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Ord 50-05 ( " /\ I ORDINANCE NO. 50-05 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CIlY COMMISSION OF THE CIlY OF DELRAY BEACH, FLORIDA, DESIGNATING THE SEWELL C. BIGGS HOUSE, LOCATED AT 212 SEABREEZE AVENUE, AS MORE P ARTICULARL Y DESCRIBED HEREIN, AS A LOCAL HISTORIC SITE; PROVIDING FOR THE AMENDMENT OF THE "ZONING MAP OF DELRAY BEACH, FLORIDA. APRIL 2005"; PROVIDING A GENERAL REPEALER CLAUSE, A I SAVING CLAUSE, AND AN EFFECTIVE DATE. WHEREAS. Section 4.5.1 of the Land Development Regulations of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Dekay Beach provides for the designation and protection of historic sites; and WHEREAS, Erskine H. Courtenay and Virginia W. Courtenay. as property owners, have nominated the property described herein to be designated as a local historic site; and WHEREAS, the Historic Preservation Board of the City of Delray Beach held a duly noticed public hearing in regard to the designation of the property as a local historic site; and WHEREAS, on June 15, 2005. the Historic Board of the City of Delray Beach recommended 7 to 0 that the property described herein be designated a local historic site; and WHEREAS, the City Commission of the City of Dekay Beach adopts the findings in the i Planning and Zoning Staff Report; and i WHEREAS. the City Commission of the City of Dekay Beach finds the ordinance is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan; and WHEREAS, the City Commission of the City of Dekay Beach has conducted a duly noticed public hearing in regard to the designation of the property described herein as a local historic site. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CIlY COMMISSION OF THE CIlY OF DELRA Y BEACH, FLORIDA, AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. That the recitations set forth above are incorporated herein. Section 2. That the following described property in the City of Delray Beach. Florida, is hereby designated as a local historic site in accordance with and under the provisions of Section 4.5.1 of the Land Development Regulations of the City of Dekay Beach, Florida, to-wit: r " /'" \ I Lot 21 and the West 35 feet of Lot 22, Dekay Beach Esplanade, according to the plat thereof, as recorded in Plat Book 18, Page 39, Public Records of Palm Beach County, Florida. Section 3. That the Planning Director of said City shall, upon the effective date of this ordinance, amend the zoning Map of the City of Dekay Beach, Florida, to show the historic designation, in an overlay manner. Section 4. That all ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict herewith be, and the same I are hereby repealed. i Section 5. That should any section or provision of this ordinance or any portion thereof, any paragraph, sentence, or word be declared by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remainder hereof as a whole or part thereof other than the part declared to be invalid. Section 6. That this ordinance shall become effective immediately upon passage on second and final reading. I PASSED AND ADOPTED in regular session on second and final reading on this the I ~ day of____ \\Jb . 200.5.. ~o~ tA ATTEST -- I ___ \~U)~ Acting City Clerk First Reading 0 ~/c~5/~rr06 Second Reading 07/ I q J .!J('ûr;e. , , ! 2 ORD NO. 50-05 MEMORANDUM TO: MAYOR AND CIlY COMMISSIONERS FROM: CIlY MANAGER øv1 SUBJECT: AGENDA ITEM # \OA - REGULAR MEETING OF JULY 19, 2005 ORDINANCE NO. 50-05 (DESIGNATING THE SEWELL C. BIGGS HOUSE AS A LOCAL HISTORIC SITE) DATE: JULY 15,2005 This ordinance is before Commission for second reading and public hearing to designate the Sewell C. Biggs House, located at 212 Seabreeze Avenue, to the Local Register of Historic Places. The Sewell C. Biggs House was originally owned by Sewell C. Biggs, a person important in preserving, conserving, and promoting American fine and decorative arts. The style of the home is a design unique to Dekay Beach and is the artistic work of an architect who was a leader in the 20th Century American design field. It is also the only Paul Rudolph designed building in Dekay Beach and is representative of 20th Century regional modernism tailored for the Florida environment. Further, the house is an example of the skill of the Sinks Construction Firm which built some of the best surviving historic buildings in Dekay Beach. Designating this site as historic will help preserve the character of the extant historic dwelling and will promote the preservation of other surrounding historic properties. The Sewell C. Biggs House is being considered for listing in the Local Register of Historic Places for historical significance under the criteria listed in Land Development Regulations (LDR) Section 4.5.1(B)(2)(a), associated in a significant way with the life or activities of a major person important in city, state, or national history; LDR Section 4.5.1 (B) (3) (b), embodies those distinguishing characteristics of an architectural style, period, or method of construction; LDR Section 4.5.1 (B) (3) (c), historic or outstanding work of a prominent architect, designer, landscape architect, or builder; LDR Section 