2012 spring

SPRING 2012 25th Anniversary Edition SUMMER 2011

The “Four Bricks,” Hadley & Greenleaf, 1889 -Whittier Public Library

About 15 percent of the city’s 43,558 registered voters cast ballots

2012 City Council Election Incumbents Owen Newcomer, Joe Vinatieri and Cathy Warner were re-elected to the Whittier City Council by a 2-1 margin in the April election. Oil drilling in the Whittier Hills still dominated as a campaign issue, even though the council, including all incumbents, have voted to allow the drilling.

Then Mayor Cathy Warner was the top vote recipient in unofficial results with 4,045, followed by Councilman Joe Vinatieri with 4,009 and Mayor Pro Tem Owen Newcomer with 3,931.

Lupe Sahagun-Garcia, was the closest challenger with 2,031 votes, followed by Craig Lebow with 1,925 votes and Nick Donovan, who had 1,876. The challengers platform was positive-progressive change, transparency, inclusiveness & business friendliness.

The Whittier Conservancy is committed to working with the entire Whittier City Council and we will continue to advocate on behalf of policies that support the preservation and enhancement of Whittier’s unique character and quality of life.

The Conservancy will always work for the preservation and sensitive use of Whittier’s significant residential structures, landmark commercial buildings, and notable landscapes, including its valuable cultivated trees, public parks, and the natural beauty of the Whittier Hills.

FOUNDERS DAY 1894~2012

The first Founders Day picnic was held in 1894 planned by Jonathan Bailey and friends to recognize the “old folk” who had helped establish the town and it has been held, for the most part, in Central Park for the past 118 years. This year the City of Whittier is celebrating its 125th anniversary and Founder’s Day will play a prominent part in the year-long celebration.

To accommodate four bands, the Salt Box group and two youth performances, the hours of Founders Day have been extended. The program will begin at 10:00am with greetings from the mayor and continue through the afternoon to 3:00pm. Visitors will enjoy the many booths offering games to play, items to purchase, demonstrations of knitting, quilting, lace making, spinning and weaving, woodwork and farming. The Pacific Electric Car, 1904 -Whittier Public Library

historic cars, cake walk, maypole and old fashioned games are reminiscent of our historic past. Foods available include bratwurst, pizza, tamales, candy apples, fruit bars and of course the annual Bailey House homemade bread and freshly churned butter. And, this year, a big City birthday cake!

This is the 25th year since the formation of the Whittier Conservancy. Let’s celebrate the many successes we have had in keeping Whittier a beautiful and historic city. Join us at Founder’s Day. Visit our display. 2012 will be a year to remember 1

THE PRESERVATIONIST

WHITTIEr CONSERVANCY BOARD OF DIRECTORS

2011

PRESIDENT ~

Mary Gorman-Sullens VICE PRESIDENT ~ CHARLES CLAVER TREASURER ~ CHUCK KOZELKA SECRETARY ~ MELL STURR

DOROTHEA BOYD TANIA CRUSE Whittier Depot, 1896 -Whittier Public Library | 2012

President’s Letter Twenty-five years!

Is it possible?

This year the Conservancy will celebrate a quarter century of preserving and protecting Whittier. It was the 1987 earthquake and its aftermath that generated public outrage at the direction the city was taking by allowing inappropriate development to further damage the historic Uptown residential areas.

I remember well living in a motorhome on the front yard as my house was repaired from foundation to roof. My first daughter was born just after we moved back into the house in early 1989.

As houses lay in ruins, the neighborhood was besieged by out-of-town developers who were replacing hundred year old Craftsman bungalows with shoddy, twostory blocks of ten-unit apartment buildings. While Mother Nature had dealt us one blow, our beloved community was being hit by an aftershock that was clearly “man-made.” Neighbors gathered together to see what could be done to save Uptown. The first meeting of Save our Historic Buildings set out to save the historic Lindley building at the corner of Hadley and Greenleaf; next was the five-year battle for the Whittier Theater; and then there was the entire North of Hadley residential district. Scores of neighbors stood firm to protect Whittier’s character and history and from these coalitions, the Whittier Conservancy was born.

Incorporated as a non-profit corporation in 1988, the group moved forward at lightning speed to protect the historic North of Hadley residential area by forcing the city to adhere to the California Environmental Quality Act, its own General Plan, and updated zoning practices. The rest is history.

