its doors after the
fifth season in financial turmoil (La Quinta Hotel n.d.). In 1931, Frederick
Clift of San Francisco's Clift Hotel leased the La Quinta Hotel (Young, n.d.).
The courts appointed B. J. Bradner, an attorney and hotel investor, as the
owner following Morgan's death. Bradner owned the hotel until 1945, after
the Second World War (Fred Rice: Personal Communication: 1996; La Quinta
Hotel n.d.).
The land around the Hotel was purchased in 1932 by Harry Kiener, a
promoter of Big Bear Land and Water Company, hoping to create a private
club. Under Bradner, the Hotel experienced resurgence in the late 1930's.
Kaufmann was again commissioned and an extensive program of
improvements ... chief among which was the installation of the new
swimming pool" was undertaken (El Heraldo de La Quinta, December 1938).
For three months in 1945, Arnold S. Kirkeby, a Chicago hotelier, owned the
property. From 1945 to 1950, John Balaban was the owner. Balaban was
part of Balaban and Katz, large Midwest theater owners. Barney Balaban,
John's brother, was head of Paramount Studios (Fred Rice: Personal
Communication: 1996). Through the promotion by Balaam's brother,
Barney, Hollywood's top stars were seen at the Hotel.
From 1955 or '56 to 1977, Leonard Ettleson owned the La Quinta Hotel.
Ettleson sold the property in 1977 to Landmark Land Company, Inc. Ernie
Vossler and John Walser were both vice-presidents of the company. In
1984 CRI Inc., from Rockville, Maryland purchased the property. In 1995,
the property was purchased by KSL Recreation Corporation. (Fred Rice:
Personal Communication: 1996). They owned it until 2004 when CNL
Hospitality Properties purchased it along with several other KSL owned
resorts. In 2007, CNL was purchased by Morgan Stanley's real estate arm.
3.2.3. Construction
The total construction cost of the original Hotel is estimated to have been
$150,000. The construction progress was publicized in a local newspaper,
the Coachella Valley Submarine. In an article in the November 19, 1926
edition, it was stated that the Hotel was obviously a unique and prestigious
undertaking for the Coachella Valley." The superintendent of work was
Crane Bruner. Carpentry work was supervised by C. N. Sinclair, a contractor
from Indio; plumbing by L. P. Pratt; electrical by Ralph Alden; and the sewer
system by Thomas E. Allen. Porch furniture was also made in hotel shops
(California Arts and Architecture 1930).
EV
The heating system was designed as a large concrete tunnel, which carried
heat to the cottages from one giant heating plant. The dining room was
described as a very imposing structure, with walls three feet thick and a high
ceiling. About 100 guests could be accommodated in the dining room.
The roof and floor tiles were fired in a kiln made for that purpose. The
roofing the was a pink sand tint while the floor tile was somewhat redder
than the average house brick. The site of the original kiln is on the Golf Club
Mountain Course. Here, Mexican -American laborers hand made more than
100,000 adobe bricks, 60,000 roof tiles, and 5,000 floor tiles. Joe
Valenzuela Roofing, a local company, was hired to manufacture the bricks
and tiles (Rudy Valenzuela: Personal Communication, 1996). Clay from the
Green/Marshall lakebed was used to make the roof and floor tiles for the
Hotel (Rice n.d.).
The construction of the Hotel provided a boon of employment opportunities
to the Valley. Over 80 men were employed in the construction of an
additional 14 cottages during the second year of operation, brining the total
units available to twenty (Coachella Valley Submarine August 19, 1927).
The interior designer for the resort was Charles Ray Glass of Pasadena's
Cheesewright Studio. The craftsmanship and quality of building materials
along with excellence of architectural design and attention to detail resulted
in an award -winning project which was published in numerous magazines
and prestigious architectural journals (Mellon and Associates 1997).
3 2.4 Marketing
Though Morgan was opposed to advertising, he had a special talent for
publicity and public relations. Through his family's connections, he knew the
right people in the business and social worlds. He made La Quinta Hotel a
social "must" by carefully inviting Hollywood celebrities. The Hotel had a
feature the early movie stars were looking for — privacy. Those who
frequented the Hotel included Marie Dressler, Greta Garbo, Delores del Rio,
Ginger Rogers, Bette Davis, William Powell, Joan Crawford, Joe McCrea,
Marlene Dietrich, Katherine Hepburn, Clark Gable, Richard Widmark, Robert
Montgomery, Charles Boyer, Erroll Flynn, Frank Capra, and Ronald Coleman.
