1997 06 19 HPCF � 2
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HISTORICAL PRESERVATION COMMISSION
A Regular Meeting to be held in the Session Room at the
La Quinta City Hall, 78-495 Calle Tampico, La Quinta, California
June 19, 1997
3:30 P.M.
I. CALL TO ORDER
A. Pledge of Allegiance
B. Roll Call
II. CONFIRMATION OF THE AGENDA
III. PUBLIC COMMENT
This is the time set aside for citizens to address the Historical Preservation Commission on
matters relating to historic resources within the City of La Quinta which are not Agenda items.
When addressing the Historical 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.
IV. CONSENT CALENDAR
Approval of the Minutes of the Historic Preservation Commission meeting of May 22, 1997.
V. BUSINESS ITEMS
Certificate of Appropriateness 97-003; Historic Resources Evaluation of the La Quinta
Hotel and architectural appropriateness of proposed condominiums and spa building
within the Hotel compound (EA 97-340).
2. Commissioner Jim DeMersman - Presentation on House Museums
VI. CORRESPONDENCE AND WRITTEN MATERIAL
VII. COMMISSIONER ITEMS
VIII. ADJOURNMENT
V UU001
HPC/AGENDA
MINUTES
HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION MEETING
A regular meeting held at the La Quinta City Hall North Conference Room
78-495 Calle Tampico, La Quinta, CA
May 22, 1997
I. CALL TO ORDER
3:30 P.M.
A. This meeting of the Historic Preservation Commission was called to order at 3:30
P.M. by Chairman Millis.
B. ROLL CALL
1. Chairman Millis requested the roll call: Present: Commissioners DeMersman,
Puente, Wright and Chairman Millis.
2. Staff present: Planning Manager Christine di Iorio, Senior Engineer John
Freeland, Associate Planner Leslie Mouriquand, and Executive: Secretary
Betty Sawyer.
III. CONFIRMATION OF THE AGENDA: Confirmed.
A. Planning Manager Christine di Iorio asked that the agenda be reordered to have Item
2 as Item 1 and Item 1 as Item 2. Unanimously approved.
II. PUBLIC COMMENT:
A. Nancy Carter stated she was attending the meeting to show her interest in becoming
a lay member ofthe Commission and stated she had spent ten years with the City of
Escondido. Of those ten years, six were with the Franchise Commission and four
with the Community Services Commission where they identified items for the
Historical Register. Previously, she assisted her husband who was in charge of the
Historical Preservation and Restoration Committee for the AIA in the County of
Orange for W years. She attended Scripps College where she obtained her
Bachelor's degree in the Humanities.
B. Nancy Richards stated she too was interested in becoming a member of the Historic
Preservation Commission. She was a native of Southern California and graduated
from Palm Springs High school. She has a degree in American Literature from
Harvard and attended Boston Architectural Center.
HPC5-22
Historical Preservation Commission
May 22, 1997
C. Barbara Irwin, Director of the La Quinta Historical Society Museum, stated she has
lived in La Quinta for six years and is very interested in the history of La Quinta. She
was attending the Commission meetings to show her interest in becoming a lay
member of the Commission.
IV. CONSENT CALENDAR:
B. It was moved and seconded by Commissioners Wright/DeMersman to approve the
Minutes of April 17, 1997 and February 20, 1997, as submitted. Unanimously
approved.
V. BUSINESS ITEMS
A. Specific Plan 97-029 The Center at La Quinta; a request of STAMKO Development
Company for review and recommendation of the Cultural Resources Section of the
Draft Environmental Impact Report for an 87 acre Auto Sales/Services Mall and
Mixed Use Commercial Center on the south side of State Highway I I I between
Adams Street and Dune Palms Road.
A staff report was presented by Planning Manager Christine di Iorio, a copy
of which is on file in the Community Development Department.
2. There being no questions of staff, it was moved and seconded by
Commissioners Wright/Puente to recommend approval of the report as
presented. Unanimously approved.
B. Presentation by Commission Maria Puente on Spanish Architectural
HPC5-22
1. Chairman Millis introduced Commissioner Puente who gave a history
background on Commissioner Puente regarding her areas of study. Staff
explained that this would be an on -going event where each of the
commissioners would be making a presentation on their areas of expertise.
2. During the course of a slide presentation, questions were: asked of
Commissioner Puente regarding the different types of architecture and the
areas of Europe she had worked in.
3. Chairman Millis thanked Commissioner Puente for her presentation.
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Historical Preservation Commission
May 22, 1997
HPC5-22
C. 48th Avenue Extension/Adams Street Widenine; an archaeological investigation
overview.
A staff report was given by Assistant Planner Leslie Mouriquand in
conjunction with Senior Engineer John Freeland. A copy of the reportis on
file in the Community Development Department.
2. Mr. Jim Brock, Archaeological Advisory Group, stated he was hired by the
City to investigate a section of Adams Street north of 48th Avenue. 1000 ft
corridor, 55-feet wide of a highly sensitive area as identified by the
Archaeological Clearing House (EIC) of Riverside. This project includes a
previously surveyed spot they wanted to widen. He was present at this
meeting to present the draft of his report for the Commission's review.
Basically this study is looking at a midden site that is a significant find. It is
like looking at somebody's trash. The site was buried into the top of the
sanddune down approximately a meter. There is no way to not impact the
site as the road will be widened. The site was originally recorded at the time
the road was constructed. The beauty of the midden deposit is that it is a
dense find. Most sites are mixed around in the sand and scattered. The soil
helps to seal the site. This is the only midden site in La Quinta which affords
such a unique opportunity. This site is related to one of the final fillings of
the lake. They have theorized that there were four fillings of the lake within
the last two millinea. This site is associated with one of those fillings. It
could date anywhere in the last one thousand years and should have a large
assortment of fish and animal bones. The Cahuilla Indians had terms in their
language for agriculture, but today there is no sign of the agricultural activity.
This is a perfect and unique site that has research potential. It is proposed
that they move into phase three and save and recover as much of the site as
possible and continue to monitor.
3. Commissioner Wright stated it would be interesting to visit the site. Staff
stated they would make arrangements for the Commissioners to visit the site.
Commissioners discussed with staff the significance of the site.
4. Associate Planner Leslie Mouriquand asked if Mr. Brock would take pictures
of the site to show to the Commission. Mr. Brock stated he normally does
not take slides but will take pictures. This find would be worthy of a slide
show.
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Historical Preservation Commission
May 22, 1997
5. Staff thanked Mr. Brock for his presentation and they look forward to a future
presentation with pictures.
VI. CORRESPONDENCE AND WRITTEN MATERIAL:
A. Staff reviewed the reading material included in their packet.
VII COMMISSIONER ITEMS
A. Staff reviewed future agenda items with the Commissioners.
B. Commissioner Wright thanked staff for the Symposium. Discussed followed
regarding the event.
C. Commissioner DeMersman stated the Preservation Commission had met and
determined that the 1999 conference would be held in Palm Springs.
VIII. ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business, it was moved and seconded by Commissioners DeMersman/Wright
to adjourn this meeting of the Historic Preservation Commission to a regular meeting of the
Historical Preservation Commission on June 19, 1997. This meeting of the Historical Preservation
Commission was adjourned at 4:47 P.M. Unanimously approved.
HPC5-22 4 - �U 1l 005
HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
STAFF REPORT
DATE: June 19, 1997
ITEM: La Quinta Hotel Historic Resource Evaluation- Certificate of
Appropriateness 97-003
CASE NO.S: Specific Plan 121-E Amendment #4, Tentative Tract 28545,
Site Development Permit 97-607, Site Development Permit 97-
608, Site Development Permit 97-609, General Plan Amendment
97-054, Change of Zone 97-083, Environmental Assessment 97-
304, Certificate of Appropriateness 97-003.
APPLICANT: KSL Recreation Corporation
PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
KSL Recreation Corp. has applied to the City for approval of a project consisting of
122 single family residential units, and spa and fitness center within the historic La
Quinta Resort campus (Attachment 1). The project consists of eight applications and
an environmental assessment that will have to be approved by the City. As part of
the environmental review for these applications, staff required that the entire property
be surveyed and documented for historic resources by a qualified architectural
historian, since the property is listed in the City's General Plan as a historic resource.
And may potentially qualify as a historic resource under the California Environmental
Quality Act (CEQA)• Mellon & Associates prepared the historic resources
documentation (Attachment 2)•
The proposed project will include the demolition of six condominium buildings, each
with 18 units, dating from the 1960's in order to construct new residential units.
