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HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-27-2026 CHC Agenda Packet Cultural Heritage Committee AGENDA Monday, April 27, 2026, 5:30 p.m. Council Chambers, 990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo The Cultural Heritage Committee holds in-person meetings. Zoom participation will not be supported at this time. Attendees of City Council or Advisory Body meetings are eligible to receive one hour of complimentary parking; restrictions apply, visit Parking for Public Meetings for more details. INSTRUCTIONS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT: Public Comment prior to the meeting (must be received 3 hours in advance of the meeting): Mail - Delivered by the U.S. Postal Service. Address letters to the City Clerk's Office at 990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, California, 93401. Email - Submit Public Comments via email to advisorybodies@slocity.org. In the body of your email, please include the date of the meeting and the item number (if applicable). Emails will not be read aloud during the meeting. Voicemail - Call (805) 781-7164 and leave a voicemail. Please state and spell your name, the agenda item number you are calling about, and leave your comment. Verbal comments must be limited to 3 minutes. Voicemails will not be played during the meeting. *All correspondence will be archived and distributed to members, however, submissions received after the deadline may not be processed until the following day. Public Comment during the meeting: Meetings are held in-person. To provide public comment during the meeting, you must be present at the meeting location. Electronic Visual Aid Presentation. To conform with the City's Network Access and Use Policy, Chapter 1.3.8 of the Council Policies & Procedures Manual, members of the public who desire to utilize electronic visual aids to supplement their oral presentation must provide display-ready material to the City Clerk by 12:00 p.m. on the day of the meeting. Contact the City Clerk's Office at cityclerk@slocity.org or (805) 781-7114. Pages 1.CALL TO ORDER Chair Tischler will call the Regular Meeting of the Cultural Heritage Committee to order. 2.PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA The public is encouraged to submit comments on any subject within the jurisdiction of the Cultural Heritage Committee that does not appear on this agenda. Although the Committee will not take action on items presented during the Public Comment Period, the Chair may direct staff to place an item on a future agenda for discussion. 3.CONSENT Matters appearing on the Consent Calendar are expected to be non- controversial and will be acted upon at one time. A member of the public may request the Cultural Heritage Committee to pull an item for discussion. The public may comment on any and all items on the Consent Agenda within the three-minute time limit. 3.a CONSIDERATION OF MINUTES - FEBRUARY 23, 2026 CULTURAL HERITAGE COMMITTEE MINUTES 5 Recommendation: To approve the Cultural Heritage Committee Minutes of February 23, 2026. 4.PUBLIC HEARINGS Note: The action of the Cultural Heritage Committee is a recommendation to the Community Development Director, another advisory body, or to City Council and, therefore, is not final and cannot be appealed. 4.a REQUEST TO DESIGNATE THE PROPERTY AT 207 BROAD STREET AS A LANDMARK IN THE CITY’S INVENTORY OF HISTORIC RESOURCES. THE PROPERTY IS CURRENTLY LISTED AS A LOCAL REGISTER RESOURCE. 9 Recommendation: Make a recommendation to the City Council on the property’s eligibility to be elevated to a Landmark status in the City’s Inventory of Historic Resources, in accordance with the City’s Historic Preservation Ordinance. 4.b REVIEW OF NEW EXTERIOR FAÇADE ON THE “NETWORK BUILDING” (778 HIGUERA STREET - NOT A LISTED HISTORIC RESOURCE) AND REHABILITATION OF 782 & 786 HIGUERA STREET (LOCAL REGISTER HISTORIC RESOURCE) IN THE DOWNTOWN HISTORIC DISTRICT. 81 Recommendation: Recommend the Community Development Director find the proposed project consistent with applicable historic preservation policies, standards, and guidelines. 5.COMMENT AND DISCUSSION 5.a STAFF UPDATES AND AGENDA FORECAST Receive a brief update from Principal Planner Brian Leveille. 6.ADJOURNMENT The next rescheduled Regular Meeting of the Cultural Heritage Committee is scheduled for May 18, 2026 at 5:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo. The May 25, 2026 Regular Meeting will be cancelled due to the Memorial Day Holiday. LISTENING ASSISTIVE DEVICES are available -- see the Clerk The City of San Luis Obispo wishes to make all of its public meetings accessible to the public. Upon request, this agenda will be made available in appropriate alternative formats to persons with disabilities. Any person with a disability who requires a modification or accommodation in order to participate in a meeting should direct such request to the City Clerk’s Office at (805) 781-7114 at least 48 hours before the meeting, if possible. Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (805) 781-7410. Agenda related writings or documents provided to the Cultural Heritage Committee are available for public inspection on the City’s website: https://www.slocity.org/government/mayor-and-city-council/agendas-and- minutes. Meeting video recordings can be found on the City’s website: http://opengov.slocity.org/WebLink/Browse.aspx?id=60971&dbid=0&repo=CityCl erk 1 Cultural Heritage Committee Minutes February 23, 2026, 5:30 p.m. Council Chambers, 990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo Cultural Heritage Committee Members Present: Member Benjamin Arrona, Member David Blakely, Member Sabin Gray, Member Ivan Simon, Vice Chair John Ashbaugh, Chair John Tischler City Staff Present: Principal Planner Brian Leveille, Deputy City Clerk Sara Armas _____________________________________________________________________ 1. CALL TO ORDER A Regular Meeting of the San Luis Obispo Cultural Heritage Committee was called to order on February 23, 2026 at 5:31 p.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, by Chair Tischler. 2. PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA Public Comment: James Papp --End of Public Comment-- 3. CONSENT 3.a CONSIDERATION OF MINUTES - SEPTEMBER 29, 2025 CULTURAL HERITAGE COMMITTEE MINUTES Motion By Vice Chair Ashbaugh Second By Member Gray To approve the Cultural Heritage Committee Minutes of the September 29, 2025 Special Meeting. Ayes (6): Member Arrona, Member Blakely, Member Gray, Member Simon, Vice Chair Ashbaugh, and Chair Tischler CARRIED (6 to 0) Page 5 of 93 2 4. PUBLIC HEARINGS 4.a REVIEW OF A REQUEST TO ENTER INTO A HISTORICAL PROPERTY PRESERVATION CONTRACT (MILLS ACT) FOR THE LANDMARK “MEREDITH HOUSE” PROPERTY (1421 GARDEN STREET) Vice Chair Ashbaugh noted his Ex Parte Communications regarding the project. Assistant Planner Eva Wynn presented the staff report and responded to Committee inquiries. Applicant representatives James Papp and Beau Narragon provided a brief overview of the project and responded to questions raised. Chair Tischler opened the Public Hearing Public Comment: None --End of Public Comment-- Chair Tischler closed Public Comment Motion By Vice Chair Ashbaugh Second By Member Simon Recommend the City Council approve a Mills Act historic property preservation contract between the City and the owners of the property at 1421 Garden Street. Ayes (6): Member Arrona, Member Blakely, Member Gray, Member Simon, Vice Chair Ashbaugh, and Chair Tischler CARRIED (6 to 0) 4.b REQUEST TO DESIGNATE THE PROPERTY AT 571 PISMO STREET, CURRENTLY LISTED AS A LOCAL REGISTER RESOURCE, AS A LANDMARK IN THE CITY’S INVENTORY OF HISTORIC RESOURCES Assistant Planner Eva Wynn presented the staff report and responded to Committee inquiries. Applicant representatives James Papp and Benjamin Winter provided a brief overview of the project and responded to questions raised. Chair Tischler opened the Public Hearing Page 6 of 93 3 Public Comment: None --End of Public Comment-- Chair Tischler closed Public Comment Motion By Vice Chair Ashbaugh Second By Member Arrona Recommend to the City Council the property at 571 Pismo Street is qualified to be included in the City’s Inventory of Historic Resources as a Historic Landmark. Ayes (4): Member Arrona, Member Gray, Vice Chair Ashbaugh, and Chair Tischler Noes (2): Member Blakely and Member Simon CARRIED (4 to 2) 5. COMMENT AND DISCUSSION 5.a STAFF UPDATES AND AGENDA FORECAST Principal Planner Brian Leveille provided an update of the following:  No items scheduled for the March 23, 2026 Regular Meeting  Tentative items scheduled for the April 27, 2026 Regular Meeting  The San Luis Obispo Museum of Art project will be brought before the Committee in the future, specifically regarding a reconstruction of the façade which will be reviewed for compliance with Design Guidelines  Another Landmark designation application will also be brought for review by the Committee soon  The Fremont Theater sign was determined to be in poor condition after recent portions crumbled due to weather; Community Development is working with property owners to assist in restoring and reconstructing the sign to Secretary of Interior standards  The Committee has three positions open for applications due to vacancies and expiring terms Page 7 of 93 4 Vice Chair Ashbaugh updated the Committee regarding the celebration of the Semi Quincentennial and a proposed sign of the Anza expedition. Member Simon updated the Committee of upcoming speaker Cameron Jones for the Carnegie Hall Series at the History Center of San Luis Obispo. He also wanted to recognize the work put in by the owners of 1116 Pismo Street, the "Vollmer House", which had previously come before the Committee for review. 6. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 7:27 p.m. The next Regular Meeting of the Cultural Heritage Committee is scheduled for March 23, 2026 at 5:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo. _________________________ APPROVED BY CULTURAL HERITAGE COMMITTEE: XX/XX/2026 Page 8 of 93 CULTURAL HERITAGE COMMITTEE AGENDA REPORT SUBJECT: REQUEST TO DESIGNATE THE PROPERTY AT 207 BROAD STREET AS A LANDMARK IN THE CITY’S INVENTORY OF HISTORIC RESOURCES. THE PROPERTY IS CURRENTLY LISTED AS A LOCAL REGISTER RESOURCE. BY: Eva Wynn, Assistant Planner FROM: Brian Leveille, Principal Planner Phone Number: (805) 781-7172 Phone Number: (805) 781-7166 Email: ewynn@slocity.org Email: bleveille@slocity.org APPLICATION NUMBER(S): HIST-0981-2025 PROJECT ADDRESS(ES): 207 Broad Street APPLICANT: Richard and Ginger Silva REPRESENTATIVE: James Papp, PhD RECOMMENDATION Make a recommendation to the City Council on the property’s eligibility to be elevated to a Landmark status in the City’s Inventory of Historic Resources, in accordance with the City’s Historic Preservation Ordinance. 1.0 BACKGROUND Property owners Richard and Ginger Silva, represented by James Papp, have requested that the property at 207 Broad Street be designated as a Landmark in the City’s Inventory of Historic Resources, as the Gary Cully House and John Wilshusen Patio. The property is currently listed as a Local Register Resource. The applicants have provided an evaluation of the property and its eligibility for Landmark status (Attachment A – Historic Resource Evaluation), prepared by James Papp, PhD, Historian and Architectural Historian. Meeting Date: 4/27/2026 Item Number: 4a Time Estimate: 45 minutes Figure 1 - The Cully House (Courtesy of James Papp) Page 9 of 93 Item 4a HIST-0981-2025 Cultural Heritage Committee Report – April 27, 2026 2 2.0 DISCUSSION 2.1 Site and Setting The property is located in the Venable Tract on Broad St, south of Mission Lane. The neighborhood is also referred to as the Mt. Pleasanton or Anholm neighborhood, due to its association with the Anholm family. The property is not within a Historic District and is the only listed Historic Resource in the direct vicinity. 2.2 The Cully House and Wilshusen Patio The residence at 207 Broad St was built in 1936 by contractor George W. Bates for Lyle F. and Olive Carpenter, neither of whom evidently lived in the residence (Attachment A, pp 4). The residence was listed as a Contributing1 Resource (now Local Register Resource) by Council Resolution No. 8839 in 1998, for its Tudor Revival style and distinctive brick siding. The property was found to contribute to the historic and architectural character of the Mt. Pleasanton Square/Anholm neighborhood and met the criteria for inclusion on the Contributing properties list (Attachment B - Historic Resource File). The Anholm neighborhood was anticipated to become a Historic District at the time that 207 Broad St was listed, however the District was not created. Upon adoption of the Historic Preservation update that became effective on February 13, 2026, the property was re-classified as a Local Register Historic resource. Local Register Resources “are historic resources that are important locally for their architectural or historical significance or association with important persons or events in the city’s past, according to the criteria outlined in Section 14.01.060, and that retain sufficient integrity to convey their significance” (14.01.050(A)(2)). 