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# Letter: Opposing a Modernist two-story build in the Third Street Historic District
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/lloyd-garver-send-comments-to-editor-smdp-com-modern-times-cuckoos-in-the-historic-district-editor/
- Published: 2007-11-10T16:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-24T03:54:24.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Opinion, Ocean Park, #archive-import

*By Karen Blechman*

As ornithologists will tell you, the cuckoo takes advantage of smaller birds, such as hedge sparrows, by laying its eggs in their nests. When hatched, the fledgling cuckoo elbows the legitimate hatchlings out of the nest and, squawking loudly, demands that the unsuspecting and harried little host birds feed its insatiable appetite. Of course, the cuckoo is merely acting instinctively and should not be vilified for its survival techniques, nasty as they may seem. But what if the cuckoo is human?

Recently, a (resident) has landed in the heart of the Third Street Neighborhood Historic District and is threatening to lay an egg there in the form of a large two-story cantilevered Modernist structure that would loom over the adjacent California bungalows. The district guidelines call for new construction and additions to be deferential to the protected homes, but this project would create intolerable visual disturbance to the detriment of all the surrounding homes.

The architect has had other Modernist projects come to fruition elsewhere in Ocean Park and there is reason to believe that the currently proposed building could also find a site in Ocean Park where it would be welcomed. In the Historic District, however, it has met with strongly-felt opposition because of its disregard for the district guidelines and the damage that would result. It is felt that if such a project were to be allowed, a precedent of ignoring the guidelines would have been set, and other homeowners would no longer feel that the district offered any particular protections. As a result, much of the incentive to spend time, money and effort on restoring and maintaining these beautiful old homes would be lost.

On Monday, the Landmarks Commission will be discussing the project for the third time. It is to be hoped that the commissioners will decide to protect the Third Street Neighborhood Historic District by denying a Certificate of Appropriateness to the project and that the applicant will then look for a more suitable location for his dream house.

He has every right to build it, but not to destroy Santa Monica’s only historic district in the process.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on November 10, 2007.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/111007.pdf?ref=smdp.com)