> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.smdp.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Ocean Park cottage lives on - URL: https://www.smdp.com/ocean-park-cottage-lives-on/ - Published: 2008-02-28T16:00:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-24T18:40:33.000Z - Author: Melody Hanatani - Tags: Environment, Ocean Park, #archive-import *Home with a view of the sea retains landmark designation* CITY HALL The historic landmark status of the only remaining beach-facing cottage in Santa Monica was reaffirmed on Tuesday by the City Council, which after facing the risk of a lawsuit regarding the proceedings of the original hearing last summer, decided to reopen the case. The council voted nearly unanimously to uphold the landmark designation of the old yellow cottage at 2219 Ocean Ave., the lone vote in opposition coming from Councilmember Pam O’Connor, who said she felt the house would be better suited as a Structure of Merit, which are deemed less significant than landmarks and reviewed only when a demolition is proposed. The property owner, the University of Illinois Foundation, was challenging the landmark status of the more than 100-year-old cottage, a designation set by the Landmarks Commission in August 2006. The small yellow and somewhat dilapidated cottage was constructed in the early 1900s and is one of the oldest buildings on the ocean-facing block, sandwiched between multi-family developments designed in varying architectural styles, evocative of the evolutionary development of Santa Monica. “What gives this (cottage) special meaning is its context — it’s on Ocean Avenue facing the public view of the street and is visible from the beach,” Landmarks Commissioner Ruthann Lehrer said during the council meeting. “And when you’re standing on the beach looking up at the city, you see this tiny Victorian cottage, it’s like a window back in time.” The three bedroom, three-bathroom cottage sits behind a white picket fence, once owned by William Hobson who before his death in June 2005, decided to deed the cottage to the University of Illinois Foundation. Since the university took over the cottage, it has placed the structure on the market, valued at around $3.3 million, but has had difficulty finding a buyer. The foundation’s plans to demolish the building were highly contested by neighbors, spurring a Save the Cottage grassroots campaign that has collected several thousand signatures in both online and paper petitions. Kevin Kozal, the attorney representing the university, noted that the appeal was based on two main points — City Hall’s consultant, PCR Services, stated on several occasions that the structure does not meet landmark requirements; and past practices indicate that only excellent examples of a particular architectural style, not typical ones, are designated. “All of the experts in this matter confirm there are superior examples of this cottage’s architectural type in the Ocean Park area,” Kozal said at the council meeting. “We believe that if you designate this cottage as a landmark, it is lowering the standard and will dilute what historic preservation is all about.” Several consultants have indicated that the cottage does not meet landmark status, including PCR and an architectural historian hired by the university. Santa Monica city planners have also said the building does not meet any of the criteria. Galvin Preservation Associates, a consultant hired by the Save the Cottage group, found the cottage does qualify for preservation. Judson Studios also found that there could be architectural significance in the cottage’s stained glass windows, which it believed it might have installed. Marcello Vavala, an architectural historian and past president of the Santa Monica Conservancy, said the significance of the cottage lies in its role of the development of the neighborhood, pointing out that the structure is very “modest.” “Citywide, there are only a handful of landmarks along Ocean Avenue and they represent a diverse array of architectural achievements and aspirations that drew people to build homes or businesses overlooking the sea,” he said.“This cottage is now the last of its building type surviving along Ocean Avenue.” Campbell Maynes, a Santa Monica resident, read a notarized testimony from Hobson’s former neighbor and friend who helped rehabilitate the cottage during the 1970s after the property was purchased by Hobson. The testimony stated that Hobson had attempted to landmark the cottage and that the late Santa Monican would be upset if he heard the university intended to tear it down, something that was refuted by Kozal. The attorney also noted he had a written testimony from Hobson’s former personal assistant and bookkeeper who stated that his intention was to knock down the structure and build apartments. Hobson wanted the university to sell the property and use the proceeds to fund a student scholarships placed in the William and Evelyn Hobson Fund name. Several of the city councilmembers noted that the former homeowner’s intended use of the property was irrelevant as to whether the cottage qualifies for landmark status. “The intention of the person who owned the property and what he or his family might have done with it doesn’t bear in my determination at all,” Councilmember Bob Holbrook said. Councilmember Ken Genser pointed out that the last remaining shot gun house, though hardly an example of an architectural masterpiece, was preserved simply because it was the last remaining example of its type. “Was it a great architectural quality? Absolutely not,” Genser said. O’Connor said she doesn’t see a strong case for considering the cottage to be a contributor to the early residential development of the block, adding that any building could be in a “unique location” if it’s the only one on the block built during a specific period of time. “I tend to agree with the staff report where it articulates how that is applied,” O’Connor said. The nature of the meeting was a contrast from the original hearing in June when only five councilmembers were present — Councilmembers Richard Bloom and Bobby Shriver were absent — and the university requested the matter be postponed until a full council was available. While Holbrook, O’Connor and Mayor Herb Katz supported the university’s request, Genser and Councilmember Kevin McKeown argued the appeal should be heard as scheduled. During the discussion regarding whether the hearing should be postponed, a visibly frustrated O’Connor left the dais, leaving the council at a 2-2 tie, effectively forcing the hearing to take place. The tension carried over into the hearing when Holbrook stated he would not vote on the appeal. When none of the councilmem-bers introduced a motion, the appeal failed and the status was upheld as a result. The university’s attorney, Chris Harding, at the time expressed his disappointment, stating it should voluntarily grant a new hearing to the university with a full council. That’s exactly what happened when the council decided in November while facing the threat of litigation, decided to schedule a re-hearing. *Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on February 28, 2008.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/022808.pdf?ref=smdp.com)