1 Master List and Contributing List Resources – The Historic Preservation Ordinance ( §14.01) was updated by Council Ordinance No. 1753 (2025 Series) as part of phase 1 of the Historic Resources Inventory update project which included changes to historic designations. The updated ordinance was introduced December 2, 2025 and adopted January 13, 2026 (effective February 13, 2026). Master List properties are now designated as Landmark resources, and the category of “Local Register” was added in order to be able to recognize properties on the previous Contributing list which have individual significance. Upon adoption of the updated Historic Preservation Ordinance all Contributing list properties were redesignated as “Local Register” properties pending completion of Phase 2 of the City’s Historic Resources Inventory update. The Local Register list will be reviewed in the Historic Resources Inventory update project for their qualification to remain on the Local Register, for possible redesignation to Landmark or Contributing (if in a district), or possible delisting. Figure 2 - Location of 207 Broad St Page 10 of 93 Item 4a HIST-0981-2025 Cultural Heritage Committee Report – April 27, 2026 3 The submitted application includes a Historic Resource Evaluation, prepared by James Papp, PhD to support the request to elevate the property at 207 Broad St to a Landmark Resource. The Evaluation (Attachment A) elaborates on the architectural style as embodying late Lutyensesque Revival architecture with Tudor reference and provides the basis for Landmark designation for its association with craftsman Gary Cully and exhibition of an architecturally significant patio built by John Wilshusen. The evaluation provides further architectural context for the residence’s embodiment of Lutyensesque Revival architecture with Tudor reference on page 29 (Attachment A). The Cully House embodies the style with running bond brick veneer, half -timbered side gables, a round- arch lychgate entry, chimney, and Streamline Moderne windows with horizontal muntins (Attachment A, pg. 30). The evaluation describes that there are three notable periods of significance associated with 207 Broad St (pg. 32):  the date of original construction in 1936 which informed the findings to designate the residence as a Contributing Resource,  Gary Cully’s association with the house from his 1964 – 1977 residence to 2007, when Gary Cully’s son Brian constructed the dormer, and  the date of patio construction in 1969 – 1970. 2.3 Gary Cully and John Wilshusen Gary Cully, who lived in the residence from 1964 to 1977, was a local blacksmith whose notable work includes ironwork featured at the Madonna Inn, the structural metalwork of the parabolic wave roof at the Santa Maria Airport, and the ornate ironwork framing the courtyard of Marshall’s jewelers and Magnuson’s clothing at 749 – 751 Higuera St (Attachment A). Noted in the evaluation as a master of Revival, Modern, and Postmodern styles, Cully opened his blacksmith shop in 1959 at 286 Higuera St, where he remained until 1985 when the building was deemed unsafe by the City and he was required to vacate the shop. Between 1960 and 1962, prior to his residence at 207 Broad St, Cully forged the wrought iron for the Madonna Inn restaurant building, including “post and beam brackets, horseshoe andirons for the lobby, a fire screen for the Copper Café, door hardware, an arched trellis for the Venetian Room, and a monumental stagecoach and horses weathervane for the needle spire” (pg. 7). In 1964 he moved to 207 Broad St, where he lived while creating the wrought iron balustrades for the San Luis Nation Bank (665 Marsh St) and the parabolic roof for the Santa Maria Airport (pg. 8 -10). The Evaluation describes Cully’s structural contribution to the Santa Maria Airport roof as his “most extraordinary accomplishment,” while his ornate ironwork at 749 – 751 Higuera St (Marshall’s and Magnusen’s -1979) is his “most public work” (pg. 36-37). The hose racks at 207 Broad St also showcase some of Gary Cully’s work, one featuring a horse and another featuring a hummingbird and flowers (pg. 37). Page 11 of 93 Item 4a HIST-0981-2025 Cultural Heritage Committee Report – April 27, 2026 4 The evaluation includes that the patio at the rear of the property was constructed by John Wilshusen, a local mason known for his stonework contributions to the Madonna Inn and across California (pg. 41-40). Gary Cully and John Wilshusen worked on the Madonna Inn restaurant building together, alongside woodcarver Alexander Zeller. Between 1969 and 1970, Wilshusen constructed the backyard wall, bench, steps, and outdoor fireplace at Gary Cully’s residence, 207 Broad St. The evaluation describes that the craftsmanship of the patio provides further architectural basis to elevate the property at 207 Broad St to Landmark status (pg. 2). 3.0 EVALUATION Pursuant to §14.01.030 of the City’s Historic Preservation Ordinance (HPO), the Cultural Heritage Committee shall make a recommendation to the City Council on applications for designation of Landmark Resources after evaluating the application with the eligibility criteria for designation. A Landmark resource, defined in the Historic Preservation Ordinance § 14.01.020.28, is the “highest level of individual local designation and may be applied to a historic resource that has been found significant at the local, state, or national level.” In order to be eligible for designation, a Landmark shall be at least fifty years old, demonstrate significance under at least one of the criteria outlined in Section 14.01.060, and retain a high degree of integrity. The designation is reserved to those properties that are of the greatest importance at the local, regional, state, or national level in terms of age, architectural or historical significance, rarity, or association with important persons or events in the City’s past that meet the eligibility criteria. Figure 3 - The John Wilshusen Patio (Courtesy of James Papp) Page 12 of 93 Item 4a HIST-0981-2025 Cultural Heritage Committee Report – April 27, 2026 5 3.1 Significance Criteria In the City of San Luis Obispo, resources must meet at least one criterion set forth in §14.01.060 of the Historic Preservation Ordinance to be eligible for inclusion on the Inventory of Historic Resources and retain a sufficient or high level of integrity, depending on the designation type as Local Register or Landmark. The significance criteria in §14.01.060 include Events, Persons, Architecture, and Information Potential. The HPO indicates that the National Register Bulletin No. 15: How to Apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation should be consulted when evaluating and determining significance of a property. The Historic Evaluation (Attachment A) requests that the residence at 207 Broad St be elevated to Landmark designation for its association with Gary Cully (Significance Criterion - Persons) and for the architectural significance of the patio that exhibits John Wilshusen’s masonry craftsmanship (Significance Criterion - Architecture). The evaluation states that Cully and Wilshusen were master craftsmen, regionally significant for their work on the Central Coast and in the City of San Luis Obispo (pg. 2, 42). The evaluation does not state that the property is significant due to its association with any events that have made a significant contribution to local, state, or national cultural heritage or for the property’s potential to yield information important to the history of the area, state, or nation. The National Register Bulletin No. 15 (NRB) describes that properties may be eligible for historic designation for their association with individuals whose specific contributions to history can be identified and documented. The documentation must demonstrate that the person gained importance within his or her profession or group and the criterion is generally restricted to those properties that illustrate (rather than commemorate) a person's important achievements (pg. 14-15). According to the HPO, a property that is eligible for Landmark designation by association must be among the most important resources at the local, regional, state, or national level in terms of their respective significance criteria. The submitted Evaluation (Attachment A) documents the work of Gary Cully on the Central Coast, compiling records and evidence of his work on the Madonna Inn, the Santa Maria Airport, and throughout the City of San Luis Obispo. Some of Cully’s work in the region has been removed and can only be seen in photogr aphs, including the Madonna Inn’s weathervane, the wrought iron railing at 665 March St, and an iron door at 280 Higuera. Other pieces of his craftsmanship are still standing, such as the ironwork framing the courtyards at 749-751 Higuera St. During deliberation, the Committee should discuss if the provided documentation adequately demonstrates that Gary Cully gained importance in his profession and whether his association with 207 Broad St illustrates his achievements. Page 13 of 93 Item 4a HIST-0981-2025 Cultural Heritage Committee Report – April 27, 2026 6 According to the NRB, “properties eligible for designation under Criterion B are usually those associated with a person’s productive life, reflecting the time period when [they] achieved significance” (pg. 15 – Applying Criterion B: Person). Furthermore, properties that pre- or post-date an individual’s significant accomplishments are usually not eligible for designation by association (pg. 15). The NRB provides, however, that properties associated with the individual’s formative or later years “may also qualify if it can be demonstrated that the person's activities during this period were historically significant or if no properties from the person's productive years survives” (pg. 15). Considering Cully did not reside at the 207 Broad St until 1964, after his contributions to the Madonna I nn, the Committee should discuss if his work on the Madonna Inn can support elevating the residence at 207 Broad St to Landmark status, or if only work completed during his residence (1964 – 1977) or the noted period of significance (1964 – 2007) can be considered as evidence (see Attachment A for a timeline of work, pages 9 -12). Additionally, staff recommends the Cultural Heritage Committee discuss whether sufficient documentation is provided to determine that the property rises to the level of importance required for Landmark designation for its association with Gary Cully and exhibition of its patio crafted by John Wilshusen. 3.2 Integrity According to the HPO and consistent with the National Register Bulletin No. 15, integrity is defined as “the ability of a historic resource to convey its significance, typically evidenced by the retention of attributes that existed during a resource’s period of significance and including location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, and association” (HPO 14.01.020 (26)). The National Register Bulletin provides that integrity is a subjective judgment that must be grounded in an understanding of the properties physical features and how they relate to the significance (NRB, pg. 44). To be included in the City’s Inventory as a Landmark, 207 Broad St must meet at least one significance criteria, be among the resources with the greatest importance at the local, regional, state, or national level, and retain a high degree of integrity to communicate its significance. The Historic Evaluation (Attachment A) provides an analysis of integrity indicating the location, setting, design, materials, and workmanship, are unchanged from the 1964-2007 period of significance; and the feeling and association are retained. The evaluation notes that the water feature on the northern side of the Wilshusen patio was a later addition by another craftsperson, but the original segments of stonework retain its ability to communicate its significance (pg. 41). The majority of physical features present during Cully’s association with 207 Broad St appear to be retained. 3.3 Conclusion The submitted application requests the property’s elevation in the Inventory of Historic Resources from a Local Register Resource to a Landmark for its association with craftsman Gary Cully and exhibition of the stone patio built by John Wilshusen. The Page 14 of 93 Item 4a HIST-0981-2025 Cultural Heritage Committee Report – April 27, 2026 7 Evaluation provides historic and architectural context for the property’s association with Gary Cully and states that the residence retains a high degree of integrity to convey its significance. The Committee should discuss whether the residence should be elevated to Landmark status from its current Local Register historic status as a resource that is of the greatest importance at the local, regional, state, or national level in terms of age, architectural or historical significance, rarity, or association with important persons or events in the City’s past; and whether the property retains a high level of integrity as required by the Historic Preservation Ordinance; and, provide findings to support the determination which staff will forward to the City Council for consideration. 