4.5.1(B)(3)(d), contains elements of design, detail, material, or craftsmanship of outstanding quality or which represented, in its time, a significant innovation or adaptation to the South Florida environment. The Historic Preservation Board considered the historic designation at a public hearing on June 15, 2005. There was no public testimony. The Board voted 7-0 to recommend to the City Commission approval to list The Sewell C. Biggs House in the Local Register of Historic Places. At the first reading on July 5, 2005, the Commission passed Ordinance No. 50-05. Recommend approval of Ordinance No. 50-05 on second and final reading. S:\City CIerk\agenda memos Ord 50-05 Sewell C Biggs House I-hstonc Des¡gnanon 071905 ~1 ¡ CITY COMMISSION DOCUMENTATION I TO: DA~~D " CI THRU: P~_ ORLlNG, DIRE OR OF PLANNING AND ZONING FROM: WE, HISTORIC PRESERVATION PLANNER SUBJECT: MEETING OF JULY 5, 2005 REQUEST TO INDIVIDUAllY LIST THE PROPERTY lOCATED AT 212 SEABREEZE AVENUE (NORTH END OF SEABREEZE AVENUE) TO THE lOCAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES. I .------ -' ---- ._- -- -- --- .- -- --. .-. .- ..- - - -- .- I BACKGROUND I ANALYSIS The Sewell C. Biggs House (212 Seabreeze Avenue) was originally owned by Sewell C. Biggs, a person important in preserving, conserving, and promoting American fine and decorative arts. The style of the home is a design unique to Delray Beach and is the artistic work of an architect who was a leader In the 20th-century American design field. It is also the only Paul Rudolph designed building in Delray Beach (although Rudolph designed many Florida homes and bUildings) and is representative of 20th-century regional modernism tailored for the Florida environment. Further, the house is an example of the skill of the Sinks construction firm which built some of the best surviving historic buildings in Delray Beach. Designating this site as historic will help preserve the character of the extant historic dwelling and will promote the preservation of other surrounding historic properties. To qualify as a historic site the property must fulfill one or more of the criteria set forth in the Land Development Regulations, Sections 4.5.1 (B)(2) and/or (3) The residence at 212 Seabreeze Avenue is being considered for listing in the Local Register of Historic Places as it fulfills four of the criteria. It is associated in a significant way with the life or activities of a major person important in city, state, or national history [LOR Section 4.5.1 (B)(2)(a)]; it embodies those distinguishing characteristics of an architectural style, period, or method of construction [LDR Section 4.5. 1 (B)(3)(b)]; it is a historic or outstanding work of a prominent architect, designer, landscape architect, or builder [LOR Section 4.5.1 (B)(3)(c)]; and, it contains elements of design, detail, material, or craftsmanship of outstanding quality or which represented, in its time, a significant innovation or adaptation to the South Florida environment [LDR Section 4.5.1 (B)(3)(d)]. Additional information concerning the proposed individual designation can be found in the attached Designation Report. I . I HISTORIC PRESERVATION BOARD CONSIDERATION At its meeting of May 4, 2005, the Historic Preservation Board (HPB) conducted a formal review of the designation report and set a public hearing date for the designation of the subject property for May 18, 2005. However, as the applicant did not submit the required names and addresses of property owners within a 500' radius of the property to meet that deadline, the public hearing was held on June 15, 2005, when the HPB voted unanimously (7-0) to forward a recommendation of approval to the City Commission to list the Sewell C Biggs House (212 Seabreeze Avenue) in the Local Register of Historic Places. , RECOMMENDATION I Move approval on first reading of Ordinance No. 50-05 that the residence and associated property at 212 Seabreeze Avenue (The Sewell C. Biggs House) be listed in the Local Register of Historic Places, by adopting the findings of fact and law contained in the staff report, and finding that the request and approval thereof is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan and Sections 4.5.1 (B) and 4.5.1 (C) of the Land Development Regulations. Attachments: Ordmance No. 50-05 and DesignatIOn Report \~A -- ORDINANCE NO. 50-05 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF DELRAY BEACH, FLORIDA, DESIGNATING THE SEWELL C. BIGGS HOUSE, LOCATED AT 212 SEABREEZE AVENUE, AS MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED HEREIN, AS A LOCAL HISTORIC SITE; PROVIDING FOR THE AMENDMENT OF THE "ZONING MAP OF DELRAY BEACH, FLORIDA, APRIL 2005"; PROVIDING A GENERAL REPEALER CLAUSE, A SAVING CLAUSE, AND AN EFFECTIVE DATE. WHEREAS, Section 4.5.1 of the Land Development Regulations of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Delray Beach provides for the designation and protection of historic sites; and WHEREAS, Erskine H. Courtenay and Virginia W. Courtenay, as property owners, have nominated the property described herein to be designated as a local historic site; and WHEREAS, the Historic Preservation Board of the City of Delray Beach held a duly noticed public hearing in regard to the designation of the property as a local historic site; and WHEREAS, on June 15, 2005, the Historic Board of the City of Delray Beach recommended 7 to 0 that the property described herein be designated a local historic site; and WHEREAS, the City Commission of the City of Delray Beach adopts the findings in the Planning and Zoning Staff Report; and WHEREAS, the City Commission of the City of Delray Beach finds the ordinance is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan; and WHEREAS, the City Commission of the City of Delray Beach has conducted a duly noticed public hearing in regard to the designation of the property described herein as a local historic site. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF DELRA Y BEACH, FLORIDA, AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. That the recitations set forth above are incorporated herein. Section 2. That the following described property in the City of Delray Beach, Florida, is hereby designated as a local historic site in accordance with and under the provisions of Section 4.5.1 of the Land Development Regulations of the City of Delray Beach, Florida, to-wit: Lot 21 and the West 35 feet of Lot 22, Delray Beach Esplanade, according to the plat thereof, as recorded in Plat Book 18, Page 39, Public Records of Palm Beach County, Florida. Section 3. That the Planning Director of said City shalt, upon the effective date of this ordinance, amend the zoning Map of the City of Delray Beach, Florida, to show the historic designation, in an overlay manner. Section 4. That all ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict herewith be, and the same are hereby repealed. Section 5. That should any section or provision of this ordinance or any portion thereof, any paragraph, sentence, or word be declared by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remainder hereof as a whole or part thereof other than the part declared to be invalid. Section 6. That this ordinance shall become effective immediately upon passage on second and final reading. PASSED AND ADOPTED in regular session on second and final reading on this the day of ,200_. ATTEST MAYOR City Clerk First Reading Second Reading 2 ORD NO. 50-05 ~.- ,.---,,---J II I i I I I ( I ; 'I !---iw I I == -~ -~ ' i ill i i I J~ I _ - - - - ~ ['<;' ANn DRIVE « ---- --' I - ----- --- 1 ¡II I -- _ ___ __ ___ '" :;! I I f--- - __ ~_ _ _ liJi >--- =-~--- t.. .-r(' II ~--~ --1----- ~__ ~: : ! ; I ~""- _ z ': I;' Cz:: , -- --- - S: ~ I; ¡ ~ i -_ _~ I ,,; i : I « I ~ ~4TII=. ST r' ~ BELICH DR!VE ; IX I I 'I' !'! 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BIGGS HOUSE CITY OF DELRAY 8E~CH FL 212 SEABREEZE AVENUE PLANNING & ZONING DEPARTMENT _. DIGITAL BASE MAP Sr'5T£M -- MAP REF LMBJJ Designation Report Historic Preservation Board Delray Beach, Florida The Sewell C. Biggs House 1 Table of Contents I. GENERAL INFORMATION II. LOCATION MAP III. NOT APPLICABLE IV. HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE V. ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE VI. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE VII. BIBLIOGRAPHY AND SOURCES VIII. ATTACHMENTS Report Prepared By: Dorothy W. Patterson 1206 NE Second Avenue Delray Beach, FL 33444 (561) 278-2191 (home) 274-9578 (Archives) 717-3425 (cell) E-mail summerpatt@earthlink.net Date of Report: April 20, 2005 Name of Owners: Erskine H. and Virginia W. Courtenay 212 Seabreeze Avenue Delray Beach, Florida 33483 2 I. General Information Address The Sewell C. Biggs House, named for its original owner, is located at 212 Seabreeze Avenue within the city limits of Delray Beach, Florida. Legal Description Lot 21 and the west 35 feet of Lot 22, Delray Beach Esplanade, according to the plat thereof, as recorded in Plat Book 18, page 39, Public Records of Palm Beach County, Florida. Location Lots 21 and 22 are at the end of Seabreeze Avenue. A driveway at this point leads to the front entrance of the Courtenay home. The lots are bounded by Lot 26 of Ocean Breeze Estates on the south and Vista Del Mar Drive South on the north. At the time of construction in 1955 the front entrance faced Vista Del Mar Drive South. This area is on the barrier island between the Intra-coastal Waterway and the Atlantic Ocean. Zoning Single Family Residential Classification for Designation We believe that the Sewell C. Biggs House, designed by esteemed mid- century modern architect, Paul Rudolph, meets the criteria for both architectural and cultural significance for the reasons described in the following pages of the report. 