BREA : ‘History’ Is in the Eye of the Beholder

John Mynes’ neighborhood is steeped in a history that he could do without.

Mynes lives on Redwood Avenue, a quiet street of about 20 homes which the City Council four years ago designated as a historic block. The plan was to move historic homes from elsewhere in the city to Redwood and then to renovate them to showcase the community’s architectural heritage.

But, Mynes said, “it’s been a nightmare. I don’t want five years more of frustrations, but it looks like that’s what I have to take to keep my home here.”

The problem, Mynes said, is that instead of beautiful, historic homes, the street ended up with dilapidated structures, boarded up and sitting empty for months, inviting rats and, for a while, homeless people.

He pointed at the Casner House, moved from its original location on Madrona Street about six months ago, which remains vacant and boarded.

“It’s an eyesore,” he said.

The city is asking for patience. To turn Redwood Avenue into a truly historic block will take time, officials said.

“It can’t be done overnight,” said Brian Saul, a member of the city’s Historic Committee, which picks the homes to be relocated to Redwood Avenue.

Redwood Avenue is wedged between the city’s most ambitious development projects in recent years. To the east, toward Birch and Randoph streets, are the Brea Market Place and Brea Mall and to the west is the 50-acre downtown redevelopment project.

Clustered around Redwood are newly built townhomes, apartments and single family homes on Ash, Laurel and Flower avenues.

In March of 1989, the City Council rezoned the west side of Redwood Avenue and certain portions of Laurel Avenue and Birch Street from high-density residential to low-density residential and established design guidelines for home improvements.

City planner Konradt Bartlam said one of the reasons for the zone change was to promote the preservation of the city’s architectural heritage. Redwood Avenue was declared a historic block later.

Sharon Dean of the city’s Historic Committee said at least six historic homes are being considered for relocation to three city-owned lots in Redwood.

The houses include the “Box House” at 103 Walnut Ave., the “Blue Bungalow” at 200 S. Brea Blvd. and a transitional-Craftsman style bungalow at 128 Walnut Ave.

“People would be proud to live in that street,” once the project is completed, Dean said.

But Mynes said he is skeptical of that and can’t imagine why Redwood Avenue was chosen.

“Why Redwood? There are other streets with more historic homes. I think they just want to dump these unwanted structures on us,” Mynes said.

Another Redwood resident, Gloria O’Neal, shared Mynes’ wonder at the choice of Redwood Avenue as a historic block.

“If I take a tour of this town and they told me this is a historic block, I’d laugh,” said O’Neal, whose house faces two vacant lots owned by the Brea Redevelopment Agency and are likely sites for relocated historic homes.

In fact, Mynes and O’Neal said, Redwood Avenue is not included in a bus tour of Brea’s historic sites, sponsored by the Community Services Department.