4.0 ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW This project is categorically exempt from the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Inclusion of the subject property on the Landmark list of the City’s Inventory of Historic Resources does not have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment and so is covered by the general rule described in §15061(b)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines. 5.0 ACTION ALTERNATIVES 1. Make a recommendation to City Council on the property’s qualification to be elevated in the City’s Inventory of Historic Resources to a Landmark, including specific findings and noting the elements of the property which satisfy Evaluation Criteria for Landmark listing as a resource of the greatest level of importance at the local, regional, state, or national level and that the property retains a high degree of integrity. 2. Recommend to the City Council that the property’s Local Register status should be retained and the property not be designated as a Landmark in the City’s Inventory of Historic Resources, based on the finding that the property does not satisfy Evaluation Criteria to be a Landmark Historic Resource as there is not sufficient information to support that the property is of the greatest importance at the local, regional, state, or national level, and/or does not retain a high degree of integrity. 3. Continue consideration of the request with direction to the applicant and staff on any needed information or analysis in order to reach a recommendation. 6.0 ATTACHMENTS A - Historic Resource Evaluation, 207 Broad St (James Papp, PhD) B - Historic File, 207 Broad St Page 15 of 93 Page 16 of 93 1 Landmark Application The Gary Cully House and John Wilshusen Patio 207 Broad Street, San Luis Obispo Summary Conclusion The Cully House and Wilshusen Patio at 207 North Broad Street qualify as a San Luis Obispo Landmark as among the city’s rarest and most important historic resources in terms of 1. historic significance, for their association with an important person in the city’s past during his period of significance: master craftsman Gary Cully (1931–2022), a regionally important art and structural blacksmith and exponent of revival, Modernist, and Postmodernist metalwork, who formed part of the craftsman triumvirate with woodcarver Alexander Zeller and stonemason John Wilshusen that has made San Luis Obispo’s Madonna Inn world -renowned Attachment A - Historic Resource Evaluation Page 17 of 93 2 2. architectural significance, for the patio’s masonry by master craftsman John Wilshusen (1926–2003), whose stonework appears from Southern to Northern California but predominantly on the Central Coast and most prominently at Madonna Inn The property has been on the Contributing List since 1998, presumably for the primary residence’s “Tudor Revival” or “Provincial” architecture (the DPR 523 gives both descriptions, the Historic Resources Inventory lists neither). In fact, it embodies the eaveless, more simply fenestrated, and spatially more geometric revival architecture innovated by Sir Edwin Lutyens in the late nineteenth century and popularized for the expanding American suburbs after World War I . Landmarking—subject to the class biases of its society and society’s documentation—tends to honor architects rather than craftspeople. But National Register Criteria for Evaluation allow for the recognition of “the work of a famous architect or an unknown master craftsman.” In the case of the Cully House, the master craftsmen are known, and the purpose of this Landmarking is in part to seek documentation and recognition of their work. Both Wilshusen and Cully were instrumental in creating the SLO Landmark Madonna Inn, which, with National Historic Landmark Hearst Castle, is one of the two most renowned Central Coast monuments, yet their association with it is almost never mentioned. In addition, their work—and that of Madonna Inn woodcarver Alexander Zeller—appears throughout the region. The period of significance of the Cully House and Wilshusen Patio extends through Gary Cully’s residence there from 1964 to 1977, when John Wilshusen, who worked with Cully on Madonna Inn, constructed the patio; to 2007, when Gary Cully’s son Brian constructed the dormer that Gary Cully had earlier designed for the house. The integrity of the house and patio in location, setting, design, materials, workmanship, feeling, and association are excellent, fully retaining their ability to communicate their significance. Submitted 11 December 2025 on behalf of Ginger and Richard Silva by James Papp, PhD | Historian and Architectural Historian, City & County of San Luis Obispo 964 Chorro Street, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 | 805 -470-0983 papp.architectural.history@gmail.com on behalf of Ginger and Richard Silva Page 18 of 93 3 Table of Contents I. Summary Conclusion 1 II. Chronology: 207 Broad 4 Gary Cully 7 John Wilshusen 14 Alexander Zeller 18 III. Architectural Historical Context: Modernist Arches 24 IV. Architectural Historical Context: The Lutyensesque Revival House 29 V. Period of Significance 31 VI. Significance: Association with Gary Cully, Revival, Modern, and Postmodern 32 Master Craftsman of the Greatest Importance to the Region VII. Significance: John Wilshusen’s Late-Twentieth-Century Stonemasonry 39 Masterwork of Greatest Importance to the Region VIII. Integrity 41 IX. Conclusion 42 Page 19 of 93 4 Chronology: 207 North Broad 1922 Oct 2 George Anholm sells the property in the Venable Tract that will later include the lot at 207 Broad Street to Carlos Serrano and wife Clofes Quintana Serrano (“Sells Grazing Land,” San Luis Obispo Daily Telegram, 27 June 1922, p. 5). 1927 Aug 8 Carlos and Clofes Serrano sell the property that will contain 207 Broad to Clair Gore and wife Velma Jane Gore (“Deeds,” Daily Telegram, 16 Aug. 1927, p. 7). 1927 Sep 8 A note on a “residence, temp. & garage” building permit application for Clair Gore has a note “located out beyond Lyle Carpenter,” suggesting Carpenter has already built the house at 239 Broad. 1929 July 8 Clair and Velma Gore sell the future 207 Broad property to Merlyn F. Carpenter and wife Bernice Carpenter (“Deeds,” Daily Telegram, 17 July 1929, p. 3). 1932 Aug 22 Lyle Carpenter, thirty years later a member of the County Board of Supervisors, submits applications to raze a garage and build a brick veneer garage with room above, further suggesting he has already built the 239 Broad property. 1936 July 27 Merlyn and Bernice Carpenter sell the 207 Broad property to Merlyn’s brother Lyle F. Carpenter and wife Olive Carpenter (Deed transfer, County Records Office, 27 July 1936 ). 1936 The house at 207 Broad Street is built for Lyle F. and Olive Carpenter by contractor George W. Bates, who is advertising architect -designed, custom- built homes. It uses brick veneer from the Faulstich yard at 1124 Broad Street. Multiple properties are developed on the lot originally sold by George Anholm to the Serranos, and there is no evidence Lyle and Olive Carpenter ever live at 207 Broad. From 1938 and 1942, city directories and the 1940 US Census documents them living at 239 Broad (San Luis Obispo Building Permits Collection, Special Collections and Archives, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo). 1938–1940 Mr. and Mrs. W. P. MacQuiddy and daughter Charleen are living at 207 North Broad ("Children Enjoy Birthday Party at MacQuiddy Home,” Telegram- Tribune, 12 Aug. 1938, p. 2; “Contact Club Entertained,” Telegram-Tribune, 19 June 1940, p. 2). 1941–1942 Optometrist Frederick Fabrick and wife Elsie are living at 207 North Broad (“Mrs. Adda Coe Dies in SLO,” Telegram-Tribune, 13 Oct. 1941, p. 8; 1942 City Directory). 1949–1952 Southern Pacific brakeman Bert Willmirth and wife Nellouise M. Willmirth live at 207 North Broad (Telegram-Tribune: “AAUW Music Section to Discuss Ballet,” 11 J. 1949, p. 2; “AAUW Music Section,” 25 Feb. 1952, p. 2). Page 20 of 93 5 1953 Farm Credit Association field representative Peter Weber and wife Josephine Weber are living at 207 North Broad (“Vital News,” Telegram-Tribune, 22 Sep. 1956, p. 2). 1963 Mushroom farmer Jon Hudson Peterson and wife Susan Patitucci Peterson are living at 207 Broad (“Gaelic Welcome Extended to Babies Born Last Week,” Telegram-Tribune, 18 Mar 1963, p. 4). 1962–1964 207 Broad is put on the market as a two-bedroom custom-built brick home (Telegram-Tribune, 4 Dec 1962–25 Jan 1963, right, and 27 Feb–6 Mar 1964, below). 1964 Gary Cully is living at 207 Broad (“Arrest Made in Car Theft,” Telegram- Tribune, 10 Apr 1964, p. 2). 1967 May 3 Jon Hudson Peterson and wife Susan Patitucci Peterson transfer 207 Broad Street to Gary Cully and wife Barbara Franklin Cully (County Land Records). 1973 Apr 5 The Planning and Building Department tries to resolve the matter of an illegal second story addition by Cully on the back of the house. The matter continues to an application expired by limitation 17 Jan. 1974, and it is unclear from the address file how it is resolved. 1977 Gary Cully and Barbara S. Franklin divorce in 1977 . 1981 Cully lists his address as 945 Del Rio (“Public Notice,” Telegram-Tribune, 31 Dec. 1981, p. 18). 1983 Aug 13 The city issues a permit for grading and retaining wall constructed by Whitey’s Masonry, presumably the non-Wilshusen work in the front of the house. 1992 Fine handmade pottery is being advertised at 207 Broad , made by Brian Cully (“SLO Sat: 9 am,” Telegram-Tribune, 22 Aug 1992, p. E3). 1994 Barbara F. and Kristin M. Cully are doing business as Educational Advancement Technologies from 207 Broad (“Public Notices,” Telegram- Tribune, 9 Sep 1994, p. B9). 1998 Apr– 207 Broad is offered for sale for $375,000 (“SLO: Charming vintage brick June home, 4 bedroom, 2 bath,” classified ads, Telegram-Tribune, Apr 26–June 6) Page 21 of 93 6 Aug 18 The City Council adds 207 Broad to the Contributing List with other properties in an envisaged Anholm–Mount Pleasanton Square historic district (Council Resolution 8839, 1998 series). 2000 July 27 Property owner Emily J. Campbell receives a permit for new sheathing for re - roofing. 2001 207 Broad, described as “charming and restored 4 bedroom, 1¾ bath brick home,” is put on the market for $485,000 (“207 North Broad,” Tribune, 21 July 2001, Real Estate Weekly, p. 40). 2007 Sep 21 Owner Bryce Prunty receives a permit for Brian Cully’s Cully Construction to install the street-facing dormer originally designed by Gary Cully. 2010 207 Broad is put on the market for $969,000 as “4 Bedrm/1 ba” (Tribune, 5 Nov 2010, E3). Page 22 of 93 7 Chronology: Gary Cully 1931 Apr 18 Gary Dean Cully is born in Texas to David L. and Lucille M. Cully, who soon after move to California. 1940 Apr 10 The US Census records the Cully family on West Avenue 43 in the Mount Washington area of Los Angeles and as having lived in Los Angeles at least since 1935 (Enumeration District 60-1139, sheet 8A). David Cully works as a bookkeeper for a wholesale grocer. 1950 Mar 2 According to the US Census, David Cully, a wholesale dairy products salesman, is living with his wife Lucille and three younger sons in Atascadero (Enumeration District 40 -12, sheet 38). Various newspaper reports and advertisements through the 1940s and 1950s show the Cullys ranching in Santa Margarita (“For sale—Cow and calves. About six acres grain,” For Sale, 10 May 1944, p. 9), Atascadero (Tri-County Hereford Association, advertisement, Telegram-Tribune, 23 Jan. 1923, p. 12), and Adelaida (“No trespassing will be allowed on Cully ranch,” Notices, Telegram-Tribune, 16 June 1955, p. 20), as well as living at urban addresses in San Luis Obispo and Baywood. Aug Gary Cully wins 3rd, registered palomino mares, four years and older, district fair (“Fine Horses Shown at Fair,” Telegram-Tribune, 29 Aug. 1950, p. 7). 1951 Gary Cully completes naval recruit training in San Diego (“SLO County Men in Service,” Telegram-Tribune, 10 Jan. 1951, p. 10). 1952 Cully serves as an airman on the aircraft carrier USS Antietam with his elder brother John, an aviation machinist’s mate (“Cully Brothers,” Telegram- Tribune, 6 May 1952, p. 14). 1958 Gary Cully, having served in the US Navy and attended Cal Poly, advertises hot and cold horseshoeing, his first documented step in becoming a leading art and architectural blacksmith in San Luis Obispo (“Farmer’s Column,” Telegram-Tribune, 18 Oct 1958, p. 10). 1959 Cully opens his blacksmith shop at 286 Higuera, which he will occupy till the building is condemned by the city in 1985 . At the corner of Bianchi Lane and confluence of High and Pismo Streets, his nighttime work on the forge becomes a spectacle for generations of Obispans stopped at the traffic light. 1960 July 11 The city grants a permit for Madonna Inn’s half -million-dollar restaurant- office building (“Madonna Issued Building Permit for Restaurant,” Telegram- Tribune, 11 July 1960, p. 2). A 17 Oct. photo in the Telegram-Tribune shows masonry and framing well advanced (“Barbecue for Employees, p. 14). The first event takes place 10 June 1961, and finish work continues into 1962. Cully creates the wrought iron for the new building, including post and beam brackets, horseshoe andirons for the lobby, a fire screen for the Copper Café, door hardware, an arched trellis for the Venetian Room, and a monumental stagecoach and horses weathervane for the needle spire. Page 23 of 93 8 1964 Gary Cully is living at 207 Broad (“Arrest Made in Car Theft,” Telegram- Tribune, 10 Apr 1964, p. 2). Wife Barbara Cully will be an Atascadero Junior High School teacher for thirty-one years (Candice Reed, “Los Angeles Native Finds Home for Her Horses, Dogs in Santa Margarita,” Tribune, 13 Aug. 2016, LH 49). The Cully family will live in the house until 1998, raising a second generation of artists, including potter Brian and aerial photographer Dean. Page 24 of 93 9 1965 Cully is manufacturing “beautiful and artistic hand wrought ornamental iron” in porch columns, grilles, balconies, stairs, hand rails, fire escapes,” etc. (“Cully Manufacturing Company,” Grover City Press, 5 Feb 1965, p 5). 