The Roaring Twenties and Its Architecture

Oh how funny! Our May Board Meeting had originally contained a Presentation by our Historical Society Liaison, Karen Clements, and I had chosen a Great Gatsby theme for the Reception following. Though Karen had to cancel due to a scheduling conflict with another Long Beach Landmark, (The Bembridge House), I just noticed they had also decided to do the same theme:

The great gatSby

The Roaring Twenties produced an abundance of housing styles including “Art Deco,” which incorporated a vertically oriented, linear design that became popular after a Paris exhibition in 1925. The “Craftsman’s” architecture was designed around a central living area with the exterior being showcased with wide porches and low, gabled roofs that stone columns held in place. The “Mediterranean Revival,” built along the California coastal regions was reminiscent of the seaside villas in Italy. Symmetrical facades, arches, and large keystones, were often design elements employed, as well as, stucco walls and tile roofs. Though area landmarks such as The Lafayette are almost entirely designed around one style (Art Deco), our building is a combination of several styles. The beautiful tile work seen near the fireplace mantel in the lobby, denotes a rather famous local artisan at the time and was done in the Craftsman style. Other elements and embellishments in the St. Regis borrow from all three of the above styles. The homes were often built using reinforced concrete or precast concrete panels, and Twenties homes are sought after today by professionals who want to restore the beautiful character of these well-made gems.
 

Ms. Clements’ On-Site visit last week has served to move along our own restorative process; our Historical Architect is finalizing the paperwork to be submitted to the City for approval in July, on our own projects of new front doors, new lighting, etc. In addition, Mr. Glasgow is continuing the process of meeting with City officials to determine the feasibility of re-opening the Solarium.
 

We will continue to study our own Restorative Plan and we hope to have an overview of these choices by August. Ms. Clements and the Historical Society are very encouraged by the St. Regis progress, including the soon-to-be restoration of our second elevator, and she explained that as we develop a master plan for the restoration, they can continue to help with this process. She also explained that anything of this magnitude is a long process requiring time and patience.
 

You can visit Bembridge House (or their website) at:

 

953 N Park Circle Drive, Long Beach, CA 90813
In the Drake Park, Willmore City Historic District of Long Beach California