Existing grass tennis courts and an existing employee parking lot will also be taken
out to make way for new residential units. None of the buildings or infrastructures to
be removed are of historical date or significance. The proposed new one and two
story single family detached units will be clustered in a courtyard setting with
connecting walkways (See Residential Elevations)•
A spa and fitness center is proposed that will consist of two buildings, one for the
spa and the other a 3,000 square foot fitness facility. The existing tennis stadium and
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employee parking lot will be demolished in order to make way for these new
amenities. (See Spa site plan and elevations).
HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE
A Phase I archaeological survey of the property was not required for this project
because the property has been developed over time. However it is known that prior
to development of the property the area was inhabited during prehistoric times. Staff
recommends that a qualified archaeologist monitor the grading and trenching due to
the possibility of prehistoric and historic cultural deposits that may be present on the
project site.
The report prepared by Mellon & Associates for this project, and other documents,
state that the La Quinta Resort established the local identity of the area known as
La Quinta. The development of La Quinta follows that of other Southern California
communities with early homesteaders and citrus growers being the first non -Indian
settlers. La Quinta is unique and is set apart from other communities because of the
La Quinta Hotel, from which the community got its name. The hotel became known
as a safe haven for Hollywood celebrities and those seeking a healthy escape.
The hotel was originally owned and built by Walter Morgan, and designed by architect
Gordon Kaufmann. Kaufmann later became widely known for his design work. Local
contractors and craftsmen did the actual construction, with the adobe bricks and clay
roof and floor tiles manufactured on site from the clay sediments of Marshall Lake.
The hotel with Casitas, La Casa, and Walter Morgan's house were constructed in
1926-27 and are over fifty years old, and constitute the defining properties and
impetus for the Resort Industry historic theme identified in the City's Historic Context
Statement.
The Mellon report states that these buildings each possess local architectural integrity
in terms of location, design, selling, materials, workmanship, and feeling. A sense of
time and space is expressed in the architectural style, quality of workmanship, and
materials of these structures. The hotel, Casitas and grounds are eligible for
designation as a historic district at the local level. In addition, these structures meet
three of the following City Landmark criteria:
Criterion A: Exemplifies or reflects special elements of the City's cultural,
social, economic, political, aesthetic, engineering, or architectural
history.
Criterion B: Is identified with persons or events significant in local, state, or
national history.
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Criterion C: Embodies distinctive characteristics of a style, type, period or
method of construction, is a valuable example of the use of indigenous
materials or craftsmanship or is representative of a notable work of an
acclaimed builder, designer, or architect.
How the hotel and grounds meet the above criteria is discussed in the Mellon report.
The report also discusses how the historic buildings on the hotel campus are eligible
for City Landmark status and that any proposed work on these buildings should
conform to the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation and the State
Historic Building Code. It is further stated that because of the relationship of these
buildings to each other, a significant and unique environment has been created.
The report states that the Morgan house may be eligible for the National Register, but
does not provide a detailed discussion as to its significance using the National
Register criteria.
La Quinta Resort Architectural Context
The architectural tradition at the La Quinta Resort campus is described in the Draft
Specific Plan as embodying the rich Spanish heritage of early California settlers
combined with the mild Mediterranean climate of the Southern California coastal and
inland areas providing a framework for the Spanish style of architecture which was
popular in southern California during the early 1900's. Described as an environment -
driven style, the architectural details were borrowed from the entire history of Spanish
architecture. Stylistic features found on the campus include one-story and two-story
buildings which are informally arranged and asymmetrical in form. Towers are typical
building accents and are interconnected by walkways featuring a variety of arcades
leading to the front entrance or along a courtyard. The roofs are typical of this style
of architecture and are typically low-pitched with little eave overhang, and are
covered with clay tile. Side or cross gabled, hipped, and flat roofs with parapet walls
are found in one or more combinations.
Special architectural features found in the historic buildings include one or more
prominent arches with heavy wood beam lintels above a door or principal window,
or beneath a veranda. Entries are emphasized through the use of pilasters, columns,
or patterned tiles with the doors made of heavy wood panels. Decorative chimney
caps are cornmon.
Decorative window grills of wood or wrought iron are common, as are balustrades on
porches and balconies leading to outdoor living spaces. Exterior patios or courtyards
serve as an extension of the indoor living space enhanced by many windows and
glazed doors. Overhead trellises, extended roof overhangs, and angled building forms
enclosing outdoor spaces serve to protect the outdoor living areas.
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The above described architectural themes will be incorporated into the architectural
guidelines of the Specific Plan and the proposed new structures.
ANALYSIS
The proposed new buildings and residential units will be subject to particular
architectural design guidelines in the Specific Plan document, as described in
Attachments 3 and 4. Staff reviewed these guidelines as they relate to the
recommendations of the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Treatment of
Historic Properties. These standards state that new work to a historic property be
"compatible with the size, scale, color, material, and character of the property,
neighborhood, or environment. New additions, exterior alterations, or related new
construction shall not destroy historic materials that characterize the property," and
that "new additions and adjacent or related new construction shall be undertaken in
such a manner that if removed in the future, the essential form and integrity of the
historic property and its environment would be unimpaired." The Standards state that
new work shall be differentiated from the old and will be compatible with the historic
materials, features, size, scale and proportion, and massing to protect the integrity
of the property and its environment. The incorporation of particular features found on
the structures within the La Quinta Resort campus into the architecture of the
proposed new buildings and any future buildings is to provide for a continuation of
the historic design, while also providing enough differences to meet the recommended
distinction between 'old" and "new".
The proposed spa building will be a large structure with long horizontal elevation lines
giving it a massive presence. At the entrance to the building there is a tower element
on top of a smaller second story. The spa building is similar to the relative mass and
size of the original hotel administrative building in that the original building had a long
rectangular lobby wing within the building's "L" footprint and was much more massive
that the surrounding low -profile residential structures. Staff recommends that this
similarity in proportion provides the compatibility "link" between the old and the new
buildings.
The original casitas are separated, but spatially oriented around two large oval -shaped
concrete walkways linking each structure around it. Each oval served as a landscape
feature where a wide variety of exotic and native species are found.
The Standards also recommend "protecting and maintaining buildings and the site by
providing proper drainage to assure that water does not erode foundation walls, drain
toward the building; or damage or erode the landscape." Disturbance of the terrain
around buildings is to be minimized, thus reducing the possibility of destroying or
damaging important landscape features or archaeological resources.
009
The architectural concept plans submitted by the Applicant depict structures with
tower elements, tile roofs, multi -paned windows and door lites, lintels over windows,
arched doorways and entries, trellises and arbors, balconies, chimney treatments,
multiple roof lines, and stucco exteriors. A color and materials exhibit will be
submitted by the Applicant for this meeting. The proposed architecture appears
compatible with the existing historic architecture, however, the proposed buildings
are much larger in mass and scale than the historic buildings. The proposed new
buildings will be interspersed within the historic hotel campus, so that the difference
in mass and scale will be noticeable. The historic boundary of one of the casitas will
be impacted. In order to mitigate this problem, staff recommends that only one story
residential units be constructed adjacent to the original Casitas and other historic
structures or landscape features. This will provide a transition or buffer between the
low profile historic structures and the proposed larger structures.
Staff has reviewed the Mellon & Associates report and has the following general and
specific comments:
KUM
1. A current site plan is needed in the report that identifies all structures within
the resort campus and dates of construction. In addition a historic site plan is
needed showing original buildings and those demolished. Was there an original
master plan for the hotel property?
2. Page 9: (Paragraph 3) The 100's series should be noted on a location map.
3. Page 1: The term "Eclectic" is not a commonly used classification for the style
of the buildings. Perhaps the term "Spanish Revival" should be used as it would
be the traditional classification nomenclature for this style.
4. Huntsman Trout may have been the landscape architect for the La Quinta Hotel
which lends additional support that there may have been a master plan for the
hotel development. A clearer discussion of the landscape plans is needed,
especially the Quad concept. This will help to understand the possible intent
for future development.
5. Page 5: A discussion on how the La Quinta Hotel compares with other resort
properties of the time and region is needed. Sanitariums? College carnpuses?
Are there any similarities with other places of the time and region or is the La
Quinta Hotel unique?
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6. Page 10: (Last paragraph) The original function and location need to be
discussed for La Casa.
7. Page '14: A discussion regarding which criteria (National Register or local) is
being used to assess the property needs to be clearly stated in the beginning
of the report.
