SR-6-G (21)
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Council Meeting: 08/12/86 Santa Monica, California
TO: Mayor and city Council
FROM: City staff
SUBJECT: Recommendation to Adopt Resolution in Support of the
Designation of the Santa Monica Pier Carousel Building
as a National Historic Landmark
Introduction
This report requests that Council adopt the attached Resolution
(Attachment A) in support of the designation of the Santa Monica
pier Carousel Building as a National Historic Landmark (NHL).
Background
The National Park Service conducts the National Historic
Landmarks program to identify, designate, recognize, and protect
buildings of national significance. The National Park Service
has identified the Looff's Hippodrome, or as it is more commonly
known, the Santa Monica Pier Carousel Building, as a potential
property for designation. The identification was made during the
preparation of a National Park Service theme study on
recreational sites along the West Coast.
The National Park Service has sent a copy of the nomination
(Attachment B) to the City for comment during a sixty day review
period, prior to its consideration by the National Park system
Advisory Board. The Advisory Board will meet on September 17,
1986, and make a recommendation to the Secretary of the Interior
regarding the nomination.
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Impacts of the Designation
staff has researched the possible impacts of the designation on
the management of the Carousel and has determined that there are
no adverse effects related to the designation. The City may
manage the Carousel in any way it chooses, it may make
modifications to the building, or may demolish it if it decides
to do so without being hindered or otherwise affected by Federal
law as long as it does not use Federal funds or need a Federal
permit to carry out its actions.
If Federal funds are to be used, or if a Federal permit is
required, the National Historic Preservation Act requires that
the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation be given an
opportunity to comment on the project. This will be the case
with the reconstruction of the pier since it involves the use of
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funds. Although the
Pier is not included in the designation, the Carousel Building
sits atop the pier and FEMA is simply required to advise the
state Historic Preservation Officer that the reconstruction
project will have no effect on the Carousel Building, and request
concurrence be sent to the Advisory Board. The paperwork
involved in this advisory review is already underway and will not
delay the reconstruction process.
It might be pointed out that even if the Carousel were not a
subject of nomination at this time, agencies such as FEMA would
still be required to inform the Advisory Council on Historic
Preservation of the impacts of the reconstruction on the Carousel
Building since its historic value has already been recognized at
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the local and county level and because it is eligible for the
National Register as a NHL.
The proposed designation will bring National recognition to the
Carousel as a building of historic and cultural significance, a
fact recognized by the City of Santa Monica in 1976 when it
proclaimed the Carousel as a City Landmark and when the City
later supported full restoration of both the building and the
Carousel. The National Park Service theme study indicates that
the Carousel Building is the most intact element on the pier and
that the Bowling and Billiard Building (which now houses Beryl's
and the Crown and Anchor) as well as the Looff Pier and the
Municipal pier have all been so modified that they no longer
possess clear historic integrity.
In the event that the National Designation is approved by the
Secretary of the Interior, the building will be placed on the
National Register of Historic Places. The National Park Service
will also arrange for a plaque and help arrange and participate
in a presentation ceremony.
BUdget/Fiscal Impact
The recommended action has no budget or fiscal impact.
Recommendation
Staff respectfully recommends that the Council adopt the attached
Resolution in support of the designation of the Santa Monica pier
Carousel Building as a National Historic Landmark.
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Prepared by: Stan Scholl, Director of General Services
Judith Meister, pier Manager
Attachments: A, Resolution
B, Nomination study
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...~..._,;..... Nat~onal Historic Landmark Nom~nat~on ou. -.IIJM-QOIe
C).Q . .... 1l)oqI-M
. 'rhe~_ D. (Recreation)
United States Department 0 Interior
National Park Service For HPS u.. only
National Register of Historic Places received
Inventory-Nomination Form - date entered
See Instruc:tlons In How to Complete National Register Forms
Type all entries-complete applicable sections
1. Name "- -
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historiC Looff' s Hl.ppodrome ',,-- , .
