San Diego Architectural Foundation

Cecil and Virginia Roper Residence by Loch Crane (ca. 1964), a.k.a. 'Cape May Modern'.

Two and a half years after submitting an application for historic designation, Greg Strangman’s home in Ocean Beach (above) was granted the rarified status. The two-year process is dramatically longer today than in years past. As the City of San Diego cuts resources, the citizenry must deal with such delays. The good news is, with Greg’s help, we are crafting an owner’s guide (through this series of posts) to designating a home.

While Greg invested $3,000 to have a professional produce his application packet, many folks seek to take the DIY approach in delivering their own assessment of their property’s historic value.One thing to keep in mind? “…Just because the property is old doesn’t necessarily mean that it has historic significance to our city,” Greg said, reflecting on his successful efforts to designate several buildings during his career. “To a certain extent it’s like protecting the fabric and history of the city…but they would have to designate just about every building in the city if that were the case.”

The foundational designation criteria of a private residence’s value to the City or County is age. At this time, homes older than 1965 are currently eligible, as properties must be over 45 years old. The City is now examining post-war modernist design (such as Strangman’s 1964, Loch Crane designed home) along with historic adobes, Victorians, and structures with art deco and streamline modern characteristics.

Here are two basic first steps for a homeowner poised to embark on the process of seeking historic designation:

• Start with simple research on the history of San Diego and your neighborhood, specifically. A great deal may be gleaned from the San Diego History Center’s Research Library. Consider a visit early on in your search to peruse historic photographs of your area (and even street), as well as their library of telephone directories outlining who once lived (and answered the phone) at your address.
• It might also be helpful to connect with the staff and volunteers of the Save Our Heritage Organisation to gain insight into how other San Diegans have pursued a historic designation. There’s much to be learned from those who have already been through the process.

As you learn more about your neighborhood and home, consider the “Designation Criteria for City of San Diego Historical Sites". To be designated as historical by the City of San Diego Historical Resources Board, a site can meet any of the following criteria:

CRITERION A - Exemplifies or reflects special elements of the City's, a community's or a neighborhood's historical, archaeological, cultural, social, economic, political, aesthetic, engineering, landscaping or architectural development.

CRITERION B - Is identified with persons or events significant in local, state or national history.

CRITERION C - Embodies distinctive characteristics of a style, type, period or method of construction or is a valuable example of the use of indigenous materials or craftsmanship.

CRITERION D - Is representative of the notable work of a master builder, designer, architect, engineer, landscape architect, interior designer, artist or craftsman.

CRITERION E - Is listed or has been determined eligible by the National Park Service for listing on the National Register of Historic Places or is listed or has been determined eligible by the State Historical Preservation Office for listing on the State Register of Historical Resources.

CRITERION F - Is a finite group of resources related to one another in a clearly distinguishable way or is a geographically definable area or neighborhood containing improvements which have a special character, historical interest or aesthetic value or which represent one or more architectural periods or styles in the history and development of the City.

Your next step will be to learn how your home fits within the context of its neighborhood. You will also need to learn about the neighborhood’s architecture and history, and the people that designed, built and inhabited the area. As you get closer to determining the historic significance of your home, our next installment will outline specific resources to craft your application to the City (or County). - Keith York