8. Page 14: (Paragraph 2) An explanation of each of the criteria is needed
regarding how the Morgan House may be eligible for the National Register.
CONCLUSION::
Staff has reviewed the Applicant's proposal for new construction to the La Quinta
Resort campus with regard to the compatibility with the Secretary of the Interior's
Standards, and makes the following recommendation to the Commission:
That the proposed spa and fitness buildings are compatible with the historic
commercial/administrative hotel structure by incorporating a linear and larger
design than the residential structures.
2. That the proposed residential structures will be compatible with the historic
structures if only one story structures are constructed next to historic
structures to provide a transition between old and new.
3. That the project be conditioned with the requirements for monitoring of the
grading and trenching by a qualified archaeological monitor.
RECOMMENDATION:
Adopt Historic Preservation Commission Minute Motion 97-_, recommending to the
Planning Commission and the City Council the acceptance of the Historic Resources
report for the La Quinta Hotel with the condition that the comments listed in this
report be addressed and the report resubmitted to the Community Development
Department for review.
Adopt Historic Preservation Commission Minute Motion 97-_, recommending to the
Planning Commission and the City Council the approval of Certificate of
Appropriateness 97-003, subject to the condition that only one story structures be
constructed next to historic structures, and that a qualified archaeological monitor
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observe the grading and trenching for the project.
Attachments:
1. Location Map
2. Mellon & Associates report
3. Architectural Design Guidelines - Residential
4. Architectural Design Guidelines - Commercial
7
Prepared by:
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L LIE MOURIQU� D, As 'ciate Planner
Submitted by:
CHRISTINE DI 1013I0, PI nning Manager
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ATTACHMENT 1
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ATTACHMENT 2
La Quints Hotel
Historic Resource Evaluation
May 1997
Submitted to:
Forrest K. Haag, ASLA
Planning & Design
18002 Skypark Circle
Irvine, CA 92614
Submitted by:
Mellon and Associates
Historic Preservation Consultants
Knox Mellon, Principal
Pam O'Connor, Project Manager
Marcy Roth, Architectural Historian
Jayne Kistner, Research Historian
U4
LA QUINTA HOTEL
La Quinta, California
"Those who know and love the California desert have come to look on the La
Quinta Hotel as an ideal resting place."
"Perfect in all appointments man has contrived for creature comfort, unique and
unheralded it waits in quiet those who know and love the desert, those who
would regain their long lost days of peace and poise."
California Southland, February, 1928
History of the La Quinta Hotel Resort
The La Quinta Hotel Resort is located below the Santa Rosa Mountains in the City of La
Quinta within Southern California's Coachella Valley (Riverside County). Sited in a cove the
hotel's location was sheltered from raging desert winds and offers a mild and pleasant winter
climate.
According to local lore the hotel began as the shared vision of two World War I soldiers.
Walter Morgan and Fred Ickes promised to seek out the "driest, warmest, most enjoyable
climate" as they battled on the bitter cold European front line. Morgan followed their dream to
the Southern California desert and came across La Quinta's sheltered cove area.
Born in 1894, Morgan was the youngest son of San Francisco's Morgan Oyster
Company's owner, John Morgan. The younger Morgan established the Desert Development
Company and acquired 1400 acres of land in the early 1920s in the area generally known as
Indio (the nearest settlement). Morgan's vision for a secluded desert retreat began in 1925 when
he hired a rising young Pasadena based architect Gordon B. Kaufmann.
The hills and desert landscape provided a dramatic backdrop for Kaufmann's resort
design. Kaufmann developed a project which drew on regional and Spanish influences evolving
into a style now known as Spanish Eclectic/Mediterranean. The design incorporated elements
which would become Kaufmann's "signature details" including "loggias, arches, chimney pots
of multitudinal forms, ramadas for dining and private patios enclosed by walls." (Muntz; 1992,
p.31)
In 1926 construction of the Main Hotel and 6 guest cottages, known as casitas, began.
The relative isolation of the site and/or Morgan's and Kaufmann's penchant for quality control
led to fabrication of building materials onsite. Adobe bricks were fired in kilns behind the hotel.
Roof and floor tiles were also hand fabricated. Local craftsmen included: Crane Bruner,
Mellon and Associates, Historic Preservation I May, 1997
�15
LA QUINTA HOTEL La Quinta, California
superintendent of construction; Manning Burkett, carpenter; C.N. Sinclair, masonry; Joe
Valenzuela, roofing; L. P. Pratt, plumbing; Ralph Allen, electrical; and Thomas E. Allen, sewer
system. Porch furniture was also made in hotel shops. (California Arts and Architecture, 1930).
Morgan and Kaufmann began working with the resort's interior designer, Charles Ray
Glass of Pasadena's Cheesewright Studio, while the project was in the planning stages to ensure
a harmonious design.. California Southland observed "the charming interiors fulfill in perfect
measure the promise held out by the exterior of this quaint hostelry." (February, 1928) 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 including prestigious architectural journals. The American Institute of Architects
Southern California Chapter awarded its Certificate of Honor to the La Quinta Hotel design in
1930.
Morgan's vision included the landscape and grounds as significant elements of the resort
experience. The siting of buildings in relationship to each other and natural features of the
environment had been carefully considered and executed by Kaufmann (see Site Plan, Figure A).
Morgan also hired golfer Norman Beth to design a 9-hole golf course on the hotel grounds.
Upon completion of the main hotel and six casitas, the La Quinta Hotel held its grand
opening on January 29, 1927 (the hotel actually began operations during the 1926 Christmas
holidays). The Coachella Valley Submarine (8-19-27) observed "all through the season the
demand for accommodations was greater than could be supplied, and the company (Desert
Development Company] decided to increase their capacity." Fourteen more casitas were quickly
built.
The hotel was an immediate success. California of the Southland proclaimed:
"Those who know and love the California desert have come to look on La Quinta
Hotel as the ideal resting place. Sunshine in boundless measure from the blue shy
above, from the great level stretches covered with countless yellow desert daisies,
temps one to lie in the sun like the little lizards and attain Nirvana, forgetting care
for a length of happy days. Yet here under palm shaded pergola or in cloistered
seclusion, like the tale of Aladdin's lamp, a cool cup of orange juice or the odors of
Arabian coffee will appear with metropolitan service."
Morgan used his marketing savvy to build a clientele for his desert resort. The high
architectural quality was acknowledged by prestigious professional journals. Lifestyle
magazines featured articles on the resort and its visitors. Morgan cultivated business and social
connections including the Hollywood entertainment industry. As the La Quinia Coniexi
Statemeni notes:
Mellon and Associates, Historic Preservation 2 May, 1 "7
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LA QUINTA HOTEL
La Quinta, California
"The hotel had a feature the 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, Joel McCrea, Marlene
Dietrich, Katherine Hepburn, Clark Gable, Richard Widmark, Robert Montgomery,
Charles Boyer, Erroll Flynn, Frank Capra, and Ronald Coleman... Frank Capra
ultimately came to live at the hotel until his death." (Moriquand; 1996, p. 35).
Morgan himself lived on the Hotel grounds in a Monterey style house designed by
Gordon Kaufmann. Like the hotel, all materials, including adobe brick, tile roof, floor the and
casework were made on site. The house was featured in the February 1934 issue of
Archileclurul Record, a national architectural journal.
Unfortunately, Morgan's enjoyment of the house and hotel he created was short lived.
He died in 1931. Morgan's death and the impact of the Depression left the Hotel in financial
turmoil. B.J. Bradner, an attorney and hotel investor, was appointed receiver for the hotel and
property which he oversaw until after World War II. Under Bradner, hotel experienced a
resurgence in the late 1930s. Kaufmann was commissioned again and "an extensive program of
improvements .... chief among which was the installation of the new swimming pool" was
undertaken. (L% Heruldo de La Quinta, December, 1938)
The demands on resources for World War II led to closure of the hotel in 1942 which
lasted until the end of the War. In 1945 Chicago theater owner John Balaban purchased the
hotel. In the min-1950s Leonard Ettleson owned the property. He sold it to Landmark Land,
Inc. (Ernie Vossler and John Walser) in 1977. The hotel was acquired by KSL in the 1990s.
Over its lifetime the La Quinta Hotel has evolved to maintain the high level of hospitality for
which it is known, added amenities and activities while maintaining the historic character which
sets it apart from other resorts.