1966 Cully patents a barbecue (“Show Features Tips for Homes,” Arroyo Grande Valley Herald Recorder, 26 May 1966, p. 1). Cully, of Art-In-Iron, collaborates with John Ross, AIA on the San Luis Obispo National Bank (now Wells Fargo) at 665 Marsh, described as “Early California Cash Box” (Emmons Blake, “Printer’s Ink,” Telegram-Tribune, 19 Nov 1966, p. 2). Cully’s contribution (right) is the wrought iron railing around the circular mezzanine, which has since been replaced with something less interesting. (Photograph by Larry Jamison from “Doorway to Spain” and “Spain Leaves Her Mark,” photo essay in Telegram-Tribune Focus section, 8 Aug. 1970, pp. 13 and 20.) 1969 Art-In-Iron is sufficiently well known that the new Iron Door Basque Restaurant at 280 Higuera advertises its location as next to it . The iron door is a Cully work. Cully produces the ironwork for the new Spanish -Mediterranean-style Holiday Inn at Santa Maria (“Many Hands Worked on Facility,” Santa Maria Times, 30 May 1969, p. 8). The 1971 opening of the Santa Maria Public Airport terminal, topped by the Observation Platform’s radiate parabolic wave roof, whose steel structure was engineered by Fred Schott and fashioned by Gary Cully Page 25 of 93 10 1971 Gary Cully becomes the sole bidder to attempt the steel framework for the wave-pattern and trapezoidal roof of the Santa Maria Public Airport terminal’s second-floor observation platform (previous page), designed by structural engineer Fred Schott (Brian Cully interview [15 Aug 2023]). June Cully is doing business as Cully Manufacturing Company at 286 Higuera, with his home address 207 Broad Street (“Legal Notice,” Telegram-Tribune, 18 June 1971, p. 5). July 20 A truckload of 80-foot-long radiate segmental arch beam assemblages fabricated by Cully for the Santa Maria Public Airport terminal’s Observation Platform roof makes front-page news in San Luis Obispo after it bumps a power pole outside Cully’s Higuera workshop and gets temporarily stuck (“Traffic Stopper,” Telegram-Tribune, 21 July 1971, p. 1; photo by Bruce Judson). 1972 Cully wins contract for 11-foot steel hairpin standards for San Luis Obispo’s downtown directional signs (“Downtown to Get New Style Signs,” Telegram- Tribune, 20 Apr 1972, p. 3). 1979 Creates the elaborate wrought iron gates, fences, and grilles for the transformation of John Ross’s Mid-Century Modern Lacterman’s (below, Telegram-Tribune, 29 Apr. 1959, p. 9) into the Postmodern Marshall’s and Magnuson’s (photographs next page). Page 26 of 93 11 The glass-walled, concrete-screened Ross design was replaced by artist Richard Yaco and architect Steve Puglisi’s forecourts screened with Gary Cully’s wrought iron. 1985 Cully collaborates on ironwork for Price Street Plaza, a new four-story commercial and office complex at Price Street and Price Canyon Road in Pismo Beach (“Price Street Plaza: A Slice of Ghirardelli Square,” Five Cities Times-Press-Recorder, 3 May 1985, pp. 9–10, advertisement p. 10) (photograph next page). Page 27 of 93 12 Ocean-view Price Street Plaza emphasizes outdoor spaces and railings The city’s condemnation of Cully’s smithy, and the reluctance of the county to let him reopen on Tank Farm Road near San Luis Obispo, becomes a cause célèbre (Telegram-Tribune: Dan Stephens, “Blacksmith Says Craft Being Banished to the Countryside,” pp. 1A–4A; “Find the ‘Smithy’ a Home,”, 31 Dec 1985, p. 10A; Robert C. Jones, MD, “Open -Minded Approach Needed for Blacksmith,” 23 Jan. 1986, p. 6B). Eventually , the county relents. 1989 Cully remains at his blacksmith shop in the 600 block of Tank Farm Road (“Police/Fire,” Telegram-Tribune, 8 Aug 1989, p. 5). 1998 Feb 8 Gary Cully’s sons, photographer Dean and potter Brian Cully, exhibit at the Ridiculous Dreams Art and Fashion Show at the Forum on Marsh Street, their first show noticed in the press (Michael Ray, “Fashion, Art Show Brings Dreams to Life,” 6 Feb 1998, p. B5). Cully, working for Hoffman Associates, inspects rebar in 2000 (“Under Construction: Cal Poly Parking Structure, Tribune, 28 June 2000, p. B1). Photo by David Middlecamp. Page 28 of 93 13 2022 Gary Cully dies age 91. Gary Cully in his 286 Higuera blacksmith shop, December 1985. Photograph by Tony Hertz, Telegram- Tribune. Page 29 of 93 14 Chronology: John Wilshusen John Wilshusen’s obituary in the San Luis Obispo Tribune notes that he “was plagued with [paranoid schizophrenia] for most of his middle years. Life was not easy for him, and his family did not expect to see a change after this” (“John Wilshusen,” Tribune, 3 Oct. 2003, B2). He was diagnosed only after he moved to Idaho toward the end of his life, getting on “a program that worked for him, getting both his mind and spirituality back in balance […] like the ‘prodigal son’ who returned. His family and friends are happy to see him finish his life with dignity.” The following timeline should be understood within this context. 1926 Jan 7 John Arthur Wilshusen is born in Garden City, Kansas, the Finney County seat, to George and Lena Halpieu. George Wilshusen was born in Stafford County in 1903 and Lena Halpieu in Finney County in 1904 (1905 Kansas State Census). By the time John was born, the population of Garden City, founded with two houses in 1878, was about 5,000 (US Census 1920 and 1930). 1935–1936 During the Dustbowl, Finney County suffers severe wind erosion, and the Wilshusen family moves to California (“John A. Wilshusen,” Idaho State Journal, 6 Aug. 2003). 1937 The Wilshusen family arrives in Paso Robles (“Lena B. Cully,” Telegram- Tribune, 3 Jan. 1990, B-7). 1944 Jan 22 John Wilshusen, living in Garden City, Kansas, and working for the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, affiliated with the Jehovah’s Witnesses, registers for the draft. He is 5 feet 11 inches and 175 pounds (Draft Registration Card and Registrar’s Report, Local Board No. 1, Finney County, Kansas). His parents are living in Paso Robles, but John has moved back to Garden City, according to his obituary, to take care of his grandfather, “John Halpieu, the village blacksmith, for his grandmother and Aunt Nell, who needed a strong hand.” His grandparents and aunt were Jehovah’s Witnesses, as were his parents. 1946 July 26 George Wilshusen dies, age 42 (California, Death Index, 1940–1997, familysearch.org). John Wilshusen marries Alice Smith (“John Wilshusen,” Tribune, 3 Oct. 2003). 1948 John and Alice Wilshusen are living at 544 Higuera Street, San Luis Obispo , at the birth of the first of their four children, Joyce (“Vital News,” Telegram, 2 Jan. 1848, p. 8). 1949 Oct 14 Son Jorge is born in San Luis Obispo. 1953 Alice Wilshusen files for divorce from John Wilshusen for extreme cruelty (“Vital News,” Telegram-Tribune, 30 oct. 1953, p. 2). 1954 Mar 15 Daughter Judy is born in San Luis Obispo (California, Birth index, 1905 –1995, familysearch.org). 1956 Jan 11 Son James is born in San Luis Obispo. Page 30 of 93 15 1958 John and Alice Wilshusen live at 504 Vera Cruz Avenue, Santa Barbara (“A Four Generation Affair,” Santa Barbara News-Press, 25 Feb. 1958, p. A-13). 1960 Alice Wilshusen receives and interlocutory decree of divorce from John Wilshusen (“Divorces,” Santa Barbara News-Press, 20 May 1960, p. B-9). 1960 John Wilshusen commences as the stonemason for Madonna Inn’s restaurant-office building. The first Telegram-Tribune photograph of the interior, two days before the inaugural event, is of Wilshusen’s “huge stone fireplace,” with Paul Plantz, Phyllis Madonna, and Kenneth R. Holmes posing before it (“Designed for a King,” 8 June 1961, p. 6). 1966 John and Alice Wilshusen are living in Atascadero at the birth of a daughter (“Births,” Telegram-Tribune, 5 Oct. 1966, p. 26), who apparently does not survive. From 1966 through the 1980s, city directories show Alice Wilshusen living in Santa Barbara. The children move to Santa Barbara with her. The Telegram-Tribune writes about and pictures a “giant fireplace and window seat” crafted by John Wilshusen of undersea jade found off the Monterey coast (“Porter Dove for Abalone, Found Jade,” Telegram-Tribune, 29 Jan. 1966, p. 2). Page 31 of 93 16 Ernest C. Porter with his Wilshusen fireplace; the dark stones are undersea jade from off the coast of Monterey (Telegram-Tribune, 29 Jan. 1966, p. 2) 1969–1970 John Wilshusen constructs the Cully House’s backyard wall, bench, steps, and towering outdoor fireplace (text interview, Kristin Cully, 4 Dec. 2025). 1989 John’s mother Lena dies at 85 in Paso Robles, where John and his brother Larry are also living (“Lena B. Cully,” Telegram-Tribune, 3 Jan. 1990, B-7). 1999 The Tribune describes and pictures work of Wilshusen and other craftsmen at Inn Paradiso, which Rochelle Harringer started renovating in 1995. (“Paradise Found: The Uniquely Styled Inn Paradiso Started As a Dream for Rochelle Harringer,” Tribune, California Dreaming 2002 pp. 45–49). “In her home, the stonework for the grandiose fireplace and throughout the house was crafted by John Wilshusen, the same artisan who set the stones for the Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo. The master bathroom looks like a set from The Hobbit. A pile of stones forms the base of the toilet, which is topped by a hand-carved, burl wood seat. The water tank and pipes are hidden by more carved wood, creating the illusion that one pulls a tree branch to flush. The sink is solid redwood, carved into a bowl. A sunken tub and shower are Page 32 of 93 17 made of the same stones as the toilet bowl, floor, and walls. ‘It feels like you’re taking a shower in a river,’ Harringer said ” (p. 47). 2003 Aug 3 John Wilshusen dies at age 77 in American Falls, Idaho, near his son Jorge (“John Wilshusen”). Left: John Wilshusen pictured in his obituary; right: his handprint at the top of the cave-form former telephone booth by the Venetian Room at Madonna Inn Page 33 of 93 18 Chronology: Alexander Zeller 1908 Sep. 10 Alexander Zeller is born in Munich to Joseph Zeller, an artist specializing in Alpine landscapes, and Maria Zeller (USA Petition for Naturalization, form 2020—L-A, No. 53310). Ca. 1910 Emigrates to Argentina with his family, where he receives his early education, later returning to Germany, according to a Telegram-Tribune profile (“Noted Wood Carver Commissioned for Special Work at Madonna Inn,” 15 Mar. 1961, p. 12). 1924 Apr. 6 At age 15, Alexander immigrates to America with his parents and younger sister Maria, arriving in New York from Hamburg on the S.S. Deutschland (USA Petition). 1924 May Arrives in Los Angeles (ibid.). 1930 Apr 9 US Census lists Joseph Zeller, 57, picture artist; Maria Zeller, 46; Alexander Zeller, 21, furniture woodcarver; and Maria Zeller, 19, picture artist, living in an owned house worth $20,000 with ADU renting at $20 per month at 3507 S. Flower St., Los Angeles (Enumeration District 19-7[1?]590, sheet 9-A). Joseph Zeller will replace Alpine landscapes with similarly anodyne Yosemite landscapes in his oeuvre. 1936 Dec 18 Alexander Zeller petitions in Los Angeles for US citizenship (USA Petition). In a 15 Sep. 1936 declaration of intention for US citizenship, he lists his occupation as woodcarving and address as 856 S. Loma Street, Garvey Acres, El Monte (No. 66531) 1937 Mar 26 Zeller is naturalized as a US citizen (Oath of Allegiance, reverse of 1936 Dec 18 USA Petition). 1940 May 8 US Census lists Alexander Zeller living with his parents in an owned house on Franklin St. in San Juan Bautista and working as a statuary woodcarver (Enumeration District 35-10, sheet 4B. 1941 Oct 24 Alexander Zeller registers for the draft, address general delivery, San Juan Bautista and employer Bailey-Schmitz, a mattress manufacturing company at 2107 E. Seventh St., Los Angeles (serial no. 1650, order no. 698 -A). WWII Serves in the US Army as a private first class (gravestone, findagrave.com). The Telegram-Tribune article cites 5 years of wartime service in the US Army (“Noted Wood Carver”). 1948 Oct 12 Joseph Zeller dies. His obituary mentions that he was also a woodcarver as well as painter and that his son Alexander carved the street signs of San Juan Bautista (“Joseph Zeller, San Juan Artist, Claimed by Death,” Hollister Advance, 15 Oct. 1948, p. 1). Over 75 years later, the town appears to have the same hand-carved street signs, whose abbreviation “Str.” echoes the German abbreviation for “Straße” (photograph next page). Page 34 of 93 19 1950 Apr 27 US Census lists Alexander Zeller with his mother and California-born wife Elfreda on Washington St. in San Juan Bautista, working as a woodcraftsman in private homes (Enumeration district 32112, sheet 13). 1960 Zeller begins woodcarving work at Madonna Inn, to continue for over two years (“Unusual Front Door in Napa,” [Vallejo] Times-Herald, 15 Aug. 1965, p. 19; Seward Bartley, “Wood Carver Logs Another Achievement,” [Hollister] Evening Free Lance, 29 Mar. 1972, p. 1). 