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Ind or common Santa Monl.ca Amusement P~er Ca~ousel eUl.ldl.ng (Leoff's Amusement Pier Ca~vusel
2. Location l:iUl.J.ding)
street & number 276 Santa Mon1ca Pier not tOt' publication
city, town Santa Mon:1.ca viCinity of
state California code county Los Angeles code
3. Classification
CAtegory Ownership St.tus Pre..nt u..
district 'Il' public occuPIed agriculture . museum
buitdlng(s) pn'tate unoccupied commercial pm ~
X
structure both X wor. In progress educational private ,,"Idence
site Public Acquisition Acce.slble entertainment reUglou.
ObJect In process 'f yes: Rstncted government sclentlflC
being conSidered _ _ . yes: unrestricted Industrial transportation
_no military X. other: Recreation
4. Owner of Property \\.:a.rouse.s..)
name C1tV of 5nnrn ~nnlrn
street & number c/o P~er Manaqer, 276 Santa Monica P~er
city. town Santa Mon~ca _ viclnlly of st.te Cal~fornia
5. Location of Legal Description
courthouse, registry of deeds. etc. Bu~lnlncr n~~~r~~~"~_ ("1t-:: H~11
.
street &: number 1685 !-1a~n Street
city. lown Santa Mon1.ca stllte cal~fornia 90401 .
6. Representation in Existing Surveys
title None has thiS pro pert';' ~n delermJn~ eligible? yes -X---no
date _ federal state _ _ county _ local
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depoSItory for survey records
city, town 45.3 state
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7. Description .
. .
.heCk on_
Condition Check on.
_ excellent _ deteriorated _ _ unalte,ed X Original site
L good ruins ...x... allered _ . moved date . ... -.... - --
_'a" unexpoled
_.. ___ _____..___ a... - - -..-.. - ---... - -- ..--- -..-
De.crlb. the pr...nt .nd origln8' (If known' physical 8pp..r8nc.
. Su.mma ry
Looff's R1ppodrome~ or Santa Monica Pier Carousel Building, is the DOst intact
element on the forme r "Loaff Pleasure Pier,- that was built in 1916 abutting
the original Santa Monica Municipal Pier (1905). The Hippodrome is a 2-story
frame structure that was designed to house a Looff carousel emplaced there the
same year, but which was later aold. A d1fferent carousel i8 now in the
building. ..
Additional Description
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The Hippodrome Building rests on a portion of the former Looff PleaBure Pier,
which abutts the original municipal pier. A square structure, it features
octagonal 3-story towers at the corners with seven bays intervening between
the towers. Each bay includes an arched opening on the lower level and paired
arched windows above. Over the second, fourth, and six bays on each side
decorative s~mi-domes or finials were originally positioned.1 The openings on
the first floor originally permitted free access to the carousel on the interior;
they were closed at an unknown date to limit traffic. the corner towers contain
restrooms and other conveniences for visitors.
The second level of the 'Hippodrome contains a series of offices and storage
areas, built around the large interior space that shelters the carousel.
Crowning the structure is a giant tent-like roof that culminates 1n a clere-
story capped by a bulbous tower similar to the onion-shaped dome commonly found
on Russian churches.
The vertical members (exposed wood beams) of the frame of the Hippodrome's
plain interior converge at a peak over the central space where the carousel is
installed. Except for non-historic railings and benches and the paine scheme.
the interior of the Hippodrome is largely unaltered.
The original Looff carousel was removed from the Hippodrome in 1939; tbe present
carousel, Philadelphia Toboggan Company 162, was installed in 1947 . Until
.1977, the structure was used for a variety of other purposes and underwent
relatively minor alterations. In the latter year. a local group of carousel
enthusiasts undertook restoration of the carousel. Since the carousel's resto-
ration was completed in 1981, they have continued to operate it as a touris t
attraction.
The Kippodrome has also recently been restored by the City of Santa Monica, the
current owner of the building, as part of a master plan to revitalize the pier
for recreational use by the community and tourists.