Gordon B. Kaufmann, Architect of the La Quinta Hotel Resort
"Gordon Kaufmann was distinguished by a brilliant, impeccable virtuosity. In rapid
succession he produced exquisite examples of Old World Renaissance —Italian,
Spanish, English, French --excellently adapted to their setting and use in the new play
grounds of Southern California. Never resorting to blind reproduction, he showed a
creative imagination in the composition and proportion of exterior masses and a
subtle mastery of detail and ornament. Pervading all his work was a spirit of rich
and graceful elegance."
Mellon and Associates, historic Preservation 3 May, 1997
., a 017
LA QUINTA HOTEL La Quinta, California
Harris Allen, 1937 (quoted in JCK, p. 40)
Gordon Kaufmann, designer of the La Quinta Hotel, was one of Southern California's
most accomplished architects. Born in 1888 in London, Kaufmann studied at the Whitgift
School, Croyden (1899-1904) and the Polytechnic, London (1904-05). After his formal
schooling he worked through Europe, Canada and the U.S. gaining experience. Eventually he
settled in Southern California. In 1921 he joined the AIA and was supported by well-known
architects Reginald D. Johnson and Octavius W. Morgan.
Kaufmann began his Southern California practice with Johnson joining the Pasadena
firm of Johnson and Coate (Johnson, Kaufmann and Coate, 1921-25). In 1925 he began his own
practice and the La Quinta Hotel was one of his early commissions. Within five years Kaufmanr
established himself as one of Southern California's best and most popular architects.
Architectural historian Jan Fuery Munzt notes that by 1930 Kaufmann had designed "a large
number of California -style mansions, Scripps College, buildings at Caltech, commercial
buildings in Westwood, La Quinta." (Muntz; 1992, p31) During the 1930s Kaufmann's work
shifted to large commercial and industrial projects including Boulder (now Hoover) Dam. In the
1940s he worked in national defense and collaborated on public housing projects. His career
ended with his untimely death in 1949 at the age of 61.
Kaufmann was honored as a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects. During his
career he was awarded the Legion of Merit, a Certificate of Honor from the AIA for the La
Quinta Hotel (1930) and a Gold Medal at the French Exposition (1937).
Some of Kaufmann's most notable projects include: Edward Doheny House, Greystone
(1925); Harold Janss House (1926); Milton E. Getz House (1926); Scripps College Site and
Master Plan (1926); Alson Clark House and Studio (1927); Royal Laundry Building (1927);
Cyrus Pierce House, La Quinta (1929); Scripps College, Browning Hall (1929); California
Institute of Technology Athenaeum (1930); Holmby Building (1930); Scripps College, Dennison
Library (1930); Boulder Dam and Power Plant (1931); Parker Dam and Powerhouse (1931),
TVA Norris Dam and Power Plant (1933); Grand Coulee Dam and Power Plant (1933); Santa
Anita Park and Los Angeles Turf Club (1934); and Los Angeles Times Building (1936).
The Grounds and Buildings of the La Quinta Hotel
Designed by renowned Southern California architect, Gordon Kaufman, the La Quinta
Resort was constructed in 1926-27 with an L-shaped main building consisting of lobby, offices,
game room, corridor, salon, open-air dining area, patio, and service wing. Eight guest casitas
were ready at the resort's opening, and 14 more added the following year. Early landscaping
included a walled garden bordering part of the main wing's north facade and the east service
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LA QUINTA HOTEL La Quinta, California
wing. Two oval pathways dominated the layout of the casita area south of the main building
(Architectural Record, November, 1933, pp. 348-349). Major building expansions occurred in
the 1960's and 1980's; over 100 buildings comprise the resort today. Approximately 15% of the
buildings at the resort are fifty years old or older in their entirety or in part. This historic fabric
includes remaining original elements of the 1926-27 hotel building --the lobby, game room (now
the registration area), corridor, salon, portions of the original dining area, a north -south arcade
along the exterior of the original salon, and the east facade of the west wing.
The 20 casitas built in 1926 and 1927 (containing room numbers 101 to 151) survive
with a few superficial alterations, along with the oval concrete pathway configurations from the
original landscaping design. In addition, there are two historic houses on the property --the La
Casa complex at the southwest comer, and Morgan house at the northwest comer.
All structures were designed in Spanish Eclectic style popular in Southwestern United
States during the twenty five years preceding World War 1I. Common stylistic features of
Spanish Eclectic style are low-pitched red tile roofs, adobe walls finished with stucco, prominent
use of arched openings, and asymmetrical facades. Decorative details include tile vents,
patterned tile door and fireplace surrounds, tile floors, and tile -roofed chimney tops.
The Original Resort Plan
A plan of the hotel from 1933 (Architectural Record, November 1933) shows a rough L-
shaped configuration for the main hotel building, oriented north -south, with another wing on an
east -west axis, with a covered outdoor dining area, game room, and lounge extending south from
the southern facade of the east -west wing. A small L-shaped office building was located to the
east of the east -west wing. A large, walled garden was nestled in the comer formed by the north
and east facades of the two wings. To the north and west of the hotel building was a large
garage court partially bordered by a low wall with widely scalloped top. The garage court
contained three buildings housing chauffers' and maids' quarters, service yard and garages. A
driveway led east from the court to a parking lot. Twenty cottages, or casitas, were located south
of the main hotel building, arranged around a system of angular pathways with two centrally
located elongated ovals.
As hotel functions expanded and evolved, the garage court and its buildings were
replaced. The rectangular garden was redesigned, a large central fountain added, and its original
northeast corner opened to extend at a 45 degree angle northeast to a new plaza area. The
original garden walls are gone, except for a small fragment which extends east from the
northwest comer of the original garden. New buildings have been added at the east end of the
lobby wing and along west side of the old service wing.
Mellon and Associates, Historic Preservation
May, 1"7
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LA QUINTA HOTEL
Original Hotel Exterior
Lobby Wing - North Facade
La Quinta, California
The original hotel building was comprised of two wings, the lobby and salon wing
running east -west with entry at the north facade, and the service wing running north -south and
entered from the interior of the lobby wing and from various doorways on the east elevation. A
dining area was located within the juncture of the two wings. Both wings share the common
characteristics of side -gabled, low pitched, red -tile roofs and adobe walls with stucco covering,
and shuttered casement windows. The lobby/salon wing was comprised of two attached
structures --a one-story portion at the east, and a one and one-half story facade enclosing an open-
air arcade and part of the original dining area at the western end.
On its north elevation, the one-story portion presented a symmetrical facade, with a
shallow central porch supported by four massive columns with plain-fasciaed capitals, and side
rooms. Entry was through a double door with decorative tile surround and intrados bearing the
legend "La Quinta" in blue letters centered over the opening. The porch Floor was square
saltillo tile. Flanking the entry were two casement windows. The porch side rooms had
centrally located decorative stucco vents. Most of these original character defining features of
the north facade of the lobby building remain although the decorative vent at the east porch
room has been filled in, and the porch overhang extended in front of the main entry. A one
story room has been added to the east end, with ramada supported by heavy columns similar to
those by the entry added between the new room and adjacent office building.
Originally, the roof of the arcade building (western end) rose slightly higher and
presented a plain north elevation with side bays projecting out with slightly dropped roof over
side bays. The central portion contained a large arched opening, with decorative tile vent above,
articulated by column capitals at slightly above mid -height, and led into an outdoor arcade. The
left side bay contained three evenly spaced window openings and had a gabled, red tile roofed
chimney. The right (west) bay also contained three evenly spaced window openings. A garden
wall extended north from the east end of the side bay to enclose the garden on its east side. The
arched doorway remains, as does the decorative vent above it and three windows to the west of
the doorway. Alterations to the north facade of the arcade building include filling in of the east
bay's window openings, a new light fixture to the left of the opening, and removal of the garden
wall.
Service Wing - East Facade
The service wing ran north -south and comprised two attached one-story buildings, the
northern one with slightly lower roofline than the southern one. Both buildings had irregular
fenestration along their eastern facades comprised of paired windows with decorative wood
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LA QUINTA HOTEL La Quinta, California
screens, arched and flat-topped doorways, shuttered casement windows, and small recessed
windows. The original fenestration of both buildings' east facade has been heavily altered. Two
original windows with wood screens at the southern end of the wing have been replaced by an
arched, double -door opening to Montanas Restaurant. A formerly shuttered casement window at
the north end of the southern portion has been given a permanent wood screen. In the northern
portion, doors have been converted into windows and vice versa.