3 II. Location Map To be provided by City of Delray Beach. III District Inventory Not applicable 4 IV. Historical and Cultural Significance Before 1895 the lots where the Sewell C. Biggs House is located were part of a semitropical wilderness between the coastal ridge and a swampy morass. Less than two blocks away from the lots the coastal ridge begins. The first construction known in the area was the Orange Grove House of Refuge built by the U.S. Life Saving Service (precursor to the Coast Guard) in 1876. The former site of the House of Refuge is a short walk from the Briggs House. The Refuge keeper's son, Charles Pierce, described the land around the Refuge House as follows: The house... was built on a broad flat that ran back from the open sand beach to the higher ridge behind the house.. .At the Orange Grove it was covered with a thick growth of saw palmetto. The flat was covered with sea oats and scattered bunches of stunted seagrape and cocoplum. This flat extended north two and one-half miles and ended at the caves; to the south it stretched for nearly four miles... To the west, commencing at the foot of the palmetto-covered ridge, was a deep swamp of tall sawgrass with numerous small channels turning about its eastern side. The morass was about half a mile wide and extended from Lake Worth to Boca Raton; west of it were pinewoods reaching back as far as one could see." The Pierce family encountered deer, bear and heard panthers screaming in the night. They killed the bears for food. After settlement by Americans of European descent began, the area was used for farming such crops as strawberries, pineapples, mangoes and tomatoes. Beginning with the mid-1920's Florida Real Estate Boom, the land became more valuable for residential housing. Or as Adolf Hofman said in one of his letters home to Germany, "Since Delray is growing and the lots fetch colossal prices, I will divide my land between canal and railroad into lots." One of first the farmers in the area, Adolf Hofman developed the Ocean Breeze Estates subdivision adjoining Delray Beach Esplanade, in 1937. Local attorney Ernest Simon recalls that in the late 1930's and early 1940's when he was delivering the De/ray Beach News on his bicycle, there were only a few houses in the area. Delray Beach Esplanade, the subdivision where the Briggs House is located, was platted in 1938 by H. H. and Charlotte Wellen brink and Williard and Billie Waters. The Waters were 5 well-known in Delray Beach. Wiiiard Waters was a building contractor who had graduated from Delray High School. His family lived at 222 N. Ocean and farmed land on the barrier island in the early years of the 20th century. Waters was also active in city politics and civic clubs. After World War II, building in the neighborhood began in earnest. Tom Woolbright, who went into the building business for himself in 1949,recalls spending the 1947 hurricane in a house in the neighborhood. He said the area was pretty well built up by then and that Willard Waters built many of the houses. Mr. Woolbright remembers that H.H. Wellenbrink was "the money man" who paid for improvements such as building roads, filling land, and paying engineering fees for the plat. Roy Simon, native of Delray Beach, was an apprentice architect in the 1950s for local architect, Ken Jacobson. He recalls that Vista del Mar (Delray Beach Esplanade) was fairly built up by then. After he saw the Paul Rudolph designed house under construction, he and other architects were enthusiastic about the chance of designing contemporary housing. However, he said, "I seemed to keep drawing nice cottages." There were many important clients for houses in the neighborhood such as CEO's of nationally known corporations, famous professional golfers and prominent Delray Beach citizens. The clients loved the smallness and "laid-back" atmosphere of Delray Beach. But evidently they did not have the artistic sensibilities of Sewell C. Biggs and did not request avant garde contemporary designs. James Sinks, a local building contractor, constructed architect Paul Rudolph's design. According to Ernie Simon, Sinks had a reputation for being a "good builder." Jim Sinks father, Irwin J. Sinks, was also a builder originally from Champaign, Illinois. During World War I he went to work for the U.S. Government and was sent to Charleston, S.C. to build soldiers' barracks. In Charleston he roomed with Fred J. Schrader from Delray Beach. Schrader was the first builder in Delray with architectural training. He came to town in 1911 and built the town's first jail, the Cromer Block on Atlantic Avenue and the original part of the Presbyterian Church on Gleason Street. Schrader encouraged Sinks to come to Delray. In 1922 after another assignment in Miami, the Sinks family moved to Delray. The Sinks, father and son, quintessential Delray builders of their time, had a long record of building in Delray Beach. The elder Sinks built many of the structures on or near Atlantic Avenue such as the Masonic Building, the 1926 6 High School, the Wuepper Building, the Casa del Ray Hotel, and the Arcade Building. Jim built the Atha Building which replaced the Cromer Building. Laura Sinks Britt said in her book, My Gold Coast, "My father had become a builder of more structures on Atlantic Avenue than any other one contractor and Jim added his score." Today some of the "nice cottages," which fit gently into subdivision-sized lots on the short winding streets of the neighborhood, are being torn down to make way for large estate style homes. At present we do not know the exact circumstances of how Sewell C. Biggs came to build a house in Delray Beach and chose Paul Rudolph as his architect. He has