Here at Grisafe Architecture, we love a good historic home, and there are so many beautiful examples of historic residences in the City of Long Beach that were built early in the 20th century. Within the borders of Long Beach, you’ll find Craftsman bungalows, Victorians, Spanish Colonial Revival homes, Mission Revival homes, and more. Purchasing an historic home is a dream for many people, so when homes in historic neighborhoods become available, they are usually promptly snatched up.
If you are fortunate enough to be the owner of an historic home in Long Beach, CA, you likely have a strong appreciation for its historic charm, its unique features, and even its old-fashioned floorplan. As much as you would probably love to keep every original feature, you still have to live in the home, and that may require making some changes at some point. Or maybe the home you purchased had some changes made by the previous owner(s) that took away from some of its original charm, and you want to do what you can to add it back.
It can sometimes be difficult to find an architecture firm in Long Beach, CA that is willing to help you with the remodel of an historic home. Some might shy away from these types of projects because of the extra approval that can be required from Long Beach’s Cultural Heritage Commission. This commission is tasked with preserving the unique character of the City’s historic neighborhoods and structures. So, in addition to getting the typical permit from the Building and Safety Bureau in Long Beach, any plans to remodel an historic home that affect the home’s exterior must also be approved by the Cultural Heritage Commission.
Because the majority of historic homes in Long Beach are on the smaller side (when compared to more recently constructed homes), homeowners often consider increasing the home’s square footage. According to the City of Long Beach, “Additions to homes in historic districts should be designed and constructed so as to preserve the significant materials, architectural features, and overall historic character of the home as well as the district. Changes in scale and massing can affect the overall unity, consistency and cohesion of the streetscape and the district. In reviewing the Certificate of Appropriateness for additions, the Cultural Heritage Commission (CHC) must take into account the effect the proposed addition has on both the home and the historic district.”
Members of the CHC take their role very seriously, and they can be hesitant to approve any changes to historic homes that they believe will detract from either the home itself or the neighborhood. That’s not to say that the commission is difficult to work with. We have found them to be reasonable when they are presented with a compelling case for why the proposed changes to a home are appropriate for the neighborhood and the home, but they have also been known to deny certain modifications on occasion.
The key for architecture firms in Long Beach is to do their due diligence in the beginning and get a good idea of what the CHC will or won’t approve before getting too far into the design process. Fortunately, Grisafe Architecture’s owner and lead architect, Mark Grisafe has served on the CHC for several years and is currently the Commission’s Vice Chair, so at our architecture firm, we typically have a good idea of the types of projects we can get approved in historic neighborhoods.
If you’re the owner of an historic home in Long Beach, we’d love to help you renovate your home in a way that makes it more suitable for your lifestyle, while still maintaining the original character and charm that you love about it, or to help you bring it back to its original glory (like we did with this Long Beach home on the City’s list of Historic Landmarks). Contact our office to schedule a consultation with our Long Beach architecture firm.