Lobby Wing - South Facade
The original rear, or southern, facade of the lobby wing contained an open dining area at
its west end, accessible by a loggia leading west from the arcade along the west wall of the
original living room, or salon. At mid -point of the southern facade, the living room projected
southward and had a large, multi -paned window in the center of its southern wall. Going
eastward, a patio area separated the salon from the final extension off the southern facade
created by the game room located at east end of the lobby building. A small office wing was set
back from the southern facade at extreme east end of the lobby building.
Remaining original features include arched window opening of the former living room,
southern end of the arcade, and patio area created by "U' formed by original dining area, the
loggia (now enclosed), and arcade. The lobby wing's southern facade has been altered beyond
recognition due to enclosing of patio area and open air dining room. In addition, the original
dining room area has been extended southward to create the Frank Capra Rooms.
Additions to east and west elevations have extended original floor plans of the
lobby/salon and west wings and obscured their original elevations.
Original Hotel - Interior
Lobby
The original lobby had a flat wood beamed ceiling, stucco walls, saltillo tile floor, and a
fireplace with decorative tile surround in middle of south wall. A double doorway led through
eastern end of southern wall to game room, while a double door in south wall led to the patio.
A third interior double doorway in the west wall led to a corridor, off of which appeared to be a
bedroom to the north. At the east wall of the lobby, columns delineated the threshold to a group
of three office spaces. The lobby's original walls, wood ceiling, fireplace and door openings are
intact. The double doors originally leading to game room and patio have been removed, and
columns at east end of room have been replaced by a solid wall.
Game Room (presently the Registration Area)
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LA QUINTA HOTEL La Quinta, California
Early photographs (hanging on west wall in present registration room) show the game
room originally had a tile floor laid out in a square pattern and a narrow tile baseboard. The
walls were stucco and the flat, slightly raked ceiling timbered. French doors at north and south
ends of west wall gave onto patio area; centered between two French doors was a casement
window. A fireplace with decorative the surround and bracketed mantel sat in center of south
wall. The fireplace with its surround and mantel (with an added low brick wall at floor level),
wood ceiling, stucco walls, and the baseboard (overpainted) remain. New additions to the room
include a 7-foot high paneled wood dado along the east wall, removal of the original French
doors on west wall, and a stationary window in place of original casement window on that same
wall. The original double door between lobby and the game room has also been removed.
Corridor
The original corridor leading west from lobby to original living room had a flat stucco
ceiling, a single opening on north wall giving out onto a bedroom (now restroom's) and a tile
floor and baseboard. Built into south wall were two bookcases, each with three shelves with
rounded fascias and slightly curving interior comers. The floor, ceiling, and bookcases remain.
Alterations include a new door opening in north wall leading to a restroom and removal of
French doors leading to the original living room.
Living Room (presently the west room of the Santa Rosa Lounge)
Referred to in 1933 plan as the Living Room, this large rectangular room had a steeply
pitched wood ceiling with wood trusses, stucco walls, and tiled floor. A fireplace with
decorative surround and stucco mantelpiece was located in the center of the north wall, and
another, larger fireplace with decorative tile surround and stucco mantelpiece was located on the
east wall slightly south of its midpoint. At the north and south ends of the east wall were French
doors leading to patio. At center of the south wall was a large, multi -paned, arched window.
Along west wall were three sets of French doors leading out onto the arcade. The original
ceiling, walls, fireplaces (although the fireplace on the north wall has a low brick wall at
bottom), and door and window openings remain. Alterations include installation of wall-to-wall
carpeting (the tile floor may survive underneath) and removal of French doors along the east
wall which originally led to patio and corridor. The French door at south end of west wall has
been replaced by a single door.
The former rear patio originally bounded by the exterior walls of lobby, registration
room and living room (now part of the Santa Rosa lounge) was closed in during 1980's to create
an expanded lounge area.
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LA QUINTA HOTEL
Arcade, Dining Area, and Loggia
La Quinta, California
The arcade which runs south from front to rear of lobby building appears to retain its
original wood timbered shed roof covered with red clay tiles, stucco walls, and tile floor.
Supported on east by western exterior wall of former living room, the arcade
is supported along its west side by a series of heavy square columns.
The former dining area was originally an L-shaped collection of three open-air rooms and
occupied the arcade building and the southern portion of the west wing, extending south to form
the western part of the "U" created by dining area, loggia, and arcade. All had wood ceilings,
stucco walls and tile floors. The main dining room, at eastern end, had stucco window openings
above three double doorway openings in south wall which led to a loggia spanning length of that
room and an adjoining dining room. Entry to dining room was via double door openings at east
and west ends of room. A second dining room of roughly equivalent proportions occupied the
western end of building, and was extended, through the loggia, south into a third dining space.
Remaining original features of first two dining rooms consist of ceilings, walls, wall openings,
fireplace with decorative surround on north wall of second dining room, a decorative tile panel
on wall above that fireplace, and general configuration of space. These two rooms are now
occupied by Montanas restaurant. Alterations consist of wall-to-wall carpeting and enclosure of
original loggia. Renovation during 1980's added decorative elements such as attached spiral
columns and a bar. The third original dining area has been expanded to west and south,
renovated for banquet space, and is now the Frank Capra rooms.
The Casitas
The 20 casitas in the 100's series were built in 1926 and 1927. They appear to have
undergone only superficial modifications: removal of screen doors and replacement with paneled
wood doors, glassing in of some screen porches, and proliferation of landscaping, at times quite
luxuriant. Single fan lights accompanying many entry doors could be a modem addition. The
casitas are remarkably intact. All share the same general stylistic characteristics:
• a side -gabled, simple compound ground plan with occasional irregularities;
• adobe walls with white -painted stucco covering;
• low-pitched red tapered tile roof laid in a regular pattern;
• unenclosed eaves with little or no overhangs;
• exposed wood rafters and roof beams;
• covered porches with tile floors;
• exterior end gable wall chimneys capped with miniature hipped roof adobe brick bell
towers;
• the decorative vents;
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May, 1997
023
LA QUINTA HOTEL
• stucco vents at roof pitch;
La Quinta, California
• deeply recessed wood casement windows (larger ones with shutters, smaller ones
without) and sash painted blue;
• paneled blue wood single doors (some with single side lights);
asymmetrical front and side elevations.
Beyond these constants, numerous variations occur. Porch overhangs take the form of a
continuous roof, shed roof, or dropped roof. Porches may be full- or partial -width or consist of a
porch and room. They may be supported by heavy round columns, square piers, or wood posts.
Occasionally a low wall encloses a porch on a third side. Although the side -gable compound
plan predominates, front -gable plans occasionally occur. Some screened -in rear porches retain
their screens; others have had screens replaced with glass.
The original pathway system also survives, most notably the elongated ovals which
presently contain flower beds of petunias and rose bushes.
Notable variations of casita exteriors include:
No. 101, S. Marcos - front gable plan with exterior end chimney on porch
No. 105, S. Emilio - distinctive bell tower chimney top faced with adobe, post -and lintel porch
support
No. 109, S. Gorgonio - wood posts supporting roof covered with bougainvillea
Nos. 114-117, S. Nicholas - rectangular plan, porch spans entire front elevation
No. 119, S. Onofre - unusual front gable plan, tile vent in porch wall
No. 120, S. Pedro - lush plantings against casita walls
No. 122, S. Quintin - shed roof over porch
No. 125, S. Rafael - wood tie beam supports porch roof
No. 126, S. Rafael - small porch has no columns
No. 130, S. Timoteo - one of few remaining screen porches at east elevation
No. 131, S. Timoteo - tiled vent on north facade
No. 148, S. Jacinto - porticoed entryway on west elevation has high wall on north side.
La Casa
La Casa is a complex of two buildings and a courtyard surrounded by a low stucco wall
situated at extreme southwest corner of the resort. It appears to date from the 1920's. The two
buildings are oriented on an east -west axis, and form the north and south boundaries of the
courtyard. The east and west courtyard boundaries are formed by low stucco walls, the western
wall unornamented and containing opening into the courtyard. The eastern courtyard wall
contains a fireplace with chimney at its midpoint, flanked by deeply recessed wood casement
Mellon and Associates, Historic Preservation 10
May, 1997
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LA QUINTA HOTEL La Quinta, California
openings with tile surfaced stucco seats below. The building situated along the north side of the
courtyard, "El Laibreri," has an irregular rectangular ground plan, with slight projections along
its north wall. Its main elevation, the south facade, presents two elevations, a single story, plain
facade with central double door opening at the west end, and an asymmetrical, 2-story facade
with a low, stucco -walled, stepped entry to a single arched door at its west end and an exterior
stairway across the facade leading east to a second story, covered landing toward east end. A
stucco planter with tile trim extends east from the stucco entry along the length of exterior stair.
