Submitted by RPPN | February 15 2010

This week, the Orange County Register reported that John Bral, managing partner of Westcliff Investors, which owns the Mariners Medical Arts Building in Newport Beach, California, has not made good on his promise to respect the architecture of the Richard Neutra-designed building.

The medical building had been at the center of a local preservation battle for more than a year, when last February, it was announced that the building would be spared from demolition or non-sensitive alterations. As part of the effort to save the building, the city prepared an historic resource assessment (available here in PDF). With the assessment completed, local planners discussed proposed plans for the building with the developer, who upon acknowledging the significance of the building revised his plans. According to the press release sent out last February, the developer was said to be "cooperating fully with the City to preserve the original building, including an extensive redesign of the proposed project to do everything possible to preserve and protect this important structure."

However, it now appears that the battle to preserve this building continues. As told to the Register reporter by John Linnert, local architect and one of the leaders of the effort to preserve the building, exterior stairs have been torn out and discarded, custom designed light fixtures have been removed and replaced, and off-the-shelf recessed can-lights have been installed throughout. Apparently the work was also done without previously receiving a building permit. The City has since issued a stop order on all proposed work.

A copy of the original February 2009 information release, as sent to us at RPPN, is copied below.

"Thank you for your interest in the historic resource assessment of Richard Neutra's Mariner's Medical Arts building located at 1901 Westcliff Drive. I am pleased to announce that the final draft of the assessment, prepared by Chattel Architecture, is now online and available for review. The report can be accessed on the Planning Department's website at: http://www.city.newport-beach.ca.us/PLN/downloads/MarinersMedicalReport.pdf.

After discussing the findings of the report and the historical significance of the building with staff, the property owner (Westcliff Investors, John Bral, managing partner) is cooperating fully with the City to preserve the original building, including an extensive redesign of the proposed project to do everything possible to preserve and protect this important structure. Staff will continue to works with the property owner to assist in developing an alternative plan that would allow a minor addtion to the original building, designed in accordance with the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties, while preserving and rehabilitating the original structure.

Once the property owner submits an application for a revised project, the City will begin the preparation of an Environmental Impact Report (EIR). The first step of the environmental review process is preparation of an Initial Study, which is used to identify the issues that will be the subject of the analysis contained in the Focused Draft EIR (i.e. utilities, biological resources, etc.). Once the initial study is completed, a Notice of Preparation (NOP) will be prepared, which together with the initial study, will be distributed to all responsible agencies and interested parties for the purpose of advising and soliciting comments and suggestions regarding the preparation of the Draft EIR.

I will be sure to include you on the distribution list for the NOP and all future public hearing notices associated with the project. You can also sign up to receive E-Select Alerts, which is a free service taht allows you to set up an account that can be used for subscribing to city news and information, including environmental documents. If you are interested, please sign up at the following link: http://www.city.newport-beach.ca.us/eSelectAlert.html.

Thanks,
Jaime Murillo
Assoicate Planner
City of Newport Beach