1961 Mar 15 The Telegram-Tribune profiles Zeller, “renowned San Juan Bautista sculptor now engaged in carving intricate designs on huge wooden beams at Madonna Inn’s new restaurant-office building.” It predicts his work will take six months. June 10 First event takes place in the new building, the Mission School Century Dinner in the wine cellar (now Venetian Room), which attracts 600 guests (“Century Dinner for Mission to Bring over $20,000,” Telegram- Tribune, 13 June 1961, p. 16). Over the following weeks, other rooms open. Above: San Juan Bautista street sign, Google street view Left: Zeller at Madonna Inn Soon after, Alexander Zeller dies—according to Madonna Inn’s website: “Tragically, Mr. Zeller fell ill shortly after the Inn’s grand opening in 1961 and passed away before he was able to finish all the pieces intended for the property. Rather than find another artist to complete the work, Mr. and Mrs. Madonna felt it most respectful to display the work unfinished—to the dear Mr. Page 35 of 93 20 Chips” (madonnainn.com/blog/2020/2/26/a-tribute-to-mr-chips [29 July 2025]). In fact, Zeller falls out with Alex Madonna over the latter’s pressure to work faster, causing him to quit (interview with Brian Cully [15 Aug. 2023]; text interview with Kirstin Cully [4 Dec. 2025])—and lives another thirty years. 1972 While carving the Teledyne-McCormick-Selph corporate sign into a 21’x4.5’ redwood log, Zeller estimates he has trained over 200 woodcarvers (Seward Bartley). One of these, Capitola signmaker Gary Rhodes, wins third place out of one thousand entries for the national Signs of the Times contest (John McNicholas, “Former ‘Artistic Klutz’ Now Shows Some Signs of Success,” Santa Cruz Sentinel, 11 Apr. 1982, p. 5). 1975 May 19 Zeller touches up the “spectacular Alexander Zeller mural” on the north wall of the 1952 VFW building in San Juan Bautista, presumably painted around the time of the building’s construction. 1983 Now 74, Zeller carves the double street doors to the second story of the Landmark restored central tower of the Johnson Block at Chorro and Higuera Page 36 of 93 21 in San Luis Obispo (Nancy Lewis, “Renovation of Building Marked with Dedication,” Five Cities Times-Press-Recorder, 19 Aug. 1983). 1991 Jul 14 Alexander Zeller dies in San Juan Bautista (gravestone and Social Security Death Index). Right: Street doors to second story of central tower of Johnson Block, Chorro and Higuera, carved by Alexander Zeller in 1983 Below: Alex Madonna (center) and visiting Japanese dignitaries posing before Zeller’s carved doors in the earliest Telegram- Tribune photo of Madonna Inn’s restaurant- office building after its opening (“Distinguished Visitor,” 5 Sep. 1961, p. 1). Page 37 of 93 22 Alexander Zeller arrived from San Juan Bautista without his woodworking tools; Gary Cully forged new ones for him (Brian Cully interview [15 Aug. 2023]). Zeller’s anthemion (honeysuckle) arches surrounding the ballroom dance floor of the Venetian Room. The anthemion is an ancient Greek motif, also used in Greek Revival architecture (notably the Fremont Theater). Wilshusen’s stonework is visible at left and Cully’s cut and hammered iron brackets at upper right. Page 38 of 93 23 Carved columns supporting trompe l’oeil arches in the Venetian Room bar demonstrate Alex Madonna’s adaptation to Alexander Zeller’s sudden departure in response to Madonna’s pressure to speed up his work. Page 39 of 93 24 III. Architectural Historical Context: Modernist Arches Architectural catenaries, parabolas, and near-catenaries and parabolas became the symbol of the jet age in buildings such as Eero Saarinen’s 1959 –1962 TWA Flight Center at JFK (below, during construction) and Pereira and Luckman et al’s 1961 Theme Building at LAX (bottom, after its relighting by Walt Disney Imagineering). Where Streamline Moderne’s curves had pointed forward, the parabolas of Modernism pointed skyward. The trend may have been set off with Saarinen’s Gateway Arch in St. Louis, not completed till 1965 but whose design was celebrated from its selection in the 1947 –1948 competition. Not that the Gateway Arch was mathematically precisely a catenary or that ca tenary arches were new. Robert Hooke, in the late seventeenth century, had proposed the catenary —both Page 40 of 93 25 formed and named for the shape of a chain (catena in Italian) hanging from two even points—as the ideal arch, once inverted, from the point of view of physics (Robert Osserman, “How the Gateway Arch Got Its Shape,” Nexus Network Journal, v. 12, No. 2, 1010, p. 169). As Sir Christopher Wren’s assistant in the rebuilding of London after the Great Fire, Hooke convinced Wren to use a near -catenary for the interior dome of St. Paul’s, to accommodate horizontal thrust at the base, the first use of such a structure (op cit., 170). For the exterior dome, Wren employed a classic semi-sphere. A parabolic arch, a vertical cross -section of a cone, is more pointed, less rounded than a catenary. I will use each term as shorthand for arches that may not be mathematically precise but give the general impression of the genre. A brilliant example of a catenary arch both upturned and downturned in a wave pattern is the roof of architect Walter White’s 1954 Miles C. Bates House, Palm Springs (below). Paul Revere Williams’ 1961 La Concha Motel in Las Vegas (now part of the city’s Neon Museum) thrust its lobby forward toward Las Vegas Boulevard with three parabolic arches (below, Google Street View). The preserved lobby is now part of the Neon Museum. By the 1970s, parabolic and catenary arches had lost their novelty (if not their utility), and airline terminals in particular were focused no longer on communicating a futuristic vision of jet set romance for the elite. Instead, they were being expanded for the economical management of vast numbers of moving and waiting people, cars, and planes. Page 41 of 93 26 The Santa Maria Public Airport’s 1971 terminal is a transitional structure between the 1960s and 1970s decades with two aspirations to Jet Age style: a one-story curved concourse and central two-story observation platform roofed by five catenary arches, two pointing upwards and three down, in a radiate wave pattern . The terminal was designed by D. Stewart Kerr, AIA, a 1932 graduate of the University of Minnesota School of Architecture, who had practiced in Los Angeles and moved to Santa Maria in 1960 when he became the principal architect for Allan Hancock College (“N ew Architectural Firm Formed in Santa Maria,” Santa Maria Times, 25 Jan. 1975, p. 7). His surviving buildings—classrooms, administration buildings, libraries, sheriff and fire stations—are functional and not very inspired. The observation deck roof at Sant a Maria Public Airport is his most imaginative creation. Fred Schott of San Luis Obispo was the structural engineer, and the only fabricator willing to attempt the girder system was Gary Cully (Brian Cully interview [15 Aug. 2023]). It required five arched structures, eighty feet long, that diminished toward one end, like a Renaissance perspective drawing. We know how they look, because when, on 20 July 1971, they were trucked out of Gary Cully’s Higuera Street blacksmith shop, the truck got stuck, and photographer Bruce Judson recorded the occasion for the Telegram-Tribune. Parabolic wave pattern roofs are quite rare. The opposing parabolic arches of the TWA Flight Center and crossed ones of the Theme Building were more commonly used as a single arch, as in the Bates House on p. 23. Repetitive arches were more often catenary (U - shaped), as in Santa Maria architect Louis N. Crawford’s 1961 Anaheim Howard Johnson (below). this Mark Mills’ Fanshell Beach (O’Brien) House Louis N. Crawford’s 1961 Anaheim Howard Johnson opposite Disneyland (Google Street View) Page 42 of 93 27 Lyle George Landstrom’s 1958–1962 Terminal One, Minneapolis–St. Paul International Airport. The wave-pattern roof is angled and covers a simple rectangular building. Street façade, Santa Maria Public Airport terminal, dominated by the radiate parabolic wave roof of the Observation Platform. The vertical curvature of the roof and horizontal curvature of the building created a dual challenge for fabrication. Gary Cully was the sole bi dder. Page 43 of 93 28 Google Satellite view of Santa Maria Public Airport today. A one -story radiate extension has been built on the runway side Page 44 of 93 29 IV. Architectural Historical Context: The Lutyensesque Revival House Virginia McAlester in A Field Guide to American Houses, the only one of the 1970s –1980s popular American architecture guides still in print, lumps architecture from 1860 to 1900 under “Victorian Houses” and architecture from 1880 to 1940 (including both “Period Houses” and “Modern Houses”) under “Eclectic Houses”—none of which makes any sense on any level as a means of organization. First, Queen Victoria ruled from 1837 to 1901. Second, she never ruled the United States, whose architecture has some intersections but many more departures from that of the British Empire, where “Victorian” also happens to be a spectacularly unuseful term for the plethora of contending and often conflicting styles that happened to linger, develop, or originate during her reign. Third, there is a substantial and inexplicable overlap in McAlester’s era dates. Fourth, “Eclectic” is as noncommittally meaningless a term as “Victorian”—particularly if it subsumes both “period” or revival architectures and Modernism (though two of her “Modern” categories, Prairie and “Craftsman” [historically called the California Bungalow] were highly revivalist: Prairie of a variety of styles and the California Bungalow specifically of Swiss and Japanese Shinto architecture. From the late nineteenth century, in American contemporary usage, “Elizabethan" or “Tudor” were sometimes included in, sometimes distinguished from, Queen Anne. Henry Hobson Richardson’s 1875–1876 William Watts Sherman House in Newport, Rhode Island (below left), which is generally recognized as the first Queen Anne in America, is explicitly Tudor inside and out, with acute gables, jettying, high compound chimneys, half -timbering, and patterned-panel plaster ceilings. Frank Lloyd Wright designed his 1895 Nathan G. Moore House as a post-Queen Anne Tudor Revival (below center) and in 1922 redesigned it (after a fire) as a Prairie School Tudor Revival (below right). Tudor or Elizabethan Revival, in other words, is a set of references that can inhabit a variety of different styles over time. Sir Edwin Lutyens designed his first country house, Crooksbury House, Farnham, Surrey, in 1888. Generally recognized as a Tudor Revival within the Arts and Crafts style, it eschewed the obvious gables and half-timbering for hip roofs and tile-hung walls (this latter effect had been reproduced in America as early as the Watts Sherman House with wood shingling). By the 1890s, Lutyens had moved beyond Arts and Crafts but firmly held to Tudor Revival, having developed his own signature of streamlining by clustering windows and emphasizing spatial geometry by clustering windows, leaving wall space blank, and using extremely shallow eaves (seen on the following page in Munstead Wood [1896] with Gertrude Jekyll–designed gardens). Page 45 of 93 30 Lutyens’ Elizabethanism had elements of actual sixteenth -century farmhouses (in contrast to the more elaborate manors and great houses that served other architects as models) but was streamlined, much as he streamlined his sources when he moved on to other styles in the early twentieth century. In 1913 the British weekly Country Life produced an enormous folio of nearly six hundred photographs and drawings called Houses and Gardens by E. L. Lutyens, published in London, and the following year it was co -published by Scribner’s in New York. Hitting the market at the beginning of World War II, it had a delayed effect, but at toward the end of the war, suddenly the new building sections of American news papers—which had been dominated by the robust structural and decorative elements, deep eaves, and in door-outdoor spaces of the California Bungalow—were dominated by houses with no eaves, reduced windows, and dainty and elegant elements, porchless (for the first time in a century, since Greek Revival), and based on European and colonial models. This would be the architecture of the 1920s suburbs, suburbs that were (not accidentally, with their European and colonial referents) newly restricted by race, with the US Supreme Court’s ruling against racial zoning but in favor of racial covenants. The eaveless Cully House—with running bond brick veneer, unlike the elaborate bonds and diapering previously used in Tudor Revivals; minimally half- timbered side gables; round-arch lychgate entry; tall but simple chimney; and large, horizontally- muntined Streamline Moderne windows—shows the style’s 1930s evolution, moving toward the generalized type McAlester would dub “Minimal Traditional.” Page 46 of 93 31 Compare the elaborate decorative detail of Wright’s Moore House of 1922, whose Prairie School descent from Louis Sullivan allowed for such surface richness. (Having a wealthy client also helped.) The Cully House, however, is from a late- nineteenth-century Lutyensesque streamlining tradition adapted to the quickly expanding suburbs and influenced by the further streamlining—or economizing— of detail in the mid century. Page 47 of 93 32 V. Period of Significance The Gary Cully House can be said to have three periods of significance: as a Local Register Resource for its embodiment of late Lutyensesque Revival architecture with Tudor reference, for which it was presumably added to the Contributing List, and as a potential Landmark, for the greatest importance of its association with Gary Cully and for its John Wilshusen Patio. The