A draft environmental impact report for Palos Verdes Estate's Moore House site project has been released, and thus begins a new chapter in the saga of the Lloyd Wright vs. the Mediterranean mansion. Moore's owner bought the unlandmarked property in 2004, not knowing who Wright was and planning to tear the house down and build something more like the other houses in the neighborhood. Preservationists have been throwing themselves in front of those plans ever since, and so here we are with a draft EIR. The document finds that the Moore is eligible for listing on both the national and California historic registers, and that the proposed project would have significant and unavoidable impacts on said historic resource. Alternatives considered include relocation and partial reuse, but the draft EIR recommends a reuse plan that would keep the footprint and exterior of the Moore in place and allow changes to the interior and landscaping. It notes, however that "this alternative would fail to meet a majority of the Applicant's objectives."
The Moore House owners want to build a two story, 5,935 square foot Mediterranean-style house designed by architect Edward Beall. According to the draft EIR, they hate the orientation of the Moore, which makes the backyard too tight for their desired pool, spa and barbeque area, and are concerned that the house isn't up to current building codes. The document says the electrical system needs updating, the balconies are lower than required by code, "ceilings are low as compared to modern building standards," and "the rooms on the lower floor are dark and musty." They also want a separate laundry room--the current one is in the pantry--and plan to add solar panels and to make the house more energy-efficient
· Lloyd Wright's Moore House Officially on DeathWatch Notice...Again [Curbed LA]
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