FOOTNOTE
1 The correlar.ion of present physical appearance with historic photographic
views has been performed by Raymond Girvlgian in his s r.udy. -Santa Monica
Carousel. A Restoration Report. - (Pasadena, California: May 27. 1983) .
459
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8. Significance .
.. A'... of SI'lnlf(c.~h.Ck .nd IUIUt., beJow
Peri"
pretllatorle .rcheology-prehistorlc communlly planning landscape .rchllectur. religion
_ 1"00-t499 .rch~'ogy-hl.toru: conservation ,."'" Iclene.
- '500-1599 -vricuUur. economics IIler.tur. Iculptur.
-~ 1100--1191 Irchltecture education mllllary aocla'
1700-1799 art engineering - music humlntllrlat\
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- X 1800-1819 commerce e.plorallon senlemenl philosophy - lhoe.f.'
_ 1900- communication. Induatry politic. government __ ',ansportlllon
... - Invention .A 01 her (speedy)
-- - - .--- . ~ - - - - __ _ u..Recreati nn
~UJc d.... 1916 '- B.,lId.r Archlt.ct Charles and Arthur _ __ {~~~9u_se1
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Statement of SI.niUcanc. (In on. p.r.....ph) Looff Shelter}
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Looff'. Hippodrome (Santa Honlca Amusement Pier Carousel Building) 18 . rare
lntact example of an early shelter structure built to house . carousel in all
Uluselllent park. It 1s one of only two such structures that re1ll.&in on the West
Coaat.1 Its location on an amusem.ent pier adds to its 'Povelty. and it i_ also
the principal intact historic element of the formerly extensive colleceion of
amusement facilities at the Santa Honica Amusement Pier (Looff'. Amusement Pier).
The carousel presently in the Hippodrome is not. however. the Looff carousel
o~iginally installed there ln 1916. when the Hippodrome opened. but is a Phila-
delphia Toboggan Company specimen that dates frOlll 1922 and vaS emplaced in the
Hippodrome in 1947.
~beory
Cha~les I.D. Looff and his son Arthur were well-known carousel erafters, roller
coaster builders, and amusement park operators. who worked primarily on the West
Coast after the turn of the century I although Charles' career had - begun at
Coney Island In 1876. Their center of operations on the West Coast was their
factor)' in Long Beach (now largely demolished). One of their early carousels
(1911) and . roller coaater (1924) . at the Sanea Cruz Beach Boardwalk, and a
carousel and lta shelter at East Providence. Rhode Island (their headquarters
before moving to Long Beach) are described elsewhere 1n this study.
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In 1915-16, the Looffs conscructed the "Looff Pleasure Pier.- over the waters
adj acen t to the existing lOOO-foot Santa Monica Municipal Pier. which had been
advertised since 1905 as the -largest concrete pier 1n the world. ~2 Over the
next few years. they built an ill1pressive and popular set of attractioDs. TheBe
lncluded the Hippodrome Building with its c:s.rousel of their own construction
(1916 ) i the -Blue Streak" roller coaster (ca. 1917) j a giant rot.ating swing
ride. known as the -Aeroscope~; the Bowling and Si1liard BuUding (ca. 1917) i
and the La Monica Ballroom (1924)1 a vast structure of eclectic By:z::antine.
Persian. and Kission Revival motifs that accommodated 5_000 daocers. The LooH
pier also featured picnic shelters and electric trams.3
Looff"s amusement pier was accessible by electric trolley from Venice and down-
town Los Angeles. Its attract.iveness and ease of access were also enhanced
when the main Santa Monica pie!." was rebuilt in 1921_ widened. and extended to
nearly 1600 feet. All the Loof f facilities relll.ained to the souch of the land-
ward end of the city'a pier.4 Looff sold his interests in 1924.
460
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United States Departm.o, the Inte~lor .