Next came the down-zoning battle to save Central Park homes from being torn down and replaced by quickly and poorly constructed apartment buildings.

During the 1990’s we became a political reality in Whittier, successfully lobbying for a historic resources commission, an accompanying ordinance to validate and shore up the historic principles we worked so hard for, and moved on to other quality of life issues the community was facing.

But we didn’t stop at historic preservation. Realizing that a house is only as stable as its block, the block is only as good as the neighborhood, and the neighborhood is dependent on good schools, a safe environment, and a respect for the physical surroundings, we re-defined our mission. In 1992, the Conservancy 2

GEORGE PRATHER

led the charge to stop Chevron from developing the Whittier/Puente Hills and was successful in passing Proposition A, which led to the purchase and permanent preservation of the hills that form the backdrop of our city. We have fought hard for a comprehensive tree protection policy and have helped other neighborhoods when challenges have arisen where our expertise can be a benefit. Among our accomplishments over the past twenty-five years are, the saving of several historic homes and much more: • The Casey House, 1989 • The Dorland House, 1990 • Worsham Canyon, 1991 • Proposition “A” for Parks, 1992 • The Historic Resources Ordinance, 1993, which led to the enactment of the Mills Act, the creation of our historic districts and The Historic Neighborhood Association • Whittier Hills Preserve, 1994, 1998, 2001 • California Governor’s Award for Historic Preservation, 1995 • The Whittier Conservancy 110 tree project, spearheaded by Damon Cofer, 1997 • Southern Pacific Railroad Depot, 1998 • Painter Avenue Ficus Trees, 1999 • The McGee House, 2004 • California Domestic Water, 2007 • The Greenway Trail, 2008 • Earlham Hall, Whittier College, 2008 • Guilford Hall, Whittier College, 2009 • Greenway Trail Palm Trees, 2009 • National Trust Grant for Earlham Hall, 2010 • Palm Park Rest Station, 2011

TED SNYDER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ~

HELEN RAHDER P. O. Box 9114 Whittier, CA 90608 www.whittierconservancy.org newsletter design by berkeley b stewart @brkily

The Conservancy works for the preservation and protection of Whittier’s unique landscapes as well as its significant historic structures. The work is endless and depends on the spirit and generosity of the 700 families that support the mission of the institution. I hope that you will agree with me that what we have done has made Whittier a far better place than it would have been had there not been a group of people willing to go to bat for the good of the entire town.

Please join us as we celebrate our first 25 years of community action. We are guardians who have worked diligently on your behalf to preserve Whittier’s special character for generations to come. Thank you for your support throughout the years. Please join us in this valuable & fulfilling endeavor.

Mary Gorman-Sullens, President

SPRING 2012

Mission Statement

The Whittier Conservancy is committed to the preservation and enhancement of Whittier’s unique character and quality of life. The Conservancy promotes awareness and appreciation of Whittier’s historic, aesthetic, and natural resources. The Conservancy works for the preservation and sensitive use of Whittier’s significant residential structures, landmark commercial buildings, and notable landscapes, including its valuable cultivated trees, public parks, and the natural beauty of the Whittier Hills.

The Whittier Conservancy 2011 Membership Application

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Please consider making a tax deductible contribution. To become a member or renew your membership, kindly complete and send this form with your tax-deductible donation to:

$100.00

Patron

The Whittier Conservancy, P.O. Box 9114, Whittier, CA 90608-9114

$250.00

Preservationist

$500.00

Heritage Circle

$1000.00

Environmental Steward

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Name Address Phone Email

Why I am a Member In her song “Big Yellow Taxi,” Joni Mitchell bemoans the fact that, “... you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone.” The song resonates because it describes a common human experience.

Too often, in our headlong rush into the future, we don’t fully appreciate the value in the things around us--that person, that songbird, that tree, that house, that patch of open land--until we’ve lost them forever. I take that message to heart, and so do a group of people in our town who call themselves The Whittier Conservancy. But they do more than just take the message to heart. They take it to the streets.

And that’s why I’m a member.

I’m a member because the Conservancy recognizes that while change is an inherent part of life, not all change is progress.