The second -story landing has a decorative tile vent in its southern wall. The exterior stairway
has a decorative stucco step pattern along its bottom edge. Underneath stairway is a low
ceilinged entry area with two rectangular and one arched niche and a side door. At its east end,
the two-story facade has a single door opening a few steps below ground level. Decorative wood
brackets support the shallow second -story overhang, which has a large square central window
with metal grille.
a
The second building, which forms south side of courtyard, is L-shaped and is comprised
of two components, a two-story, side -gabled rectangular structure immediately adjacent to a
smaller, one-story structure, both oriented east -west, and a smaller, single story rectangular
structure oriented north -south and projecting north into courtyard. The northern, courtyard -
facing elevations of both buildings are unornamented, save for an exterior staircase with an
elaborate ornamental wrought iron railing, painted tile decorated risers and plain tile treads
which runs toward eastern end of east -west building to a landing which abuts entrance to the
"Lacily" room. An interior stucco chimney capped by a Mission -style tower rises from north
elevation roof line at midpoint. Entrance to north -south wing is via a single door at north
elevation.
Exteriors of both buildings appear to retain their historic features, with little or no
alteration, as does courtyard wall. A large, tile -topped table in center of courtyard appears to be
a later addition.
The interior of La Sala room appears to retain most of its original historic fabric, which
consists in main room of a steeply pitched wood ceiling with wood trusses, an octagonal
fireplace hood supported by spiral columns and console brackets (the fireplace appears to be
unused at present), and a heavy wood -shuttered casement window in east wall. A double, arched
doorway in west wall of main room leads into a pantry, with original wood cabinets and
distinctive the floor hand -painted in a black and white concentric diamond pattern. The interior
of Cactus Room has no outstanding details.
Walter Morgan House
The Monterey -style Morgan House is situated at the northwest end of the property, just
Mellon and Associates, Historic Preservation I I May, 1"7
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LA QUINTA HOTEL La Quinta, California
north of the Tennis Club pool. Designed by Gordon Kaufman, it was built in 1926-27. Its
ground plan is rectangular, with a projected room at first floor western elevation. A 2-story
building, oriented on a north -south axis, with a garage structure at northeast comer, it is side -
gabled, with red tile roof, deeply overhanging eaves and exposed rafters. The walls are adobe
covered with plaster. The east elevation has a slightly projecting north bay containing formal
entry, a single door with a wide fascia stucco surround with scalloped detailing at lintel topped
by a simple entablature. Above entry, at second story level, is a rectangular decorative tile vent.
The southern bay contains at second story level a French door which opens onto a shallow
balcony with wrought iron railing and supporting entablature. At northern end of eastern facade,
a single story building with a porch covered by a shed roof supported by square columns extends
to east. This extension has a window in middle of its south facade.
The house's south elevation has an exterior chimney topped by a decorative finish with
the vents and brick crown. A shed roof, covered with red tiles, covers a porch and rests on a
wood beam supported by three heavy Doric columns. The chimney is flanked at first floor level
by two doors and at second floor level by a casement window on its eastern side.
The west elevation has a balcony running length of facade at second story level, with
square wood slatted railing and wood posts supporting porch roof and exposed rafters on
underside of balcony. At second floor, French doors open onto balcony at northern end, while
two small casement windows occur at southern end. On first floor, French doors occur at the
northern end and a large casement window sits in mid -center of southern end.
The north elevation has casement windows with unpainted wood sash at second floor
level, topped by wood planking to the eaves. First floor north elevation has a door at east end
and three irregularly placed casement windows. A low wall extending north from the west end
of facade, partially enclosing a courtyard formed by north wall of main building, northern
addition (originally the garage) and a third low wall running east -west. Features of the courtyard
interior include a shed roofed arcade along west wall of the garage, the -faced circular gutter
openings below the flat roof of the west elevation, and a fireplace built into the northern
courtyard wall.
The exterior of Morgan House retains its historic fabric and character -defining features
in their entirety. Interiors of the house also retain their original configuration and most of
original finishes.
Significance of the La Quinta Hotel Buildings and Grounds
The La Quinta Resort Hotel established the 20th century identity of area now known as
City of La Quinta. Nineteenth and 20th century settlement patterns and development of La
Mellon and Associates, Historic Preservation 12 May, W
-'%� 026
LA QUINTA HOTEL
La Quinta, California
Quinta parallel that of many other Southern California communities. Early homesteaders and
citrus growers first constructed buildings and created an economic base and springboard for
community growth. What set La Quinta apart, and established the area's unique identity, was
the La Quinta Resort Hotel. So strong the identity and presence of the hotel, the area became
known as "La Quinta" and ultimately incorporated city was so named.
Businessman Walter Morgan's vision of desert resort recognized total experience
should to include quality accommodations (buildings and grounds), and services to complement
the natural beauty of surrounding desert lands. Morgan also possessed the vision to hire
architect Gordon Kaufmann who would become one of Southern California's most distinguished
architects. Kaufmann's "signature details... loggias, arches, chimneypots of a multitude of
forms, ramadas for dining, and private patios enclosed by walls" were embraced in resort's
Spanish Eclectic/Mediterranean styling. Morgan and Kaufmann used local craftsmen, materials
and building techniques. The buildings' adobe was fabricated on site as were the tiles used on
roof, floors and as decoration.
Morgan combined natural setting and expert architecture with his marketing savvy to
inform the world about his desert gem. The resort's high quality was acknowledged through
extensive publication coverage in magazines including prestigious architectural journals.
Kaufmann's design which allowed for privacy along with Morgan's marketing abilities
established La Quinta Hotel Resort as a high quality safe haven. Patronage by Hollywood's
entertainment industry celebrities heightened and reinforced this image over the decades.
The La Quinta Hotel with Casitas, La Casa and Walter Morgan House, constructed in
1926-27, are over fifty years old. Each possesses local architectural integrity in terms of
location, design, setting, materials, workmanship and feeling. The architectural styles, execution
and quality of workmanship and materials include original elements, expressing a historic sense
of time and place.
The significance of La Quinta Hotel and Casitas, La Casa and the Walter Morgan House
is directly related to the "Resort Industry" context articulated in the "City of La Quinta Historic
Context Statement" (Moriquand; 1996). The La Quinta Hotel was the catalyst for the
development of the resort industry in La Quinta attracting people of means and importance to the
area.
The La Quinta Hotel, Casitas and grounds (elongated ovals, relationship of Casitas to
each other and to Hotel building) are eligible for designation as a City of La Quinta Historic
District and meets three of the landmark criteria (a historic resource need only meet one
criterion to qualify). Under City Criterion A, this Historic District "exemplifies or reflects
special elements of the city's cultural, social, economic, political, aesthetic, engineering or
architectural history." The La Quinta Hotel Historic District is highly significant since its
Mellon and Associates, Historic Preservation 13 May, 1997
027
LA QUINTA HOTEL La Quinta, California
inception in terms of its contribution to the cty's cultural, social and economic history. In fact,
the Hotel set the standard of development quality and tone for the entire City. Under City
Criterion B, this Historic District "is identified with persons or events significant in local, state
or national history." The Hotel Historic District is associated with its visionary developer,
Walter Morgan, one of the City's first entrepreneurs. This District also possesses a rich
associational social history linked both to the Hotel's clientele and its staff who helped build the
local economy. Under City Criterion C the La Quinta Hotel Historic District "embodies
distinctive characteristics of a style, type, period or method of construction, is a valuable
example of the use of indigenous materials or craftsmanship or is representative of a notable
work of an acclaimed builder, designer or architect." The La Quints Hotel Historic District
meets this Criterion in a number of ways. The hotel was a seminal work of one of Southern
California's most important architects of the early 20th century, Gordon Kaufmann. The design
of the Hotel incorporated elements that were to become Kaufmann's signature details. The
Hotel was featured in significant architectural journals of the period and prestigious
commissions such as the Los Angeles Times Building, California Institute of Technology
Antheneum, and Hoover Dam followed Kaufmann's success with La Quinta Hotel. Local
craftsmen, building techniques and materials, including on -site fabrication, were integral to the
construction process and quality of buildings.