period of significance for the Cully House’s original architecture would typically be the date of construction, which appears to be 1936. The period of significance of the Cully House’s association with Gary Cully extends from his 1964 – 1977 residence to 2007, when Gary Cully’s son Brian constructed the dormer that Gary had earlier designed for the house. The period of significance for the Wilshusen Patio is its date of construction, circa 1969 –1970. (See Chronology for citations.) Page 48 of 93 33 VI. Significance: Association with Gary Cully, a Revival, Modern, and Postmodern Master Craftsman of the Greatest Importance to the Region Gary Cully went from advertising horse-shoeing in 1958 to collaborating on one of the two great monuments to building craft on the Central Coast —Madonna Inn—in 1960. His oeuvre ranged from the inn’s Heimatstil through Santa Maria Airport’s Modernism and Marshall’s Jeweler’s Postmodernism. Though Santa Maria Airport processes 26,000–78,000 passengers yearly, the Swiss Revival, California Ranch, and National Park Service Rustic Madonna Inn is Cully’s destination work, its 110 guest rooms belying the thousands of visitors who stop to ogle the work of Cully, Wilshusen, and Zeller without ever knowing their names. Indeed, Wilshusen’s handprint on the ceiling of the former telephone booth cave is, as far as I know, the only signature for any of their work there, and Zeller is the only one mentioned in Madonna Inn’s online and print material, with the explanation for the interruption of his work that he died in the midst of it rather than that he walked out after Alex Madonna pressed him to work faster , with Zeller living and working on the Central Coast another thirty years. Unfortunately, the removal of Cully’s huge weathervane (belo w, during installation [photographs provided by Kristin Cully]) means that Cully’s work is not as immediately obvious to the visitor as Wilshusen’s monumental exterior and interior masonry or Zeller’s doors, columns, trusses, and screens. But Cully’s work is everywhere. Page 49 of 93 34 Above: Cully’s cut, wrought, and hammered brackets joining the beams of the Venetian Room’s side aisles echo Zeller’s anthemion designs. At right: Cut and hammered crown and base brackets on the plinth for Alexander Zeller’s carved column Above: Gary Cully’s son Brian and granddaughter pose next to Gary Cully’s fleur - de-lis ironwork on the entrance door below the porte cochère. Page 50 of 93 35 Above: John Wilshusen’s monumental fireplace dominates the entrance lobby in front of the Gold Rush Steak House. Above: The fireplace andirons are forged by Gary Cully out of horseshoes, recalling Cully’s earliest blacksmithing: shoeing horses. At right: Outside the famous men’s urinal of Madonna Inn is a lesser know feature, John Wilshusen’s handprint at the apex of the cave that formerly housed a pay telephone. Above: Cully’s fire screen near Alex Madonna’s table in the Copper Cafe. The tabletops are made of copper from Alex Madonna’s mine. Page 51 of 93 36 Cully’s cut, wrought, and hammered ironwork is superimposed on Zeller’s woodwork and framed by Wilshusen’s stonework. The harmony of Madonna Inn’s craftsmanship —its repetition of forms, congruence of natural materials, and expression of strength and permanence—is as notable an aesthetic statement as the disharmony of its pink palette (originally buff). Without the combination of gemütlichkeit craft and kitsch color, it is hard to see Madonna Inn having made such an impact on the California cultural landscape. (Phyllis Madonna is responsible for the color—possibly borrowed from her friend Marge Calkins, whose favorite color it was and who painted the Motel Inn pink, copying such pink Mission Revival luxury hotels as the Royal Hawaiian and Beverly Hills Hotel. Phyllis Madonna also designed the justly famous guestrooms. Her disruptive aesthetic may be demonstrated by having—between verses of “Silent Night” being caroled to her by a group including the author in 2024—cried out, “Yee-haw,” from her recliner.) By 1966 Cully was collaborating with John Ross, FAIA on the San Luis National Bank (below). A Mid-Century Modern Mission Revival of roof tile and arcades, without yet the meta-critique of traditional styles inherent in Postmodernist, its finest feature is the round atrium with spiral staircase, reminiscent of Frank Lloyd Wright’s 1948 V. C. Morris Giftshop in San Francisco. Cully fabricated the wrought iron balustrades: Modernist linearity with subtly interspersed traditionalist volutes (sadly since replaced). Cully’s radiate parabolic wave roof for the Santa Maria Public Airport—pure geometric Modernism, came five years later in 1971, and though Cully’s beams and segmental arches were not visible, they made the structure possible. (See illustrations on pp. 9–10 and 27– Page 52 of 93 37 28.) Such is the further anonymity of the structural craftsman upon whom architects rely in what was Cully’s most extraordinary accomplishment, one that only he was willing to undertake. By 1979 Postmodernism was firmly established, and Richard Yaco and Steve Puglisi’s redesign of John Ross’s uninspired, un-human Lacterman’s building of manufactured parts. Yaco, Puglisi, and Cully played with spaces and materials, including canopies of stucco and walls and arches of wrought iron (left, “New Looks, Telegram-Tribune, 12 July 1979, p. B4). Cully’s finely wrought ironwork frames the entry courtyards, a departure from the typical retail glass wall fronting a Main Street sidewalk, creating a transparent version of the Mediterranean walled garden and the sort of transitional space typical of newly popular shopping malls. Within eight years of its creation, Yaco, Puglisi, and Cully’s redesign was added to San Luis Obispo’s Contributing List in the Downtown Historic District, an extraordinary accolade, and the city’s Cultural Heritage Committee rightly rejected an application to delist it. It is in many ways Cully’s most public work, seen by thousands of outdoor strollers and shoppers every day, who appreciate its elegance, human scale, and departure from pure utilitarian commercialism without knowing its artist or origin. As with the Madonn a Inn’s collaboration of Wilshusen, Zeller, and Cully —stonemason, woodcarver, and blacksmith — the collaboration of Yaco, Puglisi, and Cully —artist, architect, and craftsman—produces an indelible impression. The historic association of the Cully House is not limited to Cully’s residence in it. He also left his mark on it as designer and craftsman —not only in its subtle rear additions invisible to the street, its Tudor-appropriate street dormer, and his recruitment of fellow master craftsman John Wilshusen to build the outdoor fireplace and patio—but in his hand- forged utilitarian features, including these horse and hummingbird hose racks. Page 53 of 93 38 Marshall’s-Magnuson’s Marshall’s jewelers and Magnuson’s clothing—a 1979 Postmodern redesign by artist Richard Yaco and yet - unlicensed architect Steve Puglisi of a Mid-Century Modern store designed by John Ross, FAIA—employed Gary Cully’s wrought iron to frame the forecourts. A conceptual drawing in the 12 July 1979 Telegram-Tribune (B-4) shows Cully’s craft was integral to the project from the beginning. The building was added to the Contributing List only eight years after the redesign. With its listing recently reconfirmed by the CHC, it remains the only listed Postmodern in San Luis Obispo. Puglisi (top) and Yaco (bottom) in the late 1970s. Page 54 of 93 39 VII. Significance: John Wilshusen’s Late-Twentieth-Century Stonemasonry Masterwork of Greatest Importance to the Region According to his 2003 obituary, Wilshusen was known as The Master Builder. Plagued by mental illness and buoyed by his Christian faith in private life, his public craft showed striving ambition controlled by a sense of unity and balance. His constructions soar yet remain grounded, the rubble masonry puzzled together rhythmically but with whimsical variations, including the great, impendent arch of Madonna Inn’s lobby fireplace, employing the boulders that Alex Madonna loved and that give Madonna Inn its Nat ional Park Service Rustic feel. His masonry’s strength, flair, and three-dimensionality readily distinguish it from more flat and ordinary additions around it. Cully was in his late twenties, Zeller in his early fifties, and Wilshusen in his mid thirties when they started work on Madonna Inn, but I have not been able to find documentation of But even for an outdoor fireplace, stairs, wall, and bench behind the suburban Cully House, Wilshusen achieves a masterwork: the effect of a random pile of rocks left by an awesome act of God. Wilshusen’s masonry work before then. Stylistically, it appears to change less than Cully’s over the decades with architectural styles, and Madonna Inn is clearly his masterpiece, due to the monumentality that Alex Madonna sought in stone. Huge chimneys are part of the original 1957 concept designed by Beverly Hills architect Louis Gould (at left and right, topped by chimneypots, in detail at left [James Papp, San Luis Obispo County Architecture {Charleston: Arcadia, 2023}, p. 38]. Page 55 of 93 40 One wonders if he did not have the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ Watchtower in mind, traditionally represented in rusticated stone built on a stone outcrop with the motto “Rock of Ages: Other Foundation Can No Man Lay.” The Cully chimney appears to rise from such an outcrop and dwarfs people, the patio, and even the part of the house it is connected to. Wilshusen’s late work for Inn (p. 17) also achieves the sense of flow of naturally deposited rock and the wonder of such a thing in a domestic setting. His obituary mentions a building in Atascadero “where a set of footprints go up a wall and across the entrance.” I have not been able to track this down. It also referen ces masonry projects as far afield as Santa Barbara, Visalia, the Bay Area, and Los Angeles, including for the movie star Robert Taylor—likely this fireplace (right) at Taylor’s Mandeville Canyon ranch, incorporating stone benches as at Madonna Inn and the Cully House. There is much still to learn, and this Landmark application for the Wilshusen Patio is intended to be the beginning of research on this late-twentieth-century master craftsman of the Central Coast rather than the end. Left: The inset bench of the Wilshusen Patio, now topped with wood for counter space but reversible. . Page 56 of 93 41 VIII. Integrity The location of the Gary Cully House is unchanged since its 1964 –2007 period of significance. Its design is also unchanged since that time. The suburban setting remains theme, as also the materials and their crucial workmanship. Hence feeling (the combination of the previous five material qualities) is perfectly intact, and association is unusually strong. Cully would immediately recognize it as the same house today. The John Wilshusen Patio has had an addition by a lesser mason to the north side, which is reversible, and there is a reversible wood countertop balanced above the inset bench. A small water feature next to the bench also appears to be an addition by anoth er hand. Overall, however, location and setting are the same, design, materials, and workmanship have been added to but as reversible extensions rather than alterations, and feeling and association are strong. Both house and patio retain the ability to convey their significance. Above: The full patio as it appears today. Below left: Apparent addition of water feature by another hand. Below right: A second addition by another hand (Kristin Cully text interview, 4 Dec. 2025). Page 57 of 93 42 IX. Conclusion The Gary Cully House and John Wilshusen patio qualify as a San Luis Obispo Landmark as among the city’s rarest and most important resources for their association with regionally significant master craftsman Gary Cully and for the work of regionally signifi cant master craftsman John Wilshusen, two unsung figures who shaped the built environment of the Central Coast, including one of its two most famous monuments, Madonna Inn. The house and patio’s excellent integrity fully retains the ability to convey their historical and architectural significance. Page 58 of 93 Attachment B - Historic File (207 Broad St) Page 59 of 93 Page 60 of 93 Page 61 of 93 Page 62 of 93 Page 63 of 93 Page 64 of 93 Page 65 of 93 Page 66 of 93 Page 67 of 93 Page 68 of 93 Page 69 of 93 Page 70 of 93 Page 71 of 93 Page 72 of 93 Page 73 of 93 Page 74 of 93 Page 75 of 93 Page 76 of 93 Page 77 of 93 Page 78 of 93 Page 79 of 93 Page 80 of 93 CULTURAL HERITAGE COMMITTEE AGENDA REPORT SUBJECT: REVIEW OF NEW EXTERIOR FAÇADE ON THE “NETWORK BUILDING” (778 HIGUERA STREET - NOT A LISTED HISTORIC RESOURCE) AND REHABILITATION OF 782 & 786 HIGUERA STREET (LOCAL REGISTER HISTORIC RESOURCE) IN THE DOWNTOWN HISTORIC DISTRICT. BY: Ivana Gomez FROM: Brian Leveille Phone Number: 805-781-7147 Phone Number: 805-781-7166 Email: igomez@slocity.org Email: bleveille@slocity.org APPLICANT: San Luis Obispo Museum REPRESENTATIVE: RRM Design Group of Art (SLOMA) RECOMMENDATION Recommend the Community Development Director find the proposed project consistent with applicable historic preservation policies, standards, and guidelines. 