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Inventory-Nomination Form -
,
Contloostion sheet Item numJ:18r R Page--~ - .......
The height of the -Santa Honica Amusement Pier's popularity was fro. 1924, when
the La Honica Ballroom opened, through World War II, before the freeway lyate.
(begun only in 1939) made more distant coastside attractions and nev inland
theme parks, such as Knott's Berry Farm (1940) and Disneyland (1955), ...11,
accessible to the burgeoning population and tourist trade of Southern califor-
nia. The pier's popularity persisted into the 1950s, and the La Monica Ballrooa
became the first in the nation to televise its programs.5
The -Blue Streak" roller coaster. on the other hand, had aUMiYed only unt.il
1931. The La Monica Ballroom was demolished in 1968.5 Today. other than the
Looff pier itself, only the Hippodrome, the Bowling and Billiard Building, now
used as a gIft shop. and one minor structure survive. The Bowling and Billiard
Building. which once featured early automatic pin-setting machinet1.1 has been
extensively altered on the interior; for that reason it is not recommended for
inclusion in this nomination. Likewise. the Looff Pier and the Municipal Piet
have both been 80 modified that they cannot be said to possess clear hiatotic
integrity.
The Carousel
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The Carousel presently in the Hippodrome is Philadelphia Toboggan Compan, 162,
a 3-row carousel that began its career in Cumberland Park, in Kaah"ille,
Tennessee. in 1922. It was emplaced at Santa Monica in 1941.8 As an intact
carousel by a first-rate manufacturer and of the general period represented ~,
the Hippodrome. its presence contributes to the integrity of the structure,
since it maintains the building's historic use. The interior of the Hippodrome
1St furthermore, being restored to its original appearance to pro.ide an approE-
imatlon of the historic setting of the former carousel.
On the other hand. the carousel is not the original Loaff carousel chat ...
manufactured for the Hippodrome. And. of itself. 8a a rather t1Pical example
of Philadelphia Toboggan Company carousel work in the early 19208. it is, while
quite attractive. not exceptionally esrly, rare, or unusually distinguished.
It was. however. featured in the film -The Sting." and is veIl known from ita
appearance in other files and a host of television series episodes.
461
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United. States Department.the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Inventory-Nomination Form
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ContiBJabon sheet Item number B Page 3
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FOOTNOTES ..... "-
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1 Raymond G1rvigian. .santa Monica Carousel. A Restoration Report~ (Pasadena.
California: May 21, 1983t, p. 4.0-3.
1- Ibid., pp. 2.01-2 and 2.01-10.
3 Ibid., pp. 2.01-7--2.01-9 and 2.01-17.
4 Ibid., pp. 2.01-9 and 2.01-15.
5 ~.. p. 2.01-17.
6 Ibid.
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1 Ibid., p. 2.01-13.
8 National Carousel Association, ~National Carousel Association Census" (Los
Angeles, California: National Carousel Association, 1983), p. 6.
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9 The basis for this conclusion 15 a review of all the Philadelphia Toboggan
Company entries in the "National Carousel Association Census~ and the list
of the Philadelphia Toboggan Company carousels in Charles J. Jacques, Jr.,
"The Carousels of the Philadelphia Toboggan Company." Amusement Park Journal.
5,4 (19B]). pp. 36-37.
.
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BEFORE DISTRIBUTION CHECK CONTENT OF ALL FOR CITY C~ERK1S ACTION
DISTRIBUTION OF RESOLUTION Ii 7c? 77 ORDINANCE If
CouncIl MeetIng Date p;;~ /rl-b Introduced-
:\genda Item # (:- G- Adopted:
flo All-JAYS PIJBLISH AOOP l'tlJ ORDINANCES *
Was It amended? *Cross out Attorney's aprroval
VOTE' AffirmatIve: 7-0
Negative-
Abstain-
Absent:
4 PROOF VOTE~ WITH A~OTHER PERSO~ BEFORE ANvTHING
vi: S-l!tIELiTlvfi: vKIGI~AL ~o be signed, sealed and filed in Vault.