Business moguls such as the DuPonts, the Gianninis and the Vanderbilts also
vacationed at the Hotel (La Quinta Hotel n.d.). Frank Capra ultimately came
to live at the Hotel until his death in 1991.
Local advertising took the form of newspaper articles in the Coachella Valley
Submarine and The Date Palm newspapers, in 1927, about construction
progress on the Hotel and its grand opening. In addition, a brochure titled,
46
'La Quinta' was published by the Hotel shortly after its construction. This
brochure was reprinted by the La Quinta Historical Society in 1991. Several
black and white photographs of the hotel buildings, interiors, and area
around the Hotel are included in this brochure.
Word of mouth advertising and written endorsements by former guests of
the Hotel was common. In 1938, Cornelious Vanderbilt, Jr. wrote, "If it's
far from the maddening crowd you want to be, there's no better place to be
than at the exclusive La Quinta Hotel."
3.3 LA QU/NTA COUNTRY CLUB
When Leonard Ettleson and a group of investors purchased the La Quinta
Hotel in 1958, he discovered that it was not going to be a money-maker.
That he would need to develop the surrounding property in order to make a
return on his investment. He and his partners planned and gained approval
on the La Quinta Country Club Estates subdivision, which created estate -
sized lots surrounding a golf course. The Club was planned as a private golf
club with members from around the country. Membership was and is by
invitation only. The Articles of Incorporation for the La Quinta Country Club
were filed with Riverside County Clerk on March 12, 1959.
3.3.1 Architect and Architecture
The architect for the clubhouse was Jack White, from Sherman Oaks
(Moore: Personal Communication)• No other information is known about Mr.
White or the design process of the clubhouse.
The original club house was a large mobile home that had been used at
another local country club on a temporary basis. It became known as the
"Shack."
A new clubhouse was built in 1966. It was described as the "jewel of the
desert." The building was Mediterranean architectural style with tall, carved
doors featuring wrought iron handmade in Mexico, and stucco wood frame
multi pane glass windows. Interior ceilings were 20 feet with wooden
beams. It suffered significant foundation and structural damage in an
earthquake in 2005 and has been demolished. A new larger Mediterranean
style clubhouse designed by Lee & Sakahara Architects has been approved
and is under construction.
The designers and builders of the golf course were Frank Hughes and
brother, Lawrence Hughes, prominent golf course professionals of the time.
47
3.3.2 Owners
In 1958, Leonard Ettleson, John Elsbach, Col. Courtney Turner, Billy
Friedman, and Roy Crummer purchased property across the street, to the
east, from the La Quinta Hotel. There they developed the La Quinta Country
Club on 130 acres, in 1959. The Club was later sold to the Club members.
3.3.3. Construction
Custom home sites were created by the subdivision. The Homeowners'
Association for the La Quinta Country Club reviews custom home designs
prior to issuance of a building permit. As a result, the homes built in the
Golf Estates are custom designed and constructed homes with variety in
architectural styles. A few vacant lots still exist within the subdivision. The
building of homes in the Estates has been a gradual, but continual process
since the subdivision was created. The Estates were walled in with a
masonry block wall along Eisenhower Drive in 1986. An entry gate was
constructed at Coachella Drive and Eisenhower Drive at the same time. The
general building contractor for the wall and gate project was Golf Estates
resident, William R. Mouriquand.
In 2004, the Planning Commission approved an extensive remodel of the
guard gate entry on Coachella Drive off Eisenhower Drive. The project,
designed by Moses Troche, A.I.A., was constructed in 2005.
3.3.4 Marketing
Marketing of the La Quinta Country Club was aggressive in the early years of
its development. Mrs. Laurene Hollander would take advantage of guest
days at other clubs to casually promote the La Quinta Country Club. The
first big promotion of the Club was when President Eisenhower flew down to
dedicate the Club on October 23, 1960. In November of 1963, the first
taped for television golf tournament was sponsored by CBS, and called the
CBS Match Play Classic. This event did much for the marketing of the Club
and resulted in a large increase in Club membership. In 1967, the first Bob
Hope Desert Classic was hosted at the Country Club. The live television
coverage of the Classic brought world fame to La Quinta.
