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Historic
cabanas imperil remodel at Coral Casino
Ty Warner may
drop plans if he can't remove buildings
The historic merit of 10
private cabanas at the Coral Casino is the latest snag in Ty Warner's $35
million revamp of the weathered Montecito swim club.
The removal of the second-story cabanas -- deemed historically significant in a
recently released environmental impact report -- is necessary to carry out the
heart of Mr. Warner's plans to raise the main restaurant to the second floor,
which in turn restores ocean views from the pool deck below.
The historic designation was good news to a small but vocal group of club
members opposed to the plan for the building designed by Gardner Dailey in 1937.
The restaurant is so pivotal to the rehabilitation project that the Beanie
Babies mogul could drop it entirely if he can't move forward as planned, said
Greg Rice, Mr. Warner's representative on many real estate endeavors.
"There is only one project that makes sense, and that's the project we have
put forward," Mr. Rice said Wednesday. "You don't spend $35 million to
wind up with less benefits than you started with."
The environmental impact review, compiled by contract county planner Laura
Bridley with help from Ventura historian Mitch Stone, states that losing the 10
cabanas would cause "significant unavoidable adverse impacts" by
removing valuable "historic building fabric."
Although the majority of the club's 1,200 members -- about 525 family
memberships -- supported Mr. Warner's plans in a survey, the self-described
preservationists believe that placing the restaurant on the second floor
compromises the architectural integrity of the building.
The opponents formed the Preservation Committee, believed to have about 10
members. A key person spearheading their point of view is Cynthia Ziegler, who
did not return phone calls for this story. Another member said she would
speak to the News-Press about her concerns only on condition of anonymity,
because she and others fear their memberships will be revoked if they are
discovered as adversaries.
"If you put the restaurant on the second floor, views change from the
beach, noise levels change, those cabanas go," she said. "It seems to
me that if someone allows their building to become an historic landmark, as Mr.
Warner has, the building deserves respect."
County planners say the rehabilitation project could still be approved even if
the cabanas are slated to be removed.
"It's not a project-killer," said Steve Goggia, supervising county
planner, who added that other projects have gone forward with such environmental
impacts.
Ironically, county staff members, in their research into county archives on the
Coral Casino, unearthed a 50-year-old request from an architect in Mr. Dailey's
firm, Charles Porter, to add a restaurant to the second story. The permit was
granted by the county, though for unknown reasons construction never took
place. This proves, Mr. Rice said, that even Mr. Dailey would have
approved of Mr. Warner's vision.
"That restaurant on the roof is going to be one of the most beautiful
restaurants you'll ever see," said member Marilyn DeYoung. "Why look a
gift horse in the mouth, which some members did?" The cabanas are
used exclusively by individual families at a cost of $170 per month. They
include ocean views and patio furniture, and are sheltered on each side by
canvas tarps. There are 38 cabanas throughout
the club. Because two would be added elsewhere, the net loss is actually
eight.
HEARING SET
A public hearing on the Coral Casino draft environmental impact report will be
held at 3 p.m. Sept. 29 at the Coral Casino. Written comments must be submitted
to the project planner, Laura Bridley, by 5 p.m. Oct. 18. For further
information, call the county at 568-2000.
COURTESY OF THE CORAL CASINO
The historic photo above shows Coral Casino members lounging around the pool. At
top, these cabanas would be removed under a plan to put in a restaurant on the
second floor of Montecito's Coral Casino.
RAFAEL MALDONADO / NEWS-PRESS
The concrete bench at the northwestern end of the pool deck could hold
historical significance.
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