Historic Preservation

Lost City: Saving our Post-WW II Architectural Heritage

By Douglas B. Sydnor, AIA

While some important buildings have been lost, much can be accomplished by educating the general public about the architectural importance of the post-war era.

In the early 1970’s I found myself touring the Phoenix area photographing those architectural structures that appealed to me over the years of growing up in the Valley. Many of the structures had historic significance or were meaningful due to their association with a special event, a particular architect or personal experience.

Time then went by and I found myself looking at these same images a dozen years later and realized than many of the structures I had recorded had burned down, were remodeled beyond recognition or demolished for future developments. The pace at which we were losing our post-World War II architectural heritage was astounding and disturbing.

A very brief sampling of specific structures that have been lost include: 1965 Cine Capri Theater at 2323 E. Camelback Rd. and 1953 Entz White Lumber at 909 E. Camelback Rd. both by Ralph Haver; First Federal Savings by Edward L. Varney Associates at the northeast corner of 20th Street and Camelback Road; Drive Thru Bank attributed to Craig Elwood of Los Angeles at the southeast corner of Mill Avenue and University Drive in Tempe; Valley National Bank by Weaver and Drover Architects at the northwest corner of Rural Road and Apache Boulevard in Tempe; and the Guaranty Bank by John Schotanus on Camelback Road and west of Scottsdale Road in Scottsdale. One of the finest pieces lost was the 1965 ‘777 Building’ at 815 E. Camelback Rd. building by Dailey/Beadle.

The Phoenix community is relatively young by east-coast standards and tells us that with what little architectural heritage we have, we should save the more important work for future generations to benefit from and enjoy. If there is a willingness to preserve our historic architectural past, there is no doubt a way or means to do it.

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Architects have a realistic understanding at the rate with which we are transforming the valley to accommodate the inevitable growth in population, projected to double in the next 20 years. Part of our psyche thrives on the positive physical and cultural changes of their community. But all too often a property is cleared of the historic structure with the perception that it will make the property more sellable, avoid burdening the parcel with any legal encumbrances or make it more easily developed. There is a failure to understand such architectural resources in our community can be a focal element in a larger project and give it a dynamic dimension. New structures on such properties can at least be a foil for the historic aspects of the property, which can then potentially establish a healthy dialogue between the new and old

According to Deborah Abele, long time historic preservationist official, “there is this issue of relevance with post-WW II architecture into today’s society. There may not be widespread acceptance, as it may not be old enough or cute enough to save. Specific building types that we are losing are drive-in theaters, bowling alleys, mobile home parks and banks as a few examples.” They can be found in prime locations and so the development pressures can test our sensibilities as to what should be preserved.

But this doesn’t mean that buildings from this era should be kept unchanged in a bottle. Abele goes on to say “Concerning the mass-produced ranch or tract residential of this era, there is little understanding that they were intended to evolve and change over time as the family income and size grew. The open carports were staged for them to infill as the internal needs change and grow. Many are discussing and challenging these integrity questions, as the ‘purist preservationist’ would like to keep such residential subdivisions historically intact. In fact, there is new energy efficient systems, new materials and new technologies” that can be appropriate substitutions for the older materials that may not be holding up well in this harsh desert climate.

Another current debate is the possible adaptation of post-WW II residential to a more sustainable structure or subdivision. The fact that the existing historic structure might be saved and not trigger all the new energies, costs and materials for a new built structure to take its place, is a very good start at moving toward sustainability. Secondly, the appropriate substitution of more energy-efficient systems and materials can also speak directly to meeting with the spirit of local green building standards. A balance can be struck between maintaining the historic qualities and technically upgrading it to this priority.

The passage of Proposition 207 has had a negative impact on the entire local historic preservation movement, including post-WW II structures. If any private land use has its underlying use potentially devalued, whether real or perceived, the government must compensate them. Unfortunately, there appears to be no legal test in the courts any time soon to demonstrate that a historic designation would not devalue the property, but would actually increase the property value as has been demonstrated over the years. There is not likely to be any lobbying for new legislation to correct this situation, as it is too close to the recent passage of Proposition 207.

There is hope that the historic preservation movement will become a priority and encourage more contextually-sensitive infill development within the urban centers of our cities. There is great interest at developing empty parcels and revitalizing areas that have not been maintained over the years. If we salvage and stabilize our historically significant structures and neighborhoods, it will make for a much more rich and diverse community for the future.

When older cities throughout the Unites States are studied, you realize that the dynamic mix of the best of the old with the new is what gives a city life and creates a stimulating built environment. It is so important that the communities found in the valley work at preserving their Post-WW II architectural heritage, as it is most of the architectural history that we have as a young community.

It is encouraging that Don Ryden, AIA, an architect whose career has focused on historic preservation, is currently producing for the City of Phoenix a ‘Post-World War II Commercial Architecture Book’ that will highlight the top 80 structures from the 1945-1975 period. This will hopefully generate a deeper appreciation for our past modern architectural heritage and help determine our future.

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