NEWSPAPER PUBLICATION (Date: )
Department origInating staff report ( * )
, *C~ty Attorney does not w-am:. copies of his ord~nancesor resolutions.
tlanagement Ser\-~~j~es Lynne Barrette OrdInances only ~
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, Agency mentIoned In document or staff report
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: (certifIed?)
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, SubJect file (agenda packet) 1
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) Counter fIle
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} Others: (Rev~ew for departrrents who need to know).
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: Airport ParkIng Auth.
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~ AudItorum
) Personnel
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) BUIlding Dept. Planning
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) Police (en-
~ Culllll1Ili ty and Econcnuc Dev.
) forcement?)
) FInance
~ Purchasing .
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~ Fire
) Recr/Parks
r; General Serv_
.... TransportatIon
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... LIbrary
... Treasurer ~
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.J Manager
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>. SEY"D F()UR. COPIES OF ALL ORDI\A~CES TO: *Check Code SectIOns before sending_
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I""i COD~D SYSTEMS, Attn Peter- Maciearje
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170 '!ain I'trC'>et L_
+-I , "" ~"ew Jersev_OZ717
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~ SE:--rD FOUR COPIES OF ALL ORll PJ A \]'('?5. TO:
....... B.f1?ra :4vr~ck
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(l) .:, TA ~OXICA MUNICIPAL COURT
.c .~ 72 S "lAIN STREET, Room 118 2
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~ SA;-lTA MONICA, CA 90401 TOTAL COPIES . .. ~
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Council Meeting: 08/12/86 Santa Monica, California
RESOLUTION NUMBER ~7(CCS)
(City Council Series)
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF SANTA MONICA IN SUPPORT OF THE
DESIGNATION OF SANTA MONICA PIER CAROUSEL
BUILDING AS A NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK
WHEREAS, the National Park Service has completed a
study of the Santa Monica pier Carousel Building for the purpose
of nomination as a National Historic Landmark; and
WHEREAS, the study recognizes the Santa Monica pier
Carousel Building, originally named Looff's Hippodrome, as a rare
intact example of an early shelter structure built to house a
carousel in an amusement park; and
WHEREAS, the City of Santa Monica, as owner of the
Santa Monica Pier Carousel Building, has made a significant
investment in the restoration of the building and the carousel;
and
WHEREAS, the designation of the Santa Monica pier
Carousel as a National Historic Landmark places no constraints on
how the city of Santa Monica may manage the Carousel Building, as
long as the city does not use Federal funds or require a Federal
license or permit to carry out its actions, in which case an
advisory revie'tv is required by the National Advisory Council on
Historic Preservation,
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NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA
MONICA DOES RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION ~. The City Council affirms its continuing
support of the preservation and operation of the Santa Monica
pier Carousel Building as an historic recreational resource.
SECTION 2. The City council supports the nomination of
the Santa Monica Pier Carousel Building as a National Historic
Landmark in recognition of its significance as the principal
intact historic element on the santa Monica Pier.
SECTION 3. The City Clerk shall certify to the
adoption of this Resolution, and thenceforth and thereafter the
same shall be in full force and effect.
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
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ROBERT M. MYERS
city Attorney
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Adopted and approved this 12th day of August, 1986.
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/ Mayor
I hereby cert1.fy that the foregoing Resolution No. 7277(CCS)
was duly adopted by the C1.ty Counc1.l of the C1.ty of Santa Mon1.ca
at a meet1.ng thereof held on August 12, 1986 by the follow1.ng
Council vote:
Ayes: Councilmembers: Conn, Epstein, Jennings, A. Katz,
H. Katz, Zane and Mayor Reed
Noes: Counc1.lmembers: None
Abstain: Councilmembers: None
Absent: Councllmembers: None
ATTEST:
f2 71 J,
/'/
-<-/}~tt / ?~-17_t ~r
C1. ty {Clerk -
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