A good column from John Canalis in the Long Beach Press-Telegram. He explores two very different points of view on the increased property values in Long Beach’s Belmont Heights neighborhood – one, that new development (McMansions, mostly) drive prices up, and the other, that the better-constructed and much more humble Craftsman and Mission Revival bungalows built there in the 1920s sustain prices and make the neighborhood what it is. As Belmont Heights explores ways to keep its character and at the same time allow folks independence in what is built and how, they come up against many of the same challenges that other historic review boards and permitting bodies have faced over the years.
"Gorgeous" is the word Curtis Watkins chooses to describe his neighborhood’s newer homes.
"I consider what is happening in Belmont Heights progress," he says. "The property values are just skyrocketing."
But
Elizabeth Lambe prefers the Craftsman-era houses of the 1920s and
1930s. She believes it is the older homes, not the newer ones, that
sustain prices."I grew up in Orange County and moved to Belmont Heights
because I really loved the look of the neighborhood and the lovely
historic homes," she says. "And I think it’s important that we preserve
that because it’s part of our history."Just as it transformed Belmont Shore, the Peninsula and
Naples, "mansionization" – a growth of houses 3,000 square feet and up
– is changing the Heights, where homes a third to half of that size
were once the norm on many streets.ZIP Code 90803, which includes the Heights, is the most
expensive in Long Beach, with a median home price of $850,000 and
plenty of properties in the $1 million to $2 million range.Well-heeled owners, buyers and speculators often want – and
can afford – more room for children, home offices and entertaining than
a two-bedroom cottage can offer.Critics say the
new homes, sometimes constructed in Mediterranean, Tuscan and
contemporary "box" styles, clash with the lines of original Craftsman,
Spanish, Storybook, Tudor and Victorian homes. They complain that the
manses dwarf their homes, shade once-sunny gardens and give the nosy a
perch to peer into backyards.
I live in the Bluff Park Historic District in 90803. This was the first historic district created in Long Beach in 1982 in response to the destruction of several older homes to build the 18-story Galaxy Towers condominiums. The city was intent on transforming the entire waterfront to high rises of this type. The neighborhood fought for and won down-zoning to single family. Even with the historic designation and rules, several homes have been destroyed recently. Newcomers pay top dollar for an old home near the beach, apply for a minor permit such as for replacing a roof, and suddenly the house is stripped bare to the studs! They know they’re breaking the law but once the damage is done there’s no turning back. The city can issue a stop work order but eventually the house will be rebuilt and in any fashion that the owner wants. Even if they agree to rebuild so it looks the same, all of the historic materials are gone.
If people want a new home they can throw away every 15 years, they belong in Orange County.