Agenda Packet 9.5.24 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Page 3 of 4 cm\historic\templates\Fourth 214 W (The Elwood) 7/23/01 RESOURCES PRESENT: Building Structure Object Site District Element of District Other MOVED? No Yes Unknown Date: Original Location: STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: (Discuss importance in terms of historical or architectural context as defined by theme, period, geographic scope, and integrity.) Santa Ana was founded by William Spurgeon in 1869 as a speculative townsite on part of the Spanish land grant known as Rancho Santiago de Santa Ana. Early growth and development was stimulated by the arrival of the Southern Pacific Railroad in 1878 and the Santa Fe Railroad in 1886. By the end of the 1880s, Santa Ana’s downtown business district was defined by five city blocks of brick commercial buildings on Fourth Street, with the heart of the city at the intersection of Fourth and Main Streets (Thomas, 8:1). The early 1900s saw the construction of many new business blocks or remodels along Fourth and adjacent streets, and by the 1920s Santa Ana’s downtown had expanded in all directions to include both commercial and civic development. In 1933, the repair and rebuilding following the Long Beach Earthquake added to the number of downtown buildings displaying the fashionable Art Deco style. The Elwood is significant as an example of the rebuilding of Fourth Street, which took place in the wake of the earthquake. The Victorian era construction is still apparent in the utilitarian southern elevation. Character-defining exterior features of the property, which should be preserved, include but may not be limited to: original and 1933 exterior finishes; bay divisions, including pilasters; original and 1933 fenestration; and parapet. SUMMARY/CONCLUSION: This building was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1984 as a contributor to the Downtown Historic District. Under the regulations implementing the California Register of Historical Resources, the building is also listed in the California Register. The property is included in the Santa Ana Register of Historical Property and has been categorized as “Contributive” for its contribution to “the overall character and history” of downtown Santa Ana and as a “good example of period architecture” that “has not been substantially altered” (Municipal Code, Section 30-2.2(2)). OWNER AND ADDRESS: