Annenberg Community Beach House
In 1928, Julia Morgan designed a beach estate for Marion Davies on the Pacific Coast Highway in Santa Monica. In 1994, the remaining portions of the estate (including the guest house and pool) sustained severe damage in the Northridge Earthquake. The property sat vacant for many years until the Wallis Annenberg Foundation and the City of Santa Monica provided the necessary funding for a major rehabilitation. The project included the rehabilitation of the historic guest house and swimming pool, and the construction of extensive new facilities. The project included the participation of Federal, State, and local agencies, along with numerous other stakeholders.
Historic Resources Group was hired by the City of Santa Monica to perform a preliminary historic evaluation in 2002. Subsequently, HRG prepared a historic structure report (HSR) to document the intact historic features of the site and evaluate their existing conditions. Analysis of the guest house and its features, as well as of the condition of the original swimming pool, provided stewards of the property with recommendations for the rehabilitation and continued maintenance of the remaining character-defining features of the Marion Davies Estate.
In 2005, HRG provided historic preservation consultation to Frederick Fisher Partners Architects during the design phase of the Annenberg Community Beach House, a new public complex on the site, which includes a public pool, park, and conference facility. HRG also provided the required historic resources environmental review, aiding legal entitlement of the project.
The Annenberg Community Beach House had its grand opening in April 2009.