The Walter Morgan House is eligible for designation as a City of La Quinta Landmark
under Criteria B and C. It was designed by architect Gordon Kaufmann for La Quinta Hotel
developer Walter Morgan. The significance of these personages are detailed above. The
Morgan House may also be eligible for the National Register of Historic Places both for its local
significance in association with Walter Morgan and as an intact example of architect Gordon
Kaufmann's work. La Casa also appears eligible for designation as a City of La Quinta
Landmark under Criterion A as a good example of the architectural history of the City and under
Criterion B by its association with the La Quinta Hotel and clientele.
As City landmark eligible any proposed work on these historic buildings should conform
to the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation. The buildings are also required to
use the State Historic Building Code which provides greater flexibility in achieving requisite
levels of safety while allowing for the preservation of significant character -defining building
features.
Finally, the historic buildings of the La Quinta Hotel Resort and their relationship to each
other create a significant and unique environment. This aspect of the Hotel combined with its
high level of hospitality sets La Quinta Hotel Resort apart from other prestigious service resorts.
The La Quinta Hotel Resort should consider expanding its marketing to include a growing
segment of affluent travelers seeking unique experiences in historically significant buildings.
Mellon and Associates, Historic Preservation 14 May, 1997
028
LA QUINCA HOTEL La Quinta, California
REFERENCES
Architectural Record. "Portfolio of Low Cost Houses," November, 1933,
Architectural Record "House of Walter Morgan," February, 1934.
California Arts and Architecture. "La Quinta--the Lure of the Desert," January, 1930.
California Southland "Queen on the Desert," February, 1928.
Coachella Valley Museum and Archives
Coachella ValleySubmanne. I1-19-26, 2-4-27, 8-19-2T
County of Riverside, Hall of Records, Assessor Office.
County of Riverside, Riverside Public Library
El Heraldo de la Quinta. December, 1938. Reprinted by the La Quinta Historical Society,
The Hismry of La Quinta, The Gem of the Desert. La Quinta Historical Society, 1990.
Hmv to Apply the National Register Criteria jor Evaluation, U.S. Department of the Interior, 1991.
Huntington Library, San Marino. William M. Clarke Photograph Collection
La Quinta City Hall
La Quinta Historic Landmarks and Residences. Prepared by Fred Rice, La Quinta Historical Society, March 1, 1991,
La Ouhua Hotel Legend. February 25,1927,
La Qwnta Municipal Code. Historic Preservation, Title 7, Sections 7.02-7.10.
Los Angeles Central Library
Moriquand, Leslie. City of La Quinna Historic Context Statement, 1996.
Muntz, Jan Furey "Gordon B. Kaufmann. California Classicism," in Johnson, Kaijmann Coate: Partners in the
California Style. Scripps College, Claremont, CA. 1992.
Riverside Enterprise County Edition, "La Quinta," May, 192T
Queen ojthe Desert. La Quinta Hotel, September 1985.
The Date Pohn. January 28, 192T
Mellon and Associates, Historic Preservation 15 May, 1997
02S
LA QUINTA HOTEL
La Quinta, California
FIGURE A
Source The Architectural Record, November 1933.
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Mellon and Associates, Historic Preservation 18 May, 1997
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La Quinta Hotel
20
La Quints, California
May, 1"7
. ; r 034
PT.
LA QUINTA HOTEL
Mellon and Associates, Historic Preservation
Casitas--La Quinta Hotel
22
La Quinta, California
May, 1997
036
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LA QUINTA HOTEL
La Casa
La Quinta, California
Mellon and Associates, Historic Preservation 25 May, 1"7
03S
ATTACHMENT 3
2.8.3 Residential Design Criteria
Wall planes, Windows, and Doors
■ The use of wood frame windows is encouraged. If aluminum or vinyl
frame windows are used, the frames must be painted or appropriately
colored to match the building or trim material.
■ The use of wood trim is encouraged for all windows on front elevations, or
any other elevation which is visible from other private or quasi -public
spaces. Trim should be painted to be compatible with the building
architecture.
■ The style of windows shall be compatible with the architectural style of the
building. The use of many different styles of windows on one building
plane shall be avoided. The size and proportion of panes shall correspond
to the overall proportioning of the elevation.
■ Accent windows having different or articulated shapes or with a finer
texture (e.g., many small panes) shall be used as an accent element to
create interest on building elevations if consistent with the Spanish eclectic
style.
Entries
■ The entry of residential dwelling units shall be articulated as a focal point of
the building's front elevation through the appropriate use of roof elements,
columns, porticos, recesses or projections, windows or other architectural
features.
Porches, Balconies, and Railings
■ Front porches shall be designed, where feasible, as an integral part of the
front elevation to provide visual interest and activity along the street scene,
as well as to promote social interaction among community residents by
providing outdoor living spaces oriented to the front of the dwelling unit.
■ Porches and balconies function as an extension of interior spaces, providing
shaded outdoor living space.
■ Second story balconies are encouraged providing visual interest to the
street scene increasing the perceived front setback of the second story.
58 040
Porches and balconies shall be designed as an integral component of the
building's architecture and style, and shall not appear as a poorly conceived
add -on element.
■ The design of porch and balcony railings shall complement the building's
architecture and style.
Columns
■ Columns used as a structural or aesthetic design element shall convey a
solid and durable image, and shall be consistent with the architectural style
of the building.
Columns may be used as a free-standing form, or as support for roofs and
balconies.
Chimneys
■ Chimneys, particularly chimney caps, shall be simple in design, so as not to
distract from the building.
■ The design of chimneys shall be compatible with the architectural style of
the building. Exposed metal flues are not permitted.
Garage Doors
■ Garage doors shall be compatible with the architectural style of the
dwelling unit.
■ Garage doors shall be recessed from adjacent walls to create a strong
shadow which effectively minimizes the impact of large flat surfaces.
■ Two single doors shall be incorporated into some two -car garages, while
three -car garages shall incorporate a double door with a single door or
three single doors.
■ Where three -car garages are proposed, at least one garage entrance shall be
offset or detached from the remaining two entrances.
59
Exterior Stairs
■ Exterior stairways shall be simple bold elements which complement the
architectural massing and form of the existing resort building environment.
Archways
The use of archways must be compatible with the architectural style of the
building, and shall be designed as an complimentary part of the building or
adjacent courtyard.
■ When used, archways shall define or enframe space, such as entries,
porticos, patios, and courtyards.
Walls and Fences
Walls and fences which are visible from streets, open space, or other
private or quasi -public areas, shall be compatible in material, color, and
design with adjacent architectural elements.
Building Details
■ All mechanical equipment shall be screened from view by walls or fences
compatible with the building architecture, or by plant material adequate in
size to provide proper screening.
■ All utility meters are encouraged to be integrated into the architecture and
screened from view.
■ The materials, colors, and forms of carport structures shall be consistent
with the architectural style of the residential neighborhood in which they
are located.
■ Carports which are integrated into the building design or community walls
are encouraged.
■ Accessory structures shall be designed to be consistent with the
architectural style of the adjacent buildings.
■ All flashing, sheet metal, and vents should be painted or screened from
view in a manner which is compatible with the building architecture.
60
0�2
Common Space Elements
All residential and commercial areas shall have fully enclosed trash
enclosures, which are compatible in material, color and design with the
building architecture.
■ Support facilities such as recreation buildings, permanent leasing offices,
mail stations, etc., shall be designed in the same architectural style, and to
the same level of detail and articulation, as the main buildings they
support.
61
00
ATTACHMENT 4
2.8.6 Commercial Design Criteria
Wall Planes, Windows, and Doors
■ The use of wood frame windows scaled to the interior space is encouraged.
Frames should be painted or appropriately colored to match the
commercial building or adjacent residential trim material.
■ The use of wood trim is encouraged for all windows on front elevations, or
any other elevation which is visible from other private or quasi -public
spaces. Trim should be painted to be compatible with the building
architecture.
■ The style of windows shall be compatible with the architectural style of the
building. The use of many different styles of windows on one building
plane shall be avoided. The size and proportion of panes shall correspond
to the overall proportioning of the elevation.
■ Accent windows having different or articulated shapes or with a finer
texture (e.g., many small panes) shall be used as an accent element to
create interest on building elevations if consistent with the Spanish eclectic
style.
Entries
The entry of commercial building masses (i.e. the Spa) shall be articulated
as a focal point of the building's front elevation through the appropriate use
of spacial offsets, roof elements, columns, porticos, recesses or projections,
windows or other architectural features.
044
Porches, Balconies, and Railings
■ Front porches shall be designed, where feasible, as an integral part of the
front elevation to provide visual interest.
