Council Will Bring the Curtain Down on 3344 Las Huertas

Is a Monterey-style house on a dead-end street in Lafayette a historical landmark, or just an interesting old house the owners have a right to demolish?

The Lafayette City Council tonight is expected to approve a resolution that would essentially spell the end of the road for the home at 3344 Las Huertas. Those who would save it say it represents an important part of Lafayette’s history. Others say that a historic designation is not appropriate, and would simply deprive the owners of their right to build a new home.

The issue received quite a bit of attention at the May 28 council meeting, in a debate that went on until well past midnight.

The three criteria proponents say the home meets are:

·      That the original owner—Shell scientist Sumner McAllister, developed synthetic rubber during WWII, thus helping win the war;

·      The home was designed by noted architect B. Reede Hardman;

·      And it is an adobe home, in the style known as Monterey. It features a two-story design with a front facing porch between the two floors.

Charles and Denise Rosson, who own the home now, argue that McAllister did not contribute to Lafayette’s cultural or historical history, that architect Hardman was not well-known for this particular style, and that the style itself was a revival, not an original Monterey-style home.

The city has five buildings designated as historical landmarks, none of them in a residential area: 

·      Lafayette Plaza;

·      Wayside Inn;

·      The Pioneer Inn;

·      Town Hall;

·      The old grammar school at Lafayette United Methodist Church.

There has not been a building granted a historical designation by the city since 1983.

Dan Dalhauser, a resident of the street, said the home should be preserved because it is unique, and lends a charm to the street. He said to replace it with a ranch-style home would make the property “common.”

Ruth Bailey said the present owners made a promise to move into the home and raise their family there, and wondered how they would feel replacing the present home with two new homes, and living “on the grave” of the 75-year-old home.

But neighbors Vlad and Alex Malinovsky said they came from a former communist country, and cautioned the council against taking a “socialist” action and denying the rights of the property owners.

In the end, council members agreed that the home did not meet the city’s historical designation requirements, and that the Rossons should be allowed to demolish the home and build two new ones on the property.

The council is expected to adopt a resolution to that effect tonight (Monday, June 10) when it meets beginning at 6 p.m. in the Community Hall of the Lafayette Library & Learning Center, 3491 Mt. Diablo Blvd.