They don’t worship the past. But they urge us, as a community, to stop and carefully consider what we want the future to look like before we embrace it. They urge us to nurture a sense of place, not just in space but in time. They urge us--and effectively so--to balance where we’ve been with where we’re going so that we don’t wake one morning to regret that we didn’t know what we had... until it was gone. ~ Ted Snyder Carnegie Library, Greenleaf & Bailey, 1907 -Whittier Public Library

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will continue to redevelop to attract more popular retailers that covered that outdoor retail in may saturate the market. Whittier Boulevard has several vacant HADLEY STREET yle of consumers, often yieldor under-utilized properties that could accommodate major new sales volumes than standard retail development. The greater Whittier market is also large http://www.whittieruptown.org/wua/?page_id=278 s are therefore encouraged to enough to appeal to a major new multi-screen cinema complex, ping. The retail core of town Illustration detail of Retail core and should this new complex locate close to Uptown, it is likely pattern of streets accommoand anchor retail in uptown CONSERVANCY to have a profoundly negative effect not only on Uptown’s existing Off-street parking is located in EDITORIAL cinema, but also its restaurants. tures, convenient but compathe retailThe core Whittier typically includes Conservancy is committed to the goal of adding facilitate the continued positive In light of these conditions, recommended initiatives for strengthx of national and local vendors quality businesses that will generate vibrant activity in Uptown. impact of the new restaurants and ening existing local retail and attracting national retail include: ver the long-term while captur• Urgent improvements: storefronts street fur- shops in the core of Uptown. e generate vehicle miles.in the Wemore participated lengthy discussionsRe-paint that led to theand adopniture, wash store windows and sidewalks, and create more aling to consumers is that it is tion of the Uptown Specific Planpredictable and want to seestore it succeed.

For consistent, and longer hours TheBAILEY particular type of use that is , lively urban experience.

STREET • Short termthat improvements: Upgrade streets, sidewalks, this reason, we are concerned an inappropriate use will be and proposing to locate at this imporstorefronts, install electronic payment machines for parking in t with its historic urbanfor fabric, considered the old Quaker Bank offices on Greenleaf south of core retail area, establish a signage program directing visitors tant location is a service provider ed streets. Furthermore, retail Philadelphia Street. to and within Uptown, improve landscaping, and establish and such a use should be part of a n-friendly character of Uptown better street lighting as well as leaving lights on the exteriors sons why retail developers are In order for any “plan” toofhave supporting network of additional storesa chance to be successful, adherence qualities in newer centers such • Long term improvements: Establish a business recruitment to the primary framework is paramount.

More than a few hundred uses in the blocks adjacent to the amonga or The Grove in Los and retention program, and introduce more residential develhich makes retail attractive in thousands of dollars went into the study of Uptown—its unique business district, not at its heart. opment to increase the customer base for retail ly large lots of land and build-

THE PRESERVATIONIST

THE SPECIFIC PLAN

LAN, City of Whittier, California

Costa Mesa based Brookfield Homes was selected as the sole developer and is still finalizing the purchase of the entire property, which has been stalled due to the State of California Supreme Court decision allowing for the State to eliminate local redevelopment (continued on page 7) 4

The Nelles site, Google Earth, 1911

BRIGHT AVENUE

GREENLEAF AVENUE

Since 1987, The Whittier Conservancy has been comitted to the preservation and enhanceDetail of illustrative plan showing retail core and anchor retailof in Uptown ment Whittier’s quality of life. Our organization is proud 0 of our City’s roots and we work diligently to maintain the integrity of our unique history.

The Whittier Conservancy actively pursues public issues, which encourage the preservation and improvement of the community. As such, the future of the Nelles State School property, California State Landmark Number 947, is an issue that cannot be ignored.

PHENOMENAL OPPORTUNITY

Key plan highlighting core retail area around Greenleaf and anchor retail off Hadley.

COMSTOCK AVENUE

NELLES

We respectfully request the City Council respond to the concerns that residents, business, and property owners have about the proposed use for this property and deny the Conditional Use Permit.

WARDMAN STREET MILTON AVENUE

as adopted.

