A labor of love in Long Beach
ROSE TOWERS, a 20-unit complex built on multiple levels in 1928, has been likened to a small Mediterranean village, with rich architectural details and a central courtyard whose paths meander through lush landscaping. Originally built in Spanish Colonial Revival style as affordable housing, the Long Beach units became “own your own” apartments in 1955, and were converted to condominiums in 1992.
Through it all, the community of owners has remained economically and culturally diverse, united by devotion to the place they call home.
The commitment of the owners is apparent in the careful restoration of the complex, which they worked together to achieve. The excellence of that work and the owners’ dedication to the task have earned them a preservation award from the Los Angeles Conservancy, which described the communal effort as “a prime example of grass-roots preservation at its best.”
Pat Wong and Chris Hyser, along with others who own homes in the complex, will share the spotlight May 10 with other winners of the conservancy’s Preservation Awards at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel.
Wong, who has owned her two-bedroom unit for 20 years, says, “I knew the minute I walked in that I was home.”
Her split-level, two-bedroom unit has high, wood-beamed ceilings with the original decorations hand-painted by craftsmen 79 years ago. The living room windows are tall and arched, the wall sconces are originals from the ‘20s. Although floor plans are basically alike, no two units are exactly the same in detail, she says, offering an individuality that is unusual in today’s world, no matter what the price.
Wong paid $95,000 for her unit. She now lives there with her husband, Rod Shapiro, and their French bulldog. She doesn’t love just her home, Wong says, she loves her neighbors and her neighborhood.
Hyser, who works at Williams-Sonoma, bought his two-bedroom apartment seven years ago for $146,000. The architecture was the main attraction, he says, along with the beautiful courtyard and its plantings. The diversity of the homeowners was also appealing. “This place was pretty much built for working-class people, and it’s stayed pretty close to that. We have teachers, postal workers, artists and all sorts of different ethnic and cultural backgrounds.”
Designed by architect George D. Riddle, and originally named El Cordova, the complex was filled with Moorish decorative motifs evident in graceful arches, multicolored tiles, wrought iron balconies and carved wooden doors.
When the building needed exterior re-stuccoing, Hyser says, each owner was assessed and there wasn’t much of a problem for the homeowners association. “But as we got into it, we realized that there were structural renovations needed, rather than just cosmetic ones.” There was extensive wood rot, water damage and columns that were structurally unsound.
“The goal then became twofold: to restore the building to its original exterior condition as well as to rectify years of deferred maintenance,” wrote Hyser in his award application.
The project took years of research and planning, countless volunteer hours and invaluable “sweat equity” contributed by dedicated homeowners, says Linda Dishman, executive director of the conservancy.
Actual work took four months in 2006 and cost about $150,000. Rose Towers was one of the first multi-unit building in Long Beach to receive the Mills Act tax credit for historic preservation. An additional $20,000 grant was obtained from the Long Beach Navy Memorial Heritage Assn.
“It was a project we homeowners kind of took on ourselves,” Hyser says. “We pinpointed all the areas that needed repair. We put the bid out to contractors and came up with prices, and based on the cost, we came up with what we’d need to assess ourselves. We acted as our own general contractor, so we did a lot of the legwork.” Hyser had a friend who didn’t live in the building but had experience in construction management. “He contributed his time, guided us through the project, coordinated the schedules of the different subcontractors, and he taught us the ropes as we went along. None of us had experience in this kind of undertaking.”
Wong, who is vice president of the homeowners association, says it was a real demonstration of people who cared about their homes and about each other working together. When the work was almost finished, she says, the homeowners hung a big sheet in the courtyard as a screen, and watched “Pirates of the Caribbean” while they enjoyed a potluck dinner to celebrate their accomplishment.
The conservancy award cites the homeowners for “carefully restoring a historic resource, strengthening the community, and spurring neighborhood revitalization.” Wong and Hyser say they and their neighbors simply did what needed to be done.
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Honoring those who preserve
Los Angeles Conservancy’s 26th annual Preservation Awards recognize a broad range of outstanding efforts to protect and preserve Los Angeles County’s architectural heritage. Here are the other winners:
The Poster Neutra: For the restoration of a modest eight-unit apartment building in North Hollywood, designed by Richard Neutra in 1960. It’s proof that preservation can be more cost-efficient than demolition.
Sun Mun Way Lofts: For the creative revitalization of a neglected 1939 building in Chinatown’s Central Plaza, and the imaginative adaptive reuse of the structure as both residential and office space.
Griffith Observatory: For excellence in the restoration and expansion of one of L.A.’s most visible and iconic landmarks, preserving its historic appearance while upgrading its facilities.
Marquez Filling Station: For the imaginative transformation of a 1924 gas station in Santa Monica into a modern architectural office structure. The adaptive reuse preserves a rare example of Southern California roadside architecture.
President’s Award: To Hamid Behdad, former director of adaptive reuse projects for the city of Los Angeles, for his leadership and success in the revitalization of historic buildings throughout the city.
City of Glendale: For its easy-to-use, comprehensive set of design guidelines that blend preservation principles with practical tips on how to recognize and care for the area’s historic residences.
City of Huntington Park: For its ordinance that establishes the city’s first Historic Preservation Commission and includes other efforts to preserve the city’s historic properties.
-- Bettijane Levine