been described as "enigmatic" and not easy to know. A biography of his life is in the process at this time. The curator at the Sewell C. Biggs Museum in Dover, Delaware, said Biggs owned the house about six years. The Delray Beach City Directory lists him as the owner at the address for about nine years. Randy Grover, the curator, was asked to present a retrospective of Biggs life to the museum board when Mr. Biggs died suddenly in 2003 at age 88. Grover said he felt that the story of the house in Delray Beach was a high point of his presentation. The reason for this was that Biggs was known for his collection of 18th and 19th century American art. The house signaled the beginning of a turn toward the 20th century. In fact Sewell Bigg's vision was for his collection to cover the entire range of American art. Sewell C. Biggs, a northern Delaware native, graduated from the University of Delaware in 1938. He also attended the University of Virginia Law School and studied architecture at Harvard, Oxford, and Cambridge Universities. In 1937 he took a trip around the world that had an enduring impact on the rest of his life. After the trip he was interested in international exchange and began to sponsor foreign students for one-year scholarships at the University of Delaware. A serious collector of art, he was also involved in historical preservation and art conservation. Biggs collection of American fine and decorative art has been described as "elegant, wonderful, pristine, remarkable, impressive, and an incredible journey ranging from Colonial portraiture to the Hudson River SchooL" With his vision and eye for quality, Biggs spent most of his life on his American art collection. In 1998 the Biggs Museum of American Art opened in Dover to house his collection which includes Delaware and 7 Delaware Valley fine and decorative arts. The 14 galleries of the museum contain a collection which covers more than 200 years of American fine art and decorative art gems. That same year Biggs established the Sewell C. Biggs Chair in American Art History at the University of Delaware. The title of an exhibit at the Biggs Museum of American Art says it best --"Artful Living: The Legacy of Sewell C. Biggs." Mr. Biggs sold his house at 212 Sea breeze about 1970 to a New York lawyer and his wife, Richard and Alice McAvoy. Evidently the McAvoy's did not have much time in the house because a Webb Brothers Real Estate information sheet is headed Estate of Richard McAvoy. (See attachments) Reference NO.2 on the sheet cites a merit award, medium house class (600-2800 sq. ft.), given in June 1959 by House & Home,-an architecture magazine. The fourth and present owners of the house, Virginia and Erskine Courtenay, bought the house in 1973. Well-known Delray Beach Realtor, Pat Patterson, showed the house. Before becoming a real estate salesman for Ben Adam's Realty, Patterson was known for his pharmacy, his photography, and his volunteer work as a ham radio operator during World War II. Virginia Courtenay says that she "fell in love with the light, being up in the trees, and the architecture. She already greatly admired the work of Paul Rudolph. Mrs. Courtenay's grandfather was a builder in Chicago. She attended the Art Institute of Chicago and has owned an interior design business in Delray Beach for more than 25 years. Erskine Courtenay agreed to the purchase because Virginia loved the house, and he loved her. Paul Rudolph has been sometimes criticized for elevating style at the expense of function and some changes had to be made for practical living. Mr. And Mrs. Courtenay have always wanted and have strived to keep the house as close to the original design as possible. Sensitivity to the original design while making changes has always been an important aspect of planning. In addition Rudolph's Florida houses had been designed just prior to the time when air-conditioning became a standard feature of south Florida homes. Some of the innovative design features meant to ameliorate the Florida climate worked against the efficiency of air-conditioning. For example, in the back of the house paneling was installed over the aluminum louver windows because the strength of the wind blowing against the louvers had been a problem at times, and after air-conditioning was installed, the problems continued. The windows in the front of the original part of the 8 house look the same even though they have been replaced. Paul Rudolph drew a plan for an addition and approved the changes to the house in 1980. (See attachments). However, Rudolph was not aware of the need to raise the house 4 feet because of a new law which dictated that the house must be 7.5 feet above mean sea level. (Flooding of the lot during the rainy season had occurred at times after original construction in 1955.) Local architect Bob Currie was then hired to plan lifting the house and the addition in 1980-81. The interior of the addition matches the interior of the original house. The original hedges, trees and landscaping remain the same. (See attachments) 9 v. Architectural Significance The architect of the Sewell C. Bigg House in Delray Beach, Paul Rudolph (1918-1997), was an important influence on American modernism in the mid-twentieth century. He was a Kentucky native and son of a Methodist minister. According to C. Ford Peatross, curator of Architecture, Design and Engineering at the Library of Congress, Rudolph drew on many influences for his Florida work. He was open to new and experimental methods of construction-- stretching structural possibilities of materials to their limit's while celebrating their static and aesthetic possibilities, spatial richness, complexity and inter-relationship of the interiors and exteriors... of his buildings, their site, their natural surroundings and their climate. His appreciation of these qualities in both modern architecture and in the vernacular buildings of his native South had been fostered by E. Walter Burkhardt under whom he studied architecture at Auburn University (then Alabama Polytechnic Institute). Burkhart recommended his student to Walter Gropius who was instrumental in Rudolph's admission to Harvard Graduate School of Design. Burkhart was one of the most energetic and enlightened directors of the Historic American Building Survey, now one of the most frequently consulted collections in the Library of Congress. Mr. Peatross wrote the preface to Paul Rudolph, The Florida Houses. He is well-acquainted with Rudolph's work because the architect bequeathed his professional papers and drawings to the Library and funded the Center of Architecture, Design and Engineering there. Peatross' accolades include the statement: "Paul Rudolph was a profound influence of the second half of the 20th century and a model of rare integrity who is being rediscovered by a new generation." His assessment of Rudolph's Florida buildings is that the "innovative, adventurous and elegant Florida buildings launched Rudolph's career." petross further finds in working with drawings of many famous architects in the Library of Congress Collections that "with the exception of Wright; however, I have found none of their graphic works to be as consistently daring, stimulating, accomplished, and often beautiful as those of Paul Rudolph's drawings. His drawings convey his restless intellectual curiosity, his prodigious spatial imagination and, in Phillip Johnson's words, the 'speed of his mind'...Collectively, they represent a treasure chest of 10 Wright; however, I have found none of their graphic works to be as consistently daring, stimulating, accomplished, and often beautiful as those of Paul Rudolph's drawings. His drawings convey his restless intellectual curiosity, his prodigious spatial imagination and, in Phillip Johnson's words, the 'speed of his mind'...Collectively, they represent a treasure chest of lessons, ideas, and possibilities that will speak to and inspire generations to come. " Christopher Domin and Joseph King, authors of Paul Rudolph, The Florida Houses, visited the present owners in Delray Beach. The Courtenays are listed in the Acknowledgments on page 13. The Sewell C. Biggs House is featured in the "Independent Practice" section on page 183 where the house is compared to the "award-winning Cohen House...(1953-1955)" on Siesta Key. The authors' opening statement is: "While coming of age as architects along the west coast of Florida in a landscape increasingly homogenized by air-conditioning and prolific land development, Paul Rudolph's architecture stood alone in our eyes as a rigorous counter-argument." Domin and King met in the graduate program at the Georgia Institute of Technology. After discovering their shared interest in Rudolph's work, they made their avocation the searching out of buildings designed by Rudolph across the state of Florida. The authors' conclude that "Rudolph's early work in Florida over a 20-year period was a necessary testing round for a multi-layered design methodology of a complex career. The fact that the architect's work was widely publicized at the time played a significant role in national recognition of Rudolph's work. The Florida houses are an accessible entry into a formidable career. His work is a compelling example of regionally inspired modernism. The beautiful photographs are seen today in a bittersweet light as we are now all too aware of what happens when a vastly enlarged population of affluent Americans descends on all too few miles of pristine beaches." The Delray Beach Historical Society featured the Sewell C. Biggs House as one of the components in its "The Art of Architecture in South Florida" exhibit in 1989. One of the displays described how orientation, sun, heat and ventilation were addressed by the design. (See attachments) 11 VI. Statement of Significance The owners, Esrkine H. & Virginia W. Courtenay, wish to nominate their property for the following reason: "After living in it since 1973, are very much like those of the original owner, Mr. Sewell C. Biggs. It has maintained its sense of elegance in its simplicity and its feeling of "dateless" architecture which stands the test of time. In 1981 we raised the original house four feet to add a lower floor which now houses a library, guest bedroom and laundry room. This was accomplished with the