While it is true that Uptown has always had a core of has pent-up market demand squarechurches feet of retail and their res- ancillary activities, this portion of Greenleaf with 1. During the public outreach Avenue is dedicated to retail and should remain so in order to ts, workers, and visitors indiding in the area if the quantity ded. The potential trade area e east, south, and west, and s. The Whittier market has , cinema, electronics, garden nts, and sporting goods.

A faux bookstore or coffee shop attached and controlled by the PHILADELPHIA STREET applicant would cater to patrons of the establishment, not to the general public.

NEWLIN AVENUE

setting, historic buildings, and its synergy as the center of Whittier.

troduction of new residential idents and workers in Uptown One of the things made clear during the charettes was that alteraand attract new businesses— tions to the includplan in the early years would not be in the best interup vacant storefronts, for aest newof boutique grocery the city or Uptown revitalization. The plan needs to be both Whittier College and the given a chance to get to the tipping point of rejuvenation before small businesses--especially variances other exceptions are allowed to taint the process. om practicing moreand competiail core will focus on Greenleaf The with inclusion of an outreach ministry in the heart of the business ntersection Philadelphia Core (U-CO) zone. district was not and is not reflective of the spirit of the Specific Plan

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SPRING 2012

Executive Director’s Report by Helen Rahder

Here’s an update on our ongoing projects: 1.) California Domestic Water Grand Opening—On February 29th., Mr. Jim Byreum welcomed dignitaries, friends, and neighbors as the beautifully restored historic office building made its debut on Whittier Blvd. across from Whittwood.

2.) Earlham Historic District—is approved and complete. Encompassing seven historic homes on Earlham Drive at the south end of Whittier College and boasts Earlham Hall, home of the first president of the college, as its centerpiece.

3.) Palm Park Rest Station—Situated on the Greenway Trail at Palm Park is the beautiful new rest station built by the Conservancy with a grant from Southern California Edison.

The first phase, with its beautifully restored columns from the Nelles School and earthquake bricks recycled from the historic Lindley Building in Uptown, is a permanent feature and a welcome stop on the trail. Second Phase has begun and will be directly opposite the Conservancy/Edison rest station and will include landscaping, informative panels and birdhouses representing the Craftsman, Spanish colonial, and Victorian architectural styles in Whittier. Completion date in 2012.

4.) Earlham Hall Assessment—With a grant from the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Conservancy was able to hire Thirtieth Street Architects of Newport Beach to do a thorough architectural and structural assessment of this college and community treasure. The report is complete and has been presented to the college for inclusion in its upcoming revised Master Plan.

5.) Guilford Hall, Whittier College—Plans are underway to move the Guilford/Kroener home to the site of the old community garden behind Uptown Liquor. Heritage Housing Partners of Pasadena is working with the city and the Conservancy to restore the house and include it in a courtyard of owner-occupied homes.

6.) Nelles School—The deal among Brookfield Homes, the City of Whittier, and the State of California is in limbo due to the drying up of state redevelopment funds. The Conservancy has been opposed to a mediocre housing project and welcomes the opportunity to superior and visionary alternatives that would maintain the eight significant structures on the site and include them in a high quality mixed use project that would be a spectaular addtion to the community.

7.) Historic Resources Inventory—We are still waiting for the city to approve funding for a comprehensive historic survey of all eligible residential and commercial buildings. A comprehensive list will be beneficial for everyone and would eliminate the confusion over what is and is not historically significant in Whittier.

8.) Whittier Roofing—The old Whittier Roofing building, while an eyesore for some time, was illegally demolished in February. Underneath the white shingled facade was a classice black brick building, built before the turn of the 20th. century, and quite possibly the oldest commercial building standing in the city. The demo was unfortunate in that is showed the city’s inability to follow protocol and the Historic Resources Ordinance, which prohibits such demolition without review from the Historic Resources Commission.

9.) Candidates’ Forum—In early March the Conservancy hosted a candidates’ forum for the city council election in order to educate the public about issues facing the community.

10.) This year we are applying for a grant that will fund the creation and design of curriculum on Whittier’s history. The curriculum and books on the history of Whittier will be given to local elementary schools for inclusion in their local history lessons. We are also supplying teachers with copies of Pioneer Families of Whittier by Virginia Mathony as a supplemental tool for the local history project.