1.0 PROJECT SUMMARY The project proposes construction of a new facade for the “Network” building at 778 Higuera St (noncontributor1) and rehabilitation of a portion of the “Johnson Block” (Local Register Resource2), including exterior modifications to 782 Higuera St. Proposed improvements to 782 Higuera Street include modifications to the storefront to better align with adjacent storefronts within the Johnson Block, as well as the introduction of a new rear entrance facing Mission Plaza. Additionally, the project proposes renovation of the patio spanning the rear of both sites and the addition of a new creekside deck along the San Luis Obispo Creek corridor adjacent Mission Plaza, which are included for context and re viewed separately through the planning entitlement process (See Figures 1–2 for project location and an overview 1 A “noncontributor,” defined in Chapter 14.01, is a property that is located in a historic district but does not contribute to the significance of that district. 2 A “Local Register Resource” has been found significant at the local level under one or more of the criteria described in Section 14.01.060. Meeting Date: 4/27/2026 Item Number: 4b Time Estimate: 60 minutes Figure 1: Conceptual Site Drawing of Front-Facing Facades (RRM Design Group) Page 81 of 93 Item 4b [ARCH-0933-2025] Cultural Heritage Committee Report – April 27, 2026 2 of proposed improvements. Refer to Attachment A for the project plans, including relevant architectural sheets). 2.0 BACKGROUND The City’s Historic Preservation Program, including the Cultural Heritage Committee (CHC), Historic Preservation Ordinance (SLOMC Chapter 14.01), and Historic Preservation Program Guidelines, establishes the framework for review of development projects that have the potential to affect historic resources. The CHC serves as an advisory body to the Community Development Director on matters related to historic preservation, including proposed alterations to designated historic resources and projects located within historic districts. The City’s Inventory of Historic Resources identifies designated properties, including Local Register resources, that may be located within or outside of historic districts. The evaluation of the proposed project is guided by the Historic Preservation Ordinance, the City’s Historic Preservation Program Guidelines3, and the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties, which are used to assess whether proposed modifications are compatible with the historic character of the resource and surrounding district. 2.1 Cultural Heritage Committee Purview 782 and 786 Higuera Street, located on the same parcel, is a Local Register Resource4 and comprises a portion of what is known at the “Johnson Block”. The “Network” building was previously included on the City’s Inventory of Historic Resources as a Contributing resource, however, following evaluation against the Historic Preservation Ordinance significance criteria, the CHC recommended its removal from the Inventory5, and the building was subsequently formally delisted through a Director Action, consistent with SLOMC §14.01.070(E). Pursuant to SLOMC §14.01.030(C)(5), the Director may refer applications with the potential to affect historic resources, including new construction, additions, or alterations, to the Cultural Heritage Committee for review and recommendation . The Director has referred this minor development review application to the CHC due to (1) proposed alterations to a Local Register resource (Johnson Block), and (2) the project’s location within the Downtown Historic District, which requires review of the new proposed façade for compatibility with the district’s historic character. 3 City of San Luis Obispo Historic Preservation Program Guidelines 4 A Local Register resource within the downtown historic district, as designated by the City Council in 1983 (Resolution 5197). 5 04-27-2020 CHC Minutes, including CHC action to recommend removal of the property at 778 Higuera, the “Network” from the City’s Historic Resources Inventory. Page 82 of 93 Item 4b [ARCH-0933-2025] Cultural Heritage Committee Report – April 27, 2026 3 The proposed patio and creekside deck improvements are also described for context as components of the overall project and will be reviewed at an administrative hearing. The CHC’s review and purview focuses on the proposed rehabilitation of a Local Register resource (782 and 786 Higuera Street) and the compatibility of the new proposed façade of 778 Higuera Street (Network Building) with the Downtown Historic District. 3.0 DISCUSSION 3.1 Site and Setting The project site is located on the north side of Higuera Street, immediately west of Chorro Street, within the Downtown Historic District and the Downtown Commercial Zone with Historic Preservation Overlay (C-D-H). The site is developed with a collection of commercial structures divided into individual retail spaces. The surrounding block face includes multiple buildings with distinct identities, including the “Network” building at 778 Higuera Street and the buildings spanning 782–790 Higuera Street, which share a unified upper façade along Higuera Street (Figure 3, below). 3.2 Proposed Construction and Alterations Exterior Façade Modifications – “Network” Building The project includes installation of a new façade for the “Network” building (778 Higuera Street), including removal of portions of the existing storefront façade and introduction of a new façade design incorporating materials such as brick veneer, precast concrete bulkhead accent trim, and anodized aluminum window framing (See Attachment A, Sheets A-5 and A-6). Figure 2: Aerial View of Project Site on Google Maps Figure 3: Unified Storefronts at 782-790 Higuera Street Page 83 of 93 Item 4b [ARCH-0933-2025] Cultural Heritage Committee Report – April 27, 2026 4 Exterior Façade Modifications – “Johnson Block” Portion The project proposes exterior modifications to the front and rear façades of 782 Higuera Street, which is part of the Johnson Block which also consists of the Landmark Historic Johnson Building at 796 Higuera Street (corner of Chorro and Higuera Streets) and adjacent storefronts at 1029 and 1033 Chorro Street . The proposed modifications to the front facade are intended to be consistent with the character of the existing building and surrounding storefronts. The design incorporates similar materials and finishes to maintain visual continuity within the downtown historic district, including green and red exterior-grade tile intended to match the neighboring building bulkhead and storefront framing which is proposed to match the storefronts and transoms of the adjacent Johnson block facades. The project also includes changes to the rear façade of 782 Higuera Street, consisting of removal of existing door and window openings and installation of a new door with surrounding windows to provide access and functionality associated with the proposed use (see Figure 4). The existing brick exterior walls will be retained. Figure 4: Left – Existing Rear Façade of 782 Higuera Street; Right – Conceptual Elevation of Proposed Rear Façade Patio and Creekside Deck The project proposes renovation of the existing rear patio shared by the “Network” and “Johnson” buildings, including resurfacing the patio with permeable pavers, updated site furnishings, and landscaping improvements. Page 84 of 93 Item 4b [ARCH-0933-2025] Cultural Heritage Committee Report – April 27, 2026 5 The project also includes construction of a new deck along the San Luis Obispo Creek, supported by piers within the creek setback area. The deck is intended to extend from the rear patio and provide additional outdoor space while avoiding encroachment into the active creek channel. Construction methods and final design details remain subject to review and may be refined to address potential impacts to biological resources and tree root zones. Although not encroaching into the top of creek bank, the patio and deck improvements are located within the City’s creek setback area and are subject to the City’s Creek Setback Standards. A Creek Setback Exception is under review as part of the associated architectural review application (ARCH-0933-2025), and modifications to the project may be required based on the outcome of that review. 4.0 EVALUATION Guidance for new construction associated with historical resources and districts is provided in the City’s Historic Preservation Program Guidelines and the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties.6 Relevant applicable guidelines, standards, and recommendations from these documents are outlined below. 4.1 The “Network” Building (778 Higuera Street – not historically designated) New façade design 4.1.1 Historic Preservation Program Guidelines Construction in Historic Districts § 3.2.1 Architecturally compatible development within Historic Districts New structures shall be designed to be architecturally compatible with the district’s prevailing historic character as measured by their consistency with the scale, massing, rhythm, signature architectural elements, exterior materials, siting and street yard setbacks of the district's historic structures. New structures are not required to copy or imitate historic structures, or seek to create the illusion that a new building is historic. 6 Kay D. Weeks and Anne E. Grimmer. The Secretary of the Interior’ s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties with Guidelines for Preserving, Rehabilitating, Restoring & Reconstructing Historic Buildings. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of the Interior National Park Service; Technical Preservation Services, 2017 Page 85 of 93 Item 4b [ARCH-0933-2025] Cultural Heritage Committee Report – April 27, 2026 6 § 3.2.2 Architectural compatibility New development should not sharply contrast with, significantly block public views of, or visually detract from, the historic architectural character of historically designated structures located adjacent to the property to be developed, or detract from the prevailing historic architectural character of the historic district. 4.1.2 Secretary of the Interior’s Standards Secretary of the Interior’s Standards - New Construction Recommended Not Recommended Designing new construction on a historic site or in a historic setting that it is compatible but differentiated from the historic building or buildings. Replicating the features of the historic building when designing a new building, with the result that it may be confused as historic or original to the site or setting. Designing adjacent construction that is compatible with the historic character of the site and preserves the historic relationship between the building and the landscape. Introducing new construction on the building site which is visually incompatible in terms of size, scale, design, material, or color. Designing new construction to be consistent with the scale, massing, proportions, and rhythm of surrounding historic buildings. Designing new construction to be consistent with the scale, massing, proportions, and rhythm of surrounding historic buildings. 4.1.3 Discussion The proposed façade modifications to the Network building introduce a new storefront design and material palette within the Downtown Historic District. The proposed improvements incorporate materials such as brick veneer, stucco finishes, and metal elements, which are consistent with the range of materials found throughout the district. The modifications maintain the existing building footprint and general storefront rhythm along Higuera Street, and do not introduce additional massing or height that would b e inconsistent with surrounding development. The proposed façade does not attempt to replicate historic architectural styles, consistent with §3.2.1 of the Historic Preservation Program Guidelines and the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards, which suppor t new construction that is compatible yet distinguishable from historic resources. Page 86 of 93 Item 4b [ARCH-0933-2025] Cultural Heritage Committee Report – April 27, 2026 7 The scale, proportions, and storefront configuration remain consistent with the established pattern of the surrounding buildings in the district. The proposed materials and detailing are similar in type to those found with surrounding development and are not anticipated to sharply contrast with or detract from adjacent historic resources, including the Johnson Block. The project also maintains existing public views and does not introduce additional massing that would visually dominate surrounding structures. Based on these considerations, the proposed modifications are consistent with §3.2.2 of the Historic Preservation Program Guidelines and the Secretary of the Interior’s S tandards related to compatible new construction within a historic setting. 