■ Porches and balconies function as an extension of interior spaces, providing
shaded outdoor space.
■ Second story balconies are encouraged to provide visual interest to the
street scene, and to increase the perceived front setback of the second
story.
■ Porches and balconies shall be designed as an integral component of the
building's architecture and style, and shall not appear as a poorly conceived
add -on element.
■ The design of porch and balcony railings shall complement the building's
architecture and style.
Columns
Columns used as a structural or aesthetic design element shall convey a
solid and durable image, and shall be consistent with the architectural style
of the commercial building.
Columns may be used as a free-standing form, or as support for roofs and
balconies.
Chimneys
■ Chimneys, particularly chimney caps, shall be simple in design, so as not to
distract from the building.
The design of chimneys shall be compatible with the architectural style of
the building. Exposed metal flues are not permitted.
Exterior Stairs
■ Exterior stairways shall be simple bold elements which complement the
architectural massing and form of the existing resort building environment.
67 �45
Archways
The use of archways must be compatible with the architectural style of the
building, and shall be designed as an complimentary part of the building or
adjacent courtyard.
■ When used, archways shall define or enframe space, such as entries,
porticos, patios, and courtyards and parking elements.
Walls and Fences
■ Walls and fences which are visible from streets, open space, or other
private or quasi -public areas, shall be compatible in material, color, and
design with adjacent and/or existing architectural elements.
Building Details
■ All mechanical equipment shall be screened from view by walls or fences
compatible with the building architecture, or by plant material adequate in
size to provide proper screening.
■ All utility meters are encouraged to be integrated into the architecture and
screened from view.
■ The materials, colors, and forms of carport structures shall be consistent
with the architectural style of the Commercial neighborhood in which they
are located.
■ Carports or landscaped trellage which integrate into the building design is
encouraged.
■ Accessory structures shall be designed to be consistent with the
architectural style of the adjacent commercial buildings.
Common Space Elements
All commercial areas shall have fully enclosed trash enclosures, which are
compatible in material, color and design with the building architecture.
■ Facilities such as recreation buildings, permanent leasing offices, mail
stations, etc., shall be designed in the same architectural style, and to the
same level of detail and articulation, as the main buildings they support.
68 046
H
SECTION F • MONDAY. JUNE 2. 1997
Gehry's Guggenheim: An Instant Landmark
The Architect's New
Museum in Bilbao, Spain,
Emerges as a Testament
to One Man's Optimism
Amid a Landscape
of Industrial Decay
By NICOLAI OUROUSSOFF
TIMES ARCHITECTURE CRITIC
BILBAO. Spam —It stands amid in-
dustrial ruin. Rooted at the cross-
roads of a gray urban stretch of the
Nervidn River and a sweeping road-
way, Frank Gerry Guggenheim Museum
Bilbao is an ecstatic celebration of all we
have learned to hate: the dying industrial
landscape, an urban infrastructure that
rings our cities and is the true legacy of
our century. By audaciously embracing
this site. Gehry's design is a radical
affirmation of the spin of our age.
Gehr—vs not -yet -completed building.
which wilt officially open To the fall, has
already been touted as one of the great
a 17)Lcctural works of the decade. and at
Saturday night's award ceremony for the annual Pritzker
Prize for archltectum—given this year to Norwegian
Sverre Fehn—n was the building that was the event.
Architects came from around the world to decipher its
elusive beauty. But beauty is not the point.
Built at a cost of $89 million and financed by the Basque
regional government. Gehry's 256,000-square-foot mu-
seum is more than a great architectural composition. A
descendant of projects like his 1989 Vitra Museum in Weil,
Germany, and his proposed Los Angeles Walt Disney
Concert Hall —designed in the late 1980s—Guggenheim
Bilbao is an explosion of sculptural forms that the architect
A clutter of shimmering fors uses from
Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, top, and
titanium -clad galleries emerge from the
base, left. Architect Frank Gehry, above.
has doggedly honed to perfection. Like few buildings of its overlooking the city. Krens and Gehry spotted the current
time, Gehry's design twists together urban and building site. As Gehry put it later. "I couldn't imagine a more
elements and transforms them into a sincere expression of perfect spot fora museum of Modern art."
what our culture means.
Guggenheim Bilbao began with a meeting between
Gehry and New York's Solomon R. Guggenheim Director
Thomas Krens in the fall of 1993. The project is an answer
to the Guggenheim's desire for satellites worldwide that
will allow it to exhibit more of its holdings. For the
industrial port city of Bilbao, the museum is part of a larger
plan to become a cultural center. While climbing a hill
The structure they built matches the powerful sweep of
the adpcent roadway bridge. There is no signature facade;
two simple blocks. clad in a pale Spanish limestone. anchor
the composition. while a fantastic clutter of shimmering
forms bursts out of the top of the museum. asserting its
importance among the surrounding large urban elements.
The organic -shaped, titamum-clad galleries emerge from
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MUSEUM
Continued from F1
the base like the gleaming bodies of
slippery fish.
The largest of these forms —
nearly 440 feet long —is the most
dramatic. Its swollen body
stretches out along the water, up to
the bridge's rail, where it swells to
create a huge gaping window. A
Steel open -frame tower twists up
on the bridge's other side, wrap-
ping the bridge into the museum
ind providing a pedestrian stair
down to the waterfront.
- That deep connection to the
tough landscape continues inside.
Visitors enter from the roadway
side and descend a grand stairway
between two flanking wings, as if
they were cleaving the site in two.
The building tightens as you pass
through the threshold and then
Lwrsts open as you reach the
atrium. In front of you, a towering
window looks out at the river and
the profile of the massive bridge.
It is impossible to describe the
emotion of this space. Gehry claims
oat the titanium skin of the ex-
terior actually trembles in a strong
wind, as if the building were
I)reathing. But it is here, in the
atrium, that the building comes to
life. Its undulating, erotic form
twists up toward the sky, as if to
Buck the visitor up into some
wonderful dream.
Krens saw this building as a
direct response to the perceived
arrogance of Frank Lloyd Wright's
design for the famed New York
Guggenheim museum, which
opened in 1959. Gehry's atrium is
inspired by Wright's rotunda, but it
does not mimic it.
Here, as visitors wander up the
stairs and walkways that encircle
the space, the forms pull apart,
offering views both out into the
urban landscape or back into the
many galleries. There are a series
of different spaces to show art;
simple galleries for the permanent
collections and more complex
spaces to show contemporary
work. By weaving both together,
Gehry creates a world of the unex-
pected. Each turn provokes shock
and delight; tranquillity alternates
with deep emotion.
The galleries themselves are in-
dustrial in scale. On the first floor,
the smallest is 9,000 square feet,
the largest 20,000. The scale of the
latter is almost unwieldy, the dis-
tance across the space is so great.
Once you reach the end of the
hangar -like space, there is no way
out. You must turn around and go
back. A newly commissioned work
by sculptor Richard Serra —the
only artwork installed in the mu-
seum to date —is made of three
curving walls that weigh 168 tons
in all, yet despite their grandeur,
they look modest here.
Nonetheless Gehry's eccentric
galleries will offer a remarkable
challenge to the art. The strongest
work, one imagines, will flourish
against his sculptural backdrops.
But if the work is weak, it won't
hold the space; the eye will slip by
indifferently, back to the architec-
tural splendors.
The comparison between the
two Guggenheims is telling.
Wright had the conviction of his
time in the power of architecture to
create a self-contained, organic
whole, while Gehry's design is the
exact opposite. He seeks to recon-
cile seemingly incompatible de-
sires. Wright's scorn for the artist
liberated him from the need to
create static forms; Gehry is less
dogmatic. Wright's loathing of the
city led him to turn his back on it.
Gehry draws the city in.
Gehry's work is strong because it
engages the universal conditions of
our own time as Wright did his.
The world his building engages is
our world —like it or not. Gehry
addresses the sprawling urban fab-
ric that is our future —from Bilbao
to Pittsburgh to Singapore —and is
at the center of any real architec-
tural debate. His success here
serves as a lesson that Los Angeles
should take to heart in the drive to
accomplish with Disney Hall what
Bilbao has done with the Guggen-
heim.
Gehry's respect for the realities
of today's world are instinctive,
and he faces them with optimism.
Do not be misled by the fragmen-
tation of the forms. The desire here
is not to break things apart; it is an
inclusive urge. Guggenheim Bilbao
will endure as a testament to one
man's optimism and as a symbol of
an era's potential.