collaboration of local architect, Robert Currie, who was interested in the house for its historical importance." The style of the home is a design, unique to the neighborhood and to Delray Beach, of the artistic work of an architect who was a leader in 20th century American design field. It is the only Paul Rudolph designed building in Delray Beach although Rudolph designed many Florida homes and buildings. It is representative of 20th century regional modernism tailored for the Florida environment. Further the house is an example of the skill of the Sinks construction firm which built some of the best surviving buildings in Delray Beach. Other reasons for designation are that respect shown for the characteristics of our property will draw attention to the need for preservation in Delray Beach's older neighborhoods; the hope that local designation will afford some protection for the house in the future,and to set an example in a neighborhood being pressured by demolitions. In summary the Sewell C. Biggs House is associated with an original owner who was important in preserving, conserving and promoting American fine and decorative arts. His collection spans the more than 200 years that the United States has existed as a country. The property has been followed under Historical and Cultural Significance in this Designation Report throughout the entire history of Delray Beach after 1876. Further it reflects social and economic trends in the community and is indicative of the winter colony of artistic and socially prominent people which has existed in Delray Beach since the 1920's. Since the house at 212 Sea breeze fits comfortably into the history of Delray Beach, and the original owner proved to have the "vision and eye for quality" of a major American art collector, there seems no doubt that the house at 212 Sea breeze has historical and cultural significance. 12 The design of the house portrays a significant example of the modernism which swept through the state in the years after World War II and embodies the characteristics of mid-century modernism and innovative uses of new materials. It is an example of the work of a leading American architect whose testing round was Florida. The design is both a significant innovation and adaptation to the South Florida environment. 13 VII. Bibliography & Sources Britt, Laura Sinks, My Gold Coast. Palatka, Florida: Brittany House Publishers, 1984. Delray Beach Historical Society Archives. Delray Beach City Directories, 1953-54, 1955, 1957,1961,1963,1966, 1973, 1976,1979, Miller, Polk, Price &. Lee. Domin, Christopher & King, Joseph. Paul Rudolph, The Florida Houses. New York, New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2002. Hofman, Charles, Letters from Linton. Hollywood, Florida: Legacy Press, 2004. Palm Beach County Records, Palm Beach County Courthouse, West Palm Beach, Florida. Pierce, Charles W., Pioneer Life in Southeast Florida. Ed. Donald Walter Curl. Coral Gables: University of Miami Press, 1970. Interviews: April, 2005 Erskine H. and Virginia W. Courtenay, property owners. Randolph Grover, Curator, Biggs Museum of American Art Roy Simon, Architect, Delray Beach native Ernest Simon, Attorney, Delray Beach native Tom Woolbright, retired builder, Delray Beach native 14 Attachments 1. Photographs Attachments 1 through 9 2. Survey, house plans Attachments 10 through 13 3. Chain of Title/City Directories Attachment 14 through 15 4. Webb Brothers Info. Sheet Attachment 16 5. Art of Architecture Attachments 17 through 25 DBHS Exhibit 15 Attachment Delray Beach City Directory listings for 130 S. Vista Del Mar Dr. And 212 Seabreeze. 1953-1954- no listing (widow of John E. Biggs, Jr, Cary H., was living in GS) 1955-Biggs Sewell C. -no occupation listed- 130 S. Vista Del Mar Dr. 1957-same listing 1961-same address 1963-street address changes to 212 Seabreeze ( Vista del Mar re-numbered) Biggs listed rem to Delaware 1966 listed with rem to Delaware 1970-no listing for S.C. Biggs (Frank E & Dorothy J.Biggs-- listed in Highland Beach) Richard McAvoy & Alice C. listed at 212 Seabreeze-- occupation given as lawyer (NY) 1973 212 Sea breeze is fisted as vacant 1976- Courtenay, EH. & Virginia W., listed at 212 Seabreeze Ave. EH emp. Sterry Real Estate, Virginia- emp.. R. R. Robinson antiques 1979- Courtenay, Erskine H (Virginia W) assoc DeMarco & Sons Realty, Inc. h 212 Seabreeze av Virginia Interiors, Virginia W. Courtenay pres 706 E. Atlantic av, etc. ~~ rY\ en +- 16 RUDOLPH HOUSE TIME LINE De1ray Beach Esplanade subdiviSion Lot 21 & West 35 feet of Lot 22 (Unless ooted otherwise) 212 Seabreeze Ave., Delray Beach. FL 33483-7022 XMB DAD Jnm: CONSID- REFERENCE SELLER .Illin!! ERATlON· PBC CTBSE 1938 24 Ian Esplanade subdiVIsion established, bounded by IntracoastaI Waterway on the East, Vista Del Mar Drive on the North, AndJeWs Avenue on the East and Ocean Breeze Estates on the South.. . OWNERS: Charlotte M. WELLENBRINK & husband H.W. WELLENBRINK & Willard M. WATERS & wife Willie E WATERS Plat bk 18, page 39 1941 18 Apr Charlotte M WELLENBRINK George C MARSTED $100.00 DEEDS BK 627, P389 1945 20 Mar George C. MARSTED Stanley M. BABSON $100.00 DEEDS