4.2 Rehabilitation of 782 & 786 Higuera Street (Local Register Historic Resources) 4.2.1 Historic Preservation Program Guidelines Changes to Historic Resources § 3.4.2 Percent of historic resource to be preserved Alterations of historically-listed buildings shall retain at least 75% of the original building framework, roof, and exterior bearing walls and cladding, in total, and reuse original materials as feasible. Proposed alterations of greater than 25% of the original building framework, roof, and exterior walls will be subject to the review process for demolitions. Alterations do not include ordinary repair or maintenance that is exempt from a building permit or is consistent with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Resources. § 3.4.3 Retention of character-defining features Alterations of historically-listed buildings shall retain character defining features. New features on primary and se condary building facades, or features visible from a public area, should be completed in a manner that preserves the original architectural character, form, scale, and appearance of the building. § 3.4.4 Exterior building changes Exterior changes to historically-listed buildings or resources should not introduce new or conflicting architectural elements and should be architecturally compatible with the original and/or prevailing architectural character of the building, its setting and architectural context. Additions to historic buildings shall comply with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards to complement and be consistent with the original style of the structure. Building materials used to replicate character-defining features shall be consistent with the original materials in terms of size, shape, quality and appearance. However, original materials are not required. Page 87 of 93 Item 4b [ARCH-0933-2025] Cultural Heritage Committee Report – April 27, 2026 8 4.2.2 Secretary of the Interior’s Standards Secretary of the Interior Standards – Rehabilitation Recommended Not Recommended Identifying, retaining and preserving masonry features that are important in defining the overall historic character of the building (such as walls, brackets, railings, cornices, window and door surrounds, steps, and columns) and decorative ornament and other details, such as tooling and bonding patterns, coatings, and color. Removing or substantially changing masonry features which are important in defining the overall historic character of the building so that, as a result, the character is diminished. Replacing or rebuilding a major portion of exterior masonry walls that could be repaired, thereby destroying the historic integrity of the building. Applying paint or other coatings (such as stucco) to masonry that has been historically unpainted or uncoated to create a new appearance. Removing paint from historically-painted masonry. Identifying, retaining, and preserving storefronts and their functional and decorative features that are important in defining the overall historic character of the building, including wood, ceramic tile and bulkheads. Removing or substantially changing storefronts and their features which are important in defining the overall historic character of the building so that, as a result, the character is diminished. Adding new window openings on rear or other secondary, less visible elevations, if required by a new use. The new openings and the windows in them should be compatible with the overall design of the building but, in most cases, not duplicate the historic fenestration.7 Changing the number, location, size, or glazing pattern of windows on primary or highly-visible elevations which will alter the historic character of the building. Cutting new openings on character- defining elevations or cutting new openings that damage or destroy significant features. 7 This guidance is applicable to the proposed modifications at the rear (secondary) elevation of 782 Higuera Street, where new openings are introduced to accommodate the proposed use. Page 88 of 93 Item 4b [ARCH-0933-2025] Cultural Heritage Committee Report – April 27, 2026 9 Replacing in kind extensively deteriorated or missing components of storefronts when there are surviving prototypes, such as doors, transoms, kick plates, base panels, bulkheads, piers, or signs, or when the replacement can be based on documentary or physical evidence. The new work should match the old in material, design, scale, color, and finish. Replacing an entire feature or storefront when limited replacement of deteriorated and missing components is appropriate. Using replacement material that does not match the historic storefront feature.8 4.2.3 Discussion The proposed modifications to the Johnson building include façade improvements to the front storefront and changes to the rear façade to accommodate the proposed museum use. The project retains the primary building framework, roof, and exterior bearing walls, including the existing brick cladding, and does not constitute alterations exceeding 25 percent of the structure, consistent with §3.4.2 of the Historic Preservation Program Guidelines. The proposed improvements retain the building’s character-defining features, including its overall form, scale, and primary materials. The front façade modifications incorporate design elements such as tile accents that are consistent with adjacent storefronts within the Johnson Block. The project also proposes the installation of new storefront systems and transoms at 782 Higuera Street to return the façade to its historical appearance matching the adjacent façade at 786 and 790 Higuera Street. In order to ensure that the storefront systems (including transoms) are consistent with the design, configuration and dimension of the adjacent Johnson Block facades, staff is recommending the following condition of approval to be included at the time the Director considers approval of the overall project: “Details shall be provided at the time of building permit submittal for the final design details of the storefront and transom system at 782 Higuera Street. The submitted design details shall include proportions, detailing, and material finish, consistent with and reflective of the adjacent storefronts within the Johnson Block (including 786 and 790 Higuera Street), subject to review and approval by the Community Development Director prior to issuance of building permits." 8 This guidance reflects Preservation treatment standards and is applied to the primary (Higuera Street) elevation of 782 Higuera Street to guide in-kind replacement of storefront framing and transom elements. The overall project remains evaluated under Rehabilitation standards. Page 89 of 93 Item 4b [ARCH-0933-2025] Cultural Heritage Committee Report – April 27, 2026 10 Consistent with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation, the project retains and preserves masonry features that contribute to the building’s character and avoids removal or substantial alteration of primary character-defining elements. The proposed exterior changes to the rear elevation are limited to modifications necessary to accommodate the proposed used, including removal of existing openings and installation of a new door with surrounding windows. As a secondary elevation, these changes are consistent with guidance that allows for new openings on less visible facades, provided they are compatible with the overall design of the building and don’t replicate historic fenestration. The proposed exterior changes do not introduce new or conflicting architectural elements and utilize materials that are consistent with the existing building and its context within the downtown historic district. 5.0 CONCLUSION The proposed project includes a new façade on the “Network” building and rehabilitation of a portion of the “Johnson Block,” including exterior modifications to 782 Higuera Street and limited changes to the rear elevation to accommodate the proposed museum use. Figure 5: Left - Existing Front Façade of 782 Higuera Street; Right – Adjacent Storefront at 786 Higuera Street within the “Johnson Block” Page 90 of 93 Item 4b [ARCH-0933-2025] Cultural Heritage Committee Report – April 27, 2026 11 The project also includes patio and creekside deck improvements, which are reviewed separately through the planning entitlement process. Based on the analysis above, the proposed modifications to the Network building are consistent with the Historic Preservation Program Guidelines related to new construction within historic districts, as well as the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards, in that the design is compatible with the surrounding context while remaining distinguishable from historic resources. The proposed modifications to the Johnson building retain the primary building framework, materials, and overall character of the historic resource, and are consistent with the Historic Preservation Program Guidelines and the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation. The project avoids substantial alteration of character - defining features and introduces changes that are compatible with the building and its setting, including limited modifications to a secondary elevation to support the proposed use. The proposed project is consistent with applicable General Plan Land Use Element policies for the Downtown Core, including Policies 4.3, 4.4, 4.16, and 4.31 , as well as policies related to historic and architectural resources, including policies 3.3.1, 3.3.4, and 3.6.8. The project introduces a cultural use within an existing downtown location and includes façade improvements to existing structures, consistent with policies supporting a mix of uses and active ground-floor uses within the Downtown (Policies 4.3 and 4.31). The project maintains and reuses existing buildings, consistent with policies re lated to preservation of community character and established development patterns (Policies 4.4 and 4.16)9, as well as policies supporting the preservation and rehabilitation of historic resources (Policies 3.3.1 and 3.3.4). The project also facilitates the continued use of an existing historic resource, consistent with policies promoting adaptive reuse (Policy 3.6.8). The proposed improvements are limited to existing structures and do not alter the overall development pattern of the Downtown Core10. The proposed project is an opportunity to achieve General Plan goals by providing for redevelopment and the adaptive reuse and rehabilitation of a historic building for an important community use in the Downtown (SLOMA). Based on the above staff analysis, and with the inclusion of staff’s recommended condition on final storefront details for 782 Higuera Street, staff finds and recommends that the CHC find and make a recommendation to the Community Development Director that the project is consistent with the applicable Historic Preservation Program Guidelines and Secretary of the Interior’s Standards. 9 City of San Luis Obispo General Plan – Chapter 1 (Land Use) 10 City of San Luis Obispo General Plan – Chapter 6 (Conservation and Open Space) Section 3 (Cultural Heritage) Page 91 of 93 Item 4b [ARCH-0933-2025] Cultural Heritage Committee Report – April 27, 2026 12 6.0 ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW The project is categorically exempt from environmental review pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15301 (Class 1 – Existing Facilities), which applies to minor alterations to existing structures involving negligible or no expansion of use. The proposed project consists of exterior façade modifications to existing buildings, including rehabilitation of 782 Higuera Street and modifications to the “Network” building at 778 Higuera Street, as well as associated site improvements. The project does not involve expansion of floor area and is limited to alterations of exis ting facilities. In accordance with CEQA Guidelines Section 15300.2(f), a categorical exemption may not be used for a project that may cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of a historical resource. The project includes rehabilitation of 782 and 786 Higuera Street and exterior modifications to 782 Higuera Street, which is listed as a Local Register resource. As discussed in Section 4.2 of this report, the proposed project retains the primary building framework, materials, and overall chara cter of the Johnson building, is consistent with the Secretary of Interior Standards and Historic Preservation Program Guidelines, and does not involve substantial alteration of character-defining features. Proposed modifications to the front façade are designed to be compatible with the building and surrounding historic context, and changes to the rear façade are limited in scope and occur on a secondary elevation. The proposed modifications for the new façade on the Network building are consistent with Historic Preservation Program Guidelines and will not result in impacts to the Downtown Historic District. Based on this analysis, the project would not result in a substantial adverse change in the significance of a historical resource. Accordingly, the e xception set forth in CEQA Guidelines Section 15300.2(f) which could exclude use of a categorical exemption for a project that could result in an adverse change the significance of a historical resource is not applicable to the project and the project is c ategorically exempt from environmental review as described above. 7.0 ACTION ALTERNATIVES 1. Staff Recommendation: Recommend that the Community Development Director find the project consistent with historic preservation policies, standards, and guidelines as described in this report. 2. Continue the item to a future meeting with direction to staff and the applicant. Page 92 of 93 Item 4b [ARCH-0933-2025] Cultural Heritage Committee Report – April 27, 2026 13 3. Recommend that the Community Development Director find the project inconsistent with applicable historic preservation policies, standards, and guidelines. This action should include specific findings detailing how the proposal is inconsistent. 8.0 ATTACHMENTS A - Project Plans (778-786 Higuera) Page 93 of 93