Preservation Architecture

The Napa County Planning Commission voted unanimously to allow the rehabilitation of the National Register Aetna Springs Resort. Some of the buildings are pictured here. Although the condition looks awful for some of the buildings, others are in surprisingly good condition such as the Social Hall. This and the dining Hall are reputed to be designed by Bernard Maybeck, though documentary evidence is lacking due to the destruction of Maybeck's drawings in the SF earthquake and fire in 1906. The Social Hall embodies the principals of the Arts and Crafts movement - and far surpasses the Social Hall designed by Bernard Maybeck at the private Bohemian Grove.

The site contains a compendium of styles built from the 1870's Through the 1950's. I will follow up with a more thorough history of the resort in a separate post. 

Aetna Springs

 

Caroline

Social Hall

Aetna Gate

Social Hall

Good advice

Why preservation architecture?

I received word this past Thursday that a few neighbors of the critically endangered National Register District Aetna Springs Resort will oppose any effort to restore and rehabilitate the most important historic site in Napa County.

Noehill.com

Whatever the NIMBY (Not In My Backyard) rationale, there is no objective reason to prevent restoration of the historic resort. In Napa County we have a voter initiative called Measure P that prevents re-zoning of any agricultural lands without a vote of the people. The 672 acre Aetna Springs Resort is zoned agricultural. However, resort use of the property has existed for 130 years or so - many years before there was a Measure P.  No change in zoning has been proposed, no new buildings or changes in uses of any of the buildings is proposed, there is an existing Use Permit for the site, and the historic uses are protected under the California Historic Buildings Code and the Napa County Historic Preservation Ordinance.

The extent of the current Use Permit modification is to relocate several structures out of the Swarz Creek set-back to protect the creek; to repair the outmoded septic system and water system; and to provide for accessibility to some of the structures. The nationally acclaimed architectural firm Architectural Resources Group has prepared the restoration/rehabilitation plan according to the Secretary of the Interior Standards.

Why do I care about this, and why should you?

I care about this because I witnessed the destruction of acres of Colonial through Victorian buildings, sites and landscapes in my home town of Greensboro, NC. This destruction of the historic fabric of the community continues to this day. See the apologia for destruction of this neighborhood near the UNC-G campus. I witnessed the bulldozing of tracts of historic homes in Raleigh, NC, while I attended the School of Design at NCSU. I salvaged parts of historic buildings as the rumbling "big yellow toys" prepared to scrape sites clear of historical encumbrances. I began working on historical buildings as a construction worker while attending the University. I have lived in and restored historical homes for over 35 years. My avocation has been historic preservation action for many decades. See Napa County Landmarks' website. My vocation - architecture - has included hundreds of projects involving preservation, restoration and rehabilitation of historic buildings. My passion for preservation of historical neighborhoods and sites has increased over the decades as I have seen the cultural value of the history and physical continuity of "place". We create our own genius loci - or spirit of place - when we create places. Architecture and place-making are some of the most important "callings" of our species.

I hope that all who likewise care about place, genius loci, embodied history, historic preservation, and community will attend the hearing on Wednesday, January 18, 2012.

Thorsen House - part 3

Just because I have the pictures - here are a few more of the Thorsen House by Greene and Greene in Berkeley, CA. Anyone who has found their way to this blog post (third in the series), has an interest in the details of a seminal Bungalow style Greene and Greene building. This is a window on the south side of the "ell".



Looking up at the inside corner of the "ell", note the wide overhang, carved rafter tails, and carefully crafted copper downspout. Every surface has the same attention to detail as the front door.



Our little group examines the dining room. David Monroe and Berkeley Mills designed and created "kit" dining room chairs for the residents of Thorsen House to assemble.



Even the servant's quarters in the attic received the special attention to detail that every other part of the house received. Though simpler in overall design, the balusters, tucked-in drawers, baseboards, and doors are carefully designed.



Sigma Phi will be raising $10 million for the seismic strengthening and restoration of the Thorsen House so that it will survive for centuries to come.

Thorsen House - part 2

The theme of this post is "interior finishes and details". This is one of the stained glass and wood ceiling fixtures. Note the original canvas over plaster ceiling finish, which has not been altered. Every surface in the house has the same attention to detail - even the wood wainscot has eased edges and wooden pegs. The photo below is just inside the front door, where again the original canvas over plaster finish on the wall above the wainscot can be seen.



One of the rosewood (?) sconces in the living room/parlour. The mauve tile has restrained detail - but see below how the dining room fireplace is finished out...



This is a corner of the fireplace mantel and tile.



...a detail of the fireplace tile:



This one is the mysterious "peace" symbol. 1909. Is it original, or a careful and clever 60's addition to the house?



One more post, with some more photos. I find it hard to choose which ones to show.

Thorsen House

An opportunity to visit the Greene and Greene designed Thorsen House in Berkeley, CA arose over the past weekend. John and I charged up our camera batteries and took advantage of a break in the winter fog to see one of the only Greene and Greene houses in northern California - and a unique 1909 example of the Bungalow style of the Arts and Crafts movement. The house is now owned by the Sigma Phi fraternity. Frederick Law Olmsted designed the street as well as the adjacent U.C. Berkeley campus. Mrs. Thorsen was the sister of Nellie Blacker - owner of the Blacker House in Pasadena (completed 1907).

Window to front hall

The brothers of Sigma Phi were having an all-day work party when we arrived. The house was being scrubbed, buffed, and vacuumed - as well as the front and back yards being weeded, raked and trimmed. An alumnus who had been deeply involved in preservation efforts for the house spent 1 1/2 hours showing the house and answering questions.



This is an occasion where photos speak more eloquently than words.


Stair landing at the second floor





The veranda sheltered by the "ell" of the building creates an oasis of green in the heart of the residential block.

Next post: interior details and a peace sign pre-dating the 60's free speech movement by over 50 years...