Historic Landmark Cal Domestic Water Building saved from demolition & masterfully restored through the special efforts of Jim Byerrum of Cal Domestic,Third Street Architects & the Whittier Conservancy

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THE PRESERVATIONIST

Thomas (Tom) A. Bihr:

EARLHAM HISTORIC DISTRICT After nearly three years of petitions, debate, concessions, controversy, meetings, public hearings and votes, the Earlham Historic District has became a reality. This was a joint effort of both the Conservancy and the residents.

The idea for the district came about rather circuitously when Whittier College sought to demolish the two centerpieces of the neighborhood: Earlham Hall (the 1903 home of the very first president of the college, Charles E. Tebbetts) and Guilford Hall (the stately Queen Anne across the street, donated to the college by the Kroener family in 1939). Not happy about having over 25% of the homes on their street razed, as well as no replacement plans, the residents of Earlham Drive sought out some protection for their beloved neighborhood. Many cited those two homes as the reason they bought on Earlham Drive in the first place. When attempts failed to get the two homes listed as local landmarks, the neighbors joined forces to have their entire block declared historic, including both Earlham and Guilford in their petition to the city After requesting the City Council for historic district status and being ignored, the Conservancy 6

stepped in, paid the $853 fee, and initiated the application in 2009. More meetings with the city and the college resulted in a compromise that removed Guilford from the district, but kept Earlham at the center of the debate. After unanimous approval by the Historic Resources Commission last December 2010, the new district hit a snag in January 2011 at the Planning Commission, where members split two/ two on a vote to uphold the HRC decision. In February 2011, the Planning Commission voted 3/2 in favor of ratifying the Historic Resources Commission findings. Finally, in late March 2011, the City Council approved the city’s fourth historic district, the Earlham Historic District, which includes six homes on Earlham Drive and one on Penn Street.

The Conservancy applauds the homeowners on Earlham/Penn for their tenacity and perseverance in making this happen.

They will now be eligible for Mills Act tax relief to help them rehabilitate their homes. Meanwhile, the center of the district, Earlham Hall, will be reviewed for the landmark status it deserves and will become part of the college’s new master plan.

Landscape Architect Tom has lived in Whittier over 50 years and is a Landscape Architect who works as a consultant with other professionals, homeowners and property-owners to create outdoor spaces, gardens, pool areas, streetscapes and commercial landscapes.

Tom worked with the Conservancy to design Palm Station along the Greenway Trail. Columns saved from a building on the historic Fred C. Nelles property, bricks from the Lindley building and rail spikes from the old Union Pacific Railroad tracks were incorporated into the design.

What is your approach to landscape design for historic homes? Historic homes are particularly great fun to work with. I normally consult with the homeowner first and then assess the site’s relationship to the house, street and existing conditions. Most importantly, one must determine how the homeowners use the outdoor spaces and then envision an integrated design that complements home, use and site.

A historic home often serves as a history lesson and can tell a story of a period in time. Often, I will borrow architectural details from the home’s columns, walls and eaves and explore their use outdoors in walls and paving. The landscape often harkens to the past- Victorian, Bungalow or Spanish Revival- where the old trees and plants reflect a period of time when horticulture represented the spirit of exploration- many plants from Australia and other corners of the world abound in Whittier.

What advice do you have for people that live in historic homes? Research, do your homework, and find as many old photographs and plans of the old home as you can. Find the original family members or neighbors who have some memory of the home. The unique quality of the historic home is always interesting and sometimes mysterious or sublime. For example, perhaps the home was located in a citrus ranch. Remember not to dig too deep in the backyard - you never know what the previous family left behind!

What has been your favorite project/favorite type of project? I am fond of connecting with clients when vision, spirit and use converge. I have really enjoyed using recycled concrete and gravel to surround a 1920s cottage with a path created for a mother and daughter to walk, exercise and enjoy each other’s company.

What is most challenging about working on older homes? Old properties usually have aging infrastructure-old irrigation lines, no drainage systems and poor electrical connections. Additionally, a flipside to great old trees are massive root structures that must be circumvented.

Contact Tom at 562-242-8927 or Tmbihr@mac.com

SPRING 2012

Nelles Auditorium with & without bell tower

(NELLES, continued from page 4)

agencies to shore up their budget deficits. This has translated to a loss of $20 Million in redevelopment funds the City of Whittier was planning to allocate for the Nelles property.

The Whittier Conservancy is cautiously optimistic that this project will eventually move forward and when it does, we look forward to working with both the city and the development team in advocating for successful mixed use that will draw sensitive attention and respect to the legacy of the site, complete with its many historic trees and buildings, 8 of which are already on the State Historic list, and also eligible for National Historic status.

As an organization highly involved in the quality of life of Whittier, the Whittier Con-

servancy is proud of our community’s service to the State of California for over a century when the Fred C. Nelles Youth Correctional Facility closed in 2004. When this state facility opened in 1890, Whittier was still a rural agricultural community far from the growing city of Los Angeles. As development and population in Southern California has exploded over the last century, Nelles was no longer on the fringe of the city, but rather in the center of established communities with schools, churches, and senior housing within the immediate vicinity of this corrections facility.

Of the close to 80 acres on the Nelles site, there is more than sufficient space to have multiple uses ranging from retail, commercial, to residential. And of

the 45 existing buildings on the site, only eight are State Historic landmarks eligible for National Registry.

With the right planning, connecting the Nelles property to Presbyterian Intercommunity Hospital, Uptown and Whittier College, the entire area could become a successful urban, transit oriented, live-work district that would increase the professional workforce not to mention tax revenue base for the Whittier. Add to this that the adjacent Washington Blvd route is in consideration for a Gold Line extension, Nelles needs to be the standard for sustainable design, adaptive reuse, and transit oriented development.

It will be critical for residents to be involved in the planning of Nelles to encourage that our voices are heard and that these

important issues are adopted.

Once complete, Brookfield Homes will move onto to the next project and we need to ensure that we are left with a redevelopment project that will not only increase tax revenue to the city, but also increases property values and preserve our unique historic legacy.

Nelles has the potential of bringing radical change not seen in our town since the post World War II period that saw Whittier’s vast orchards replaced with new housing tracts.

A successful development at the old State School that preserves and reuses Nelles’ historic gems and compliments the new, can create a quality choice new neighborhood and help Whittier emerge as the choice city to live and work in the region.

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THE PRESERVATIONIST

25th Anniversary Edition The Whittier Conservancy P.O. Box 9114 Whittier, CA 90608-9114

NONPROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID WHITTIER, CA PERMIT NO. 177

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COMMUNITY CALENDAR / EVENTS Health Fair & Police Open House Saturday, May 19, Whittier City Hall. 9am - 1pm.

Police Station Tours, K9 Demonstrations, Whittier SWAT Team, Healthy LifeStyle Information, Health Screenings, Kiddie-K Fun Run and More !!! For more info, call the Whittier Community Center at (562) 567-9430 or the Whittier Police Department at (562) 567-9200 http://www.cityofwhittier.org/cals/default.asp.

Dancing with the Stars-of Whittier! May 23, 6pm – Reception, 7pm. Performance in Auditorium, $35 per person. All proceeds benefit the Whittier Community Foundation - an organization dedicated to fund-raising for projects which benefit the entire community. Proceeds will benefit the Whittier Community Foundation’s purchase and installation of fitness equipment on the Greenway Trail.

For more information, call the Whittier Community Center at (562) 567-9430 Whittier Community Theatre, 7630 S. Washington Ave., Whittier CA 90602 Hike the Hills - Every 3rd Sat, 9AM – 11AM ~ www.habitatauthority.org Check the Habitat Authority website for upcoming nature opportunities, hikes and workshops on owling, wildflowers, herbs, butterflies & trail watch training!

Meet-up group for hikers--www.meetup.com/Puente-Hills-Preserve-Hikers/ ~ For more info contact Helen Cohen at: 562-945-9003 or email hcohen@habitatauthority.org Friends of the Whittier Public Library Support your library, donate & shop at the “Friends” bookstore, corner of Comstock & Bailey. 562-696-4498 Tues 10-2, Fri 9-12, Sat 10-12, Thurs 10AM - 2PM (donations only) Uptown - CA Grown - Farmers Market - Philadelphia & Bright 8AM - 1PM, Fridays Vegetables, fruits, flowers, breads, fresh fish, and more.

Whittier Conservancy Membership Application inside!

Please consider making a tax deductible contribution.

Support Whittier’s unique history & quality of life!