Ruling allows 8,000-sq.-ft. guest house on property to be donated to The Huntington
The San Marino City Council overturned the Planning Commission’s decision to deny changes to a proposed 8,000 sq.-ft.-guest house and basement and accessory garden house on the Thornton Estate—deemed a historical resource by the State of California Historical Resources Commission—at 1155 Oak Grove Avenue.
Charles and Geneva Thornton, the owners of the eight-acre property since 1987, will bequeath their property and a sizeable endowment fund to The Huntington when they die.
The council made its decision over the course of three motions. The first motion was to approve a setback variance to the accessory garden house—originally labeled a “bee house”—on the condition that the structure never be used for bees.
The garden house, though located at less than required setback, will not be visible from the street.
The council’s second motion was to allow the Thorntons to build a basement underneath their guest house that exceeds 60 percent of the guest house’s footprint, which is the maximum allowed by city ordinance.
“[The Thorntons] are not going to sell and make any profit off the basement,” noted Council Member Steven Huang, speaking in approval of the modification to the basement size.
At 68 percent of the guesthouse’s footprint, the basement will include a grandchild’s entertainment room, gym and storage space.
Allowing a larger basement required the council to approve a third motion, which modifies the size of the guest house from 7,500 sq. ft. to 8,397 sq. ft. The added square footage also includes additions to the first and second floor, which accommodate minor design changes.
The new guesthouse will replace an old guest house located on the opposite corner of the property.
Two neighbors opposed to the project complained about the construction noise. They asked that the project timeline be shortened.
Two other neighbors spoke in favor of the project. Allan Shenoi, a lawyer who lives across the street from the Thorntons, spoke highly of the project.
“[This project] is a godsend to San Marino and the neighborhood,” he said. “The sidewalk that they have maintained makes you feel like you have appeared at the gates of heaven.”
He also noted that there is nothing legally preventing the council from approving the modifications to the previously approved variances and conditional use permits.
“If you deny any aspect of this project, you will delay it by six months and prolong the very complaint,” he added.
The Thorntons decided to preserve the character of the property, which includes a 1920s 11,780-sq.-ft. Tudor Revival home designed by the famed architect Myron Hunt, to protect it from being torn down after their ownership.
Not only did they embark on an effort to preserve, they also wanted to give their estate a greater purpose by crafting a plan to optimize the property’s use for The Huntington.
“We do everything over the top to try to make this thing survive as long as possible,” said Charles Thornton. “Our goal is to make it a value to The Huntington, so they will want to keep it beyond just the endowment.”
A six-year master plan to achieve that greater purpose was devised and approved, along with the appropriate conditional use permits, by the Planning Commission in November, 2013.
Before starting construction, existing homes at 1215 Rosalind Road, 1220 Virginia Road and 1250 Virginia Road were demolished and consolidated to make room for the new guesthouse.
Construction on a 2,200-sq.-ft. “barn” with a five-car garage and landscape grading for the guesthouse began 13 months ago. Landscape grading has since been completed.
In addition to the guesthouse and accessory garden house, a 700-sq.-ft. pool house, 600-sq.-ft. boat house and an extension of a concrete perimeter wall were included in the master plan.
The L.A. Conservancy, an organization that works to preserve historic locations in Los Angeles, holds a historic easement on the property, which restricts development of the property beyond its historic character and makes the home accessible to preservation and garden groups.
