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# Ball’s rolling for the Davies Estate facelift
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/balls-rolling-for-the-davies-estate-facelift/
- Published: 2005-07-22T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T07:30:38.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Government & Politics, Santa Monica, #archive-import

*By Daily Press staff*

City Hall is getting the beach ball rolling this summer at 415 Pacific Coast Highway and is asking for the public’s input on how to bring the sparkle back to the sand and the sea.

A design team open house in July and a two-day workshop in early fall will give the public opportunity to meet the 415 PCH design team and provide input on the emerging design for the rehabilitation and adaptive reuse of the former Marion Davies Estate.

Developed in the 1920s by William Randolph Hearst for actress Marion Davies, the 5.5-acre ocean front property at 415 PCH originally included a 100-room mansion, an ornate swimming pool, tennis courts and a guest house. After being operated as a private hotel and then a private beach club, the city operated the site as a public beach facility. Following the 1994 Northridge Earthquake, City Hall began an extensive community planning process to develop a plan that would take advantage of the site’s beachfront location, its colorful history and its potential as a unique public destination. The City Council awarded the design/build contract to the team of Pankow Special Projects and Fred Fisher Partners on June 28.

Beginning July 25, an “e-workshop” will be available at 415pch.smgov.net.

The e-workshop will provide historical information on the site, background information on the revitalization project and an opportunity for community members to provide input on their vision for the site. Comments received will be forwarded to the design team.

On July 28, community members are invited to stop by the 415 design team open house at Back on the Beach located at 445 Pacific Coast Highway between 4:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. for a tour of the 415 PCH site and an opportunity to speak informally with the design team. Due to limited parking at the site, people are encouraged to walk or bike.

In addition, a two-day community workshop will be held at the site in early fall. For more information, or to sign up for the 415 PCH interest list, visit 415pch.smgov.net, or call community and cultural services at (310) 458-8310.

The revitalization of 415 PCH is made possible by a grant from Wallis Annenberg and the Annenberg Foundation in partnership with the city of Santa Monica and California State Parks. Additional funding is provided by the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development.

Additional information about the project will be available at 415pch.smgov.net beginning July 25\. Information about the Annenberg Foundation can be found at www.annen-bergfoundation.org.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/55/9f/559f9abc-8372-4a2e-8c2d-27386da4e363/content/images/2026/10/072205-04_01.jpg)

Estate sits idle on the PCH, awaiting its much-needed facelift. (Photo: File Photo The Marion Davies)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/55/9f/559f9abc-8372-4a2e-8c2d-27386da4e363/content/images/2026/10/072205-04_02.jpg)

Estate sits idle on the PCH, awaiting its much-needed facelift. (Photo: File Photo The Marion Davies)

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on July 22, 2005.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/072205.pdf?ref=smdp.com)