BK713, P546 1952 22 Apr Florine E. GRIER, widow Marie R. Mc COLLON $10.00 DEEDS BK984, P69 E 30' Lot 19, all 20. all 21 & W 35' Lot 22 \955 l3 ApT Marie R. McCOLLOM, widow Sewell C. BIGGS, single $\0.00 DEEDS BK1089, P463& of Middletown, Delaware 1956 House built, 2 stories, 2938 total square feet with 2600 under air OFFlCW. RECORDS BK2129, PRIO& 1963 22 Nov Sewell C. BIGGS, single Richard McAVOY $10 00 OFFICIAL RECORDS of New Castle County, Delaware of New Y od: City BK939, P379& 1971 I Aug Altce C McAVOY, exeeutnx. Arno W. McGRAW & OFFICIAL RECORDS estate of Richard MeA VO Y wife, Helen C. $67 50 BKI92I, PR05& of Boca Raton, Florida 1973 I Mar Amo W Mc GRA W & wife Helen C Erskine H. COURTENAY Ir $53,000 price OFFICIAL RECORDS & wlfe, Virgmia W $159.00 BK2129, PRIO& of Goshen, Kentucky · CONSIDERATION: Usually contains amount of document stamps paid the county or sales price, where ooted Document stamp rates Before 1957-$11$1,000 of price. July 1, 1963-$3/$1,000. Oct. I, 1979--$41$1,000 & Pbo1ocopied and attached Reso«eher: Rjçbard F. Robinson Legacy Sçribe, LLC, Boynton Beach, Florida 561.742.2150 19 April 2005 ~ , \ II \ . . I . . t J i ~ \ / I I ' I f J J ". - ,'I .. - ":'" '~-~-:-'~ ,. -- ~...J --",-.","~ " I J }.~'V,J"""~ " .-. ! -,.r -.~ VV"""'. -. -,.r. . ç"'~"""" . ',1~~~"""",11" 'I.~n. \r~l1J... )'"...............\ "',,",0"" .... A f'"p~ r1 V' ...'" \,. ... ......:-.".. ,.~r!. Ar \f'J'\.I'\r"', ¡'t} '~ " ," \. . . . ' ~ "7 r"""'.t.......... '1 , "') AH-vc.hrreN -\- I Drv.W\·N~ b:J Paul Rudolph Û:::>p \ ed Y"Oífl ~ "Po.u. \ '"Kudo\ p\-<Toe- FLoY\ do. A~5 i' A~hmeN-t- 2- pho-t-oJ'f"O.ÿ>h \C\S6 -.5~ Capl..) 0 ç- £: ~,o... £.\-0 \ \e r PhO+ð¥o.~ n ç.,-C)O'"\ '" t=b. u. \ W \ ?h;\\\€. ç:lOt\dG\. ------ - - - - --- -- ------- ---- ~ e e , .:.>, ""~\ .' ~f1 , ~ ~. - .. .. .. . . .. . . . . ","' ..... - - .. " .~:;;.--~ c, . ~~-- ~ -==.... """\-- - --, ~~~ " ~. 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'} b l ~-_..........------ - -. ----- -- - - n ~,,-_..""",-~___.., ~ ~ _~__~ ~~-~-~--~-------~~-""-~- ~- -,------ - -- -- - (J) , , -- . . 100LÁTE:0 HEAT GENERATING ARCA0 0UCH "-0 KITúHE:~0 AND LAUNDRIE0 FRON LIVING 0FACE0. \ e ) ~ ~ ~ / i , ! --~ / ------- / /'/ /' /' ---------- DE0fGf'-JED FOR MAYIHUH VENllLATI~ OVr..tzl UNr7r~ ~rJ lHROUbH THE HOMr:.. i f ------- L~-C (, CCt-VClOJtVJ¿ (J6~ Q(Ò- 6 24 Friday, July 8, 2005 - Boca RatonlDelray Beach News . www.bocanews.com --- 100 f--\---Q!Ð- LEGAL NOTICES I LEGAL NOTICES HI:::HI:IN. AS A L{Jl;AL HISI UHIt; 511 t:... Pursuanllo F.s 2B6 01 05 PROVIDING FOR THE AMENDMENT OF THE 'ZONING MAP OF DELRAY CITY OF DELRAY BEACH BEACH, FLORIDA, APRIL 2005" . PRD- Chevelle 0 Nubm VIDING A GENERAl REPEAlER CilyClerk CLAUSE, A SAVING ClAUSE, ANO AN EfF£CTIVE DAlE PUBLISH Fnday, July B, 2005 ORDlHANCI' NO 51-115 Boca RatonlDelray Beach News 100 Ad 1123049 AN ORDINAOCE OF THE CITY COM- ANNOUNCEMENTS MISSION OF THE CITY OF OElRAY --- ~ BEACH, flORIDA, AMENDING ARl1- 100 cu: 6.3, "USE AND WORK IN THE PUBLIC RIGHH)F-W!\Y" TO ADO LEGAL NOTICES "SIDEWALK GAFF TO THE TillE AND AMENDING SECTION 63 3, "SIDE- WAlKCAFE"OFTHELANDDEVELOP-1 çrn OF IlUJlAI' IIUIiI\ RIJIIIIIA MENT REGULATIONS, TO PROVIDE FOR A ~ OEANmON OF SlDE- _OFPWUC_ WAlK AND BY AMENDING , A PUBLIC HEMING will be hetd 00 the gÕ~~:CfR~~~,F~~~~ ! =~~~~ SECTION 63.3..12 AND 63 3ÁJ I ADDING STANO OS FOR DENI l. atOlri~ofsuch~ SUSPEHSIDN, REVOCATION, OR ~~~di~~ ~~rfo-lhí:O g~~rG c;ru~ I ~":'~~ ENfORCEMENT BOARD, PROVIDING A SAVING CLAUSE, A GENERAl consider _ adoption The JI1JXJ5ed REPEAlER ClAUSE, AND AN EFÆC- onItnanœs may be nspedEd at 1I1e T1VE OAlE Office of the Cdy Clerk at CIty Hal, 100 ~W~~ue~B~Ìn~ DRDlIIAHCE NO 52-115 500 pm, Monday 1I1rough FIiday, :~~rJFCm,Eciion;iE~ I except holidays (oM _ partIeS are IIIViœd to attend and be _ _ BEACH, flORIDA. AMENOING CHAP- i respect to the proposed onfinanœs TEA 35, "EMPlOYEE POLICIES AND BENEATS", SUBHEADING "RETlRE- OftIllllANCE NO_ 4!HI5 MENT PlAN", OF THE CODE OF ORDI- ' AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COM- NANCES OF THE CITY OF DElRAY BEACH, flORIDA, BY AMENDING MISSION OF THE CIlY OF DELRAY SECTION 35097, "RETIREMENT BEACH, - FlORIDA, AMENDING THE INCOME, BASIS, AMOUNT. AND PAY- LAND DEVElOPMENT REGUlATIONS MfNT", TO PROVIDE A CORRECTION OF THE CODE OF OftDlNAOCES, BY TO THE lETTERING CHANGING THE AMENDING SECTION 2 4 3~ WhJ~ ~~::tJ~~ "ÆES", SUBSECTION ~ 1, "DEVElOPMENT APPUCA , AND TO ENSURE THAT FORMER SEC- I PROVIDE FOR AN INCREASE IN THE l10N "C" IS IN RJtL FORCE AND DEVElOPMENT APPLICA110N ÆES, EFFECT, PROVIDING A GENERAL PROVIDING A SAVING ClAUSE, A REPEAlER ClAUSE, A VALIDITY GENERAl REPEALER ClAUSE, AND CLAUSE, AND AN EfF£CTIVE DATE AN EFfEC1lV1: DATE Please be advised tI1a1 d a pelSOll OROIIIA/ICE NO_ 5IHI5 _ to appeal aIr1 _ made PH ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COM- ~the~::='~~~ MISSION OF THE CITY OF DELRAY _ such person may need to ensure BEACH, FlORIDA, DESIGNA11NG THE lhataverbabmrecord mcIudes 1helBs- SEWEll C BIGGS HOUSE, LOCAlED tJmony and 0V1deI1œ upon .¡fllch the AT 212 SEABREEZE AVENUE, AS ~ IS to be based The C~ MORE PAIUlCUlARIoII'.DESCAlBiDk( "~e'nðt njþaI!!!uOl rII "I -~-