The golf course is one of the courses played during the Bob Hope Classic
golf tournament. The course is said to have been a favorite of President
Dwight D. Eisenhower, and that Eisenhower's brother, Edgar, maintained a
home there for many years. A monument commemorating President
Eisenhower's dedication of the Country Club was erected on the golf course.
m
3 4 Properties and Their Significance Within Context 2
The City-wide survey identified several resources that are categorized under
the Resort Industry Context. The first theme under the Resort Industry
context is the La Quinta Hotel. The Hotel was built in 1926-27 for Walter
Morgan and designed by renowned Southern California architect Gordon
Kaufmann. The Hotel complex included the main hotel and individual guest
bungalows known as casitas arranged around a landscape designed by the
preeminent pioneer landscape architect, Edward Huntsman -Trout. The Hotel
casitas and grounds appear eligible for the NRHP as a district. The Hotel
structures fall under the "'I 920's Spanish Colonial Revival" property type.
Three other resources on the La Quinta Hotel grounds appear eligible for the
NRHP. They are the Walter Morgan House and Cyrus Pierce House (both
designed by Gordon Kaufmann) and La Sala. All three structures can be
categorized under the "1920's Spanish Colonial Revival" Property Type
(Mellon and Associates 1997).
ME
CORRESPONDENCE
WRITTEN MATERIAL
Historic Preservation Commission Attendance Tracking
December 2007 _ Maw 2nnR
Maria Puente
Peggy Redmon
Archie Sharp
Allan Wilbur
Robert Wright
12/6/2007
Present
Present
Present
Present
Present
12/20/2007
No Meeting
No Meeting
No Meetinq
No Meetinq
No Meeting
1/17/2008
Present
Present
A46ser+t_
Present
Present
2/21/2008
No Meetin
No Meeting
No Meeting
No Meeting
No Meeting
3/20/2008
Present
Present
Present
Present
Present
4/17/2008
5/15/2008 1
Present
Present
Present
Present
Present
Present
Present
Present
Present
Present
CI #A
HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
MEMORANDUM
TO: HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
FROM: LES JOHNSON, PLANNING DIRECTOR
VIA: DAVID SAWYER, PLANNING MANAGER
SUBJECT: SELECTION OF OFFICERS
DATE: JUNE 19, 2008
Staff has researched the Municipal Code regarding selection of Commission
Officers. The appropriate excerpt of the Code (Section 2.06.030) reads as follows:
"Unless otherwise provided by law, ordinance or resolution of the City
Council, each board, commission or committee of the city shall annually at its first
meeting held after June 30"...choose one of its number as chairperson and one as
vice chairperson..."
The selection of officers will be scheduled for your August 21' meeting since the
Commission will be dark during the month of July.
Attachment: La Quinta Municipal Code
Section 2.06.030
P:\Reports - HPC\2008\6-19-08\Chair-Vice-Chair Memo.doc
ATTACHMENT 1
La Quinta Municipal Code
Title 2 ADMINISTRATION AND PERSONNEL
Chacter 2.06 BOARDS, COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES
2.06.030 Chairrerson, vice -chairperson —Selection and terms.
Unless otherwise provided by law, ordinance or resolution of the city council, each board, commission or
committee of the city shall annually at its first meeting held after June 30th, except for committees who shall at
their first meeting, choose one of its number as chairperson and one as vice chairperson. Each chairperson and
vice chairperson shall have authority and perform such duties as are commonly associated with their respective
titles, or as may be specially prescribed by law or by the bylaws or other rules of the board, commission or
committee. Vacancies in either such position occurring prior to July 1st for boards and commissions, and
anytime for committees, may be filled as in the first instance, and a new chairperson or vice chairperson may be
chosen at any time by majority vote of all members of the board, commission or committee. (Ord. 237 § 2 (part),
1993)
http://gcode.us/codes/laquinta/view.php?topic=2-2_06-2_06_030&frames=on 6/12/2008