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Volume 8 Issue 265
Santa Monica Daily Press PIER TURNS 100 SEE PAGES 10-11
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THE PLAY BALL ISSUE
HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS
The game must go on Despite rampant illness, the Samohi football team begins its season BY DANIEL ARCHULETA Managing Editor
Brandon Wise brandonw@smdp.com
PUTTING IN THE WORK: Santa Monica High School's varsity football team practices on Wednesday afternoon.
Council overturns landmark designation BY MELODY HANATANI Daily Press Staff Writer
CITY HALL A 58-year-old industrial building that was once home to the unconventional and progressive Southern California Institute of Architecture will no longer have protections against demolition after the City Council voted to repeal a landmark designation granted last year. The decision came in response to an appeal filed by NMS Properties Inc. and Nebraska Studios LLC who argued that the Landmarks Commission erred in its reasoning to historically preserve the 9,600square-foot utilitarian building at 30303060 Nebraska Ave. in February 2008. The commission unanimously voted to designate the structure based on three criteria: it exemplifies the architectural
school’s significance to the cultural history of Santa Monica and served as an important part of the historical development of the immediate neighborhood; it’s associated with Ray Kappe, the founder of the school (SCI-Arc) and renowned architect; and the building is a representative example of a 1950s vernacular modern building. The property served as the home of SCIArc from its inception in 1972 to 1992 when it relocated to Marina del Rey. Bill Delvac, an attorney representing the property owners and appellants, said the building underwent dramatic changes after the school moved out, including replacement of windows and doors and entirely new interiors. “If what occurred inside the building, the education of SCI-Arc, is why the building is significant, then surely the interior should be intact to date for the building to
Gary Limjap
be eligible,” Delvac said. City staff recommended that the council uphold the landmark designation based on the criteria related to the significance of the school and Kappe and not on the architectural characteristics. “While the building has been altered, it retains adequate integrity because the setting location and form of the building has not changed and using the threshold that’s recommended by the National Register (of Historic Places), it would still be recognizable to the historic person with whom the building is associated,” Amanda Schachter, the planning manager, said. But Delvac said that Kappe has expressed that the significance of the school should not be an impediment to the removal of the building.
Renewed confidence comes to St. Monica BY DANIEL ARCHULETA Managing Editor
ST. MONICA The once great St. Monica Mariners appear to have a renewed confidence heading into today’s season opener against Mary Star of the Sea. After being burdened by a 37-game losing streak for the better part of four SEE OPENER PAGE 9
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SAMOHI What a way for a new coach to begin his first season. Hoping to transition smoothly into his new job as head coach of the Santa RELATED STORY Monica High School ■ Teams tackle the flu PAGE 14 football team, Travis Clark never envisioned his first game to be threatened by a fierce illness that has infected up to 20 players on his team. Senior quarterback Garrett Safron is under the weather. Fellow senior Luke Zelon, one of the team’s most heavily recruited players, is out, too. On the eve of the team’s season opener against Leuzinger, which is scheduled to kick off at 7 p.m. at Santa Monica College’s Corsair Field, Clark isn’t overly concerned with the game plan or strategy. His mind is elsewhere. “I’m not sure what the call is going to be,”
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