18 Stone Houses Recommended as Landmarks

Glendale officials have moved a step closer toward granting landmark protection to its aging stone houses, located in La Crescenta and other parts of the city, that are prized as architectural curiosities.

The Glendale Historic Preservation Commission decided that 18 of the 20 stone houses found in a citywide survey may qualify for national or local landmark status. Its evaluation will be included in a report to the state Office of Historic Preservation, which gave Glendale a $2,000 grant to survey the stone houses.

But city officials said more research and public hearings must be conducted before any stone houses become landmarks. “This is just our evaluation, without committing anyone to anything,” commission Chairwoman Vonnie Rossman said.

History buffs have said it is unlikely that the stone houses, which would not meet modern building codes, could be built today because of the expense and craftsmanship involved. The houses, built mainly in the 1920s and 1930s, have nonetheless survived harsh earthquakes and floods, even though not up to code, Rossman said.

Last year, some owners who treasure their stone houses said developers’ bulldozers pose a more serious threat than natural disasters. They asked the city to designate the houses as historic landmarks so that future owners could not raze them without the city’s consent.

But the proposal has stirred opposition from other owners of the houses. Last spring, several said they fear that a landmark designation would restrict their ability to make structural changes and make the houses more difficult to sell.

Many of Glendale’s stone houses were built in the 10-block Highway Highlands subdivision in a portion of La Crescenta that was annexed by Glendale in 1952. History buffs say many of these houses were built by hand using stones found on the property, washed down from the Verdugo and San Gabriel mountains.

The city surveyed 813 properties during its study. The researchers found many buildings adorned with stone walls, foundations or chimneys, but they listed only those in which the stonework made up 60% or more of the structure.

The researchers found nine stone buildings in the Highway Highlands tract and another 11 scattered elsewhere in the city. One is a commercial building, and the remaining ones are houses.

The survey found that Glendale’s stone buildings were constructed in four architectural styles: Spanish eclectic, Tudor, Craftsman bungalow and colonial revival.

At Monday’s meeting, the commissioners viewed slides of the 20 sites. They agreed that two do not merit consideration as landmarks because they are too small and have been modified with modern materials.

Commissioners decided that four outstanding stone houses in the 3700 and 3800 blocks of 4th Avenue in La Crescenta may qualify for national landmark status. They determined that 14 others could be eligible for landmark status under Glendale’s ordinance.

The next step will be to meet informally with the owners of the houses to address their concerns about landmark status and to discuss the responsibilities and tax benefits that accompany such a listing, City Planner Dana Ogdon said.