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Ord 2050 - Designating 55 Hernandez Avenue as historically and culturally significantORDINANCE 2050 ORDINANCE OF THE TOWN OF LOS GATOS DESIGNATING 55 HERNANDEZ AVENUE AS HISTORICALLY AND CULTURALLY SIGNIFICANT THE TOWN COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF LOS GATOS DOES ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS: SECTION I The following site is hereby designated historically and culturally significant: HD -98 -1 55 Hernandez Avenue A detailed description of the designated site, the characteristics which justify designation, and a map showing the location and delineation of the historic site, are part of this ordinance. SECTION II The property listed is designated to be of historic, architectural, or aesthetic significance for the reasons listed•below: A. Property: 55 Hernandez Avenue B. Historic Designation No.: HD -98 -1 C. Description of Designation: 55 Hernandez Avenue D. Description or Characteristics which justify Designation: Alfred Malpas, manager of the Los Gatos Wine & Fruit Company, built this three story 4,997 square foot Queen Anne house in 1887. Malpas, a native easterner, was one of the west valley's leading fruit ranchers and a "charter citizen" of Los Gatos (being that he met all of the Town provisions in the original Town charter when Los Gatos was incorporated in 1887). Malpas, in conjunction with Beecher Cosgrove, was also a one time owner of the Lyndon Hotel in approximately 1900. Between the time the house was built and 1996, the house had five owners. One of the owners was Charles MacAbee who invented the gopher trap which is still being manufactured in the historic MacAbee house on Loma Alta Avenue. MacAbee sold the house to Reverend Lawrence and Katherine Taylor in 1947. The Taylor family owned the house from 1947 to 1996. The house is set farther back from the street than most of the houses in the neighborhood and is surrounded by many large trees which gives it a "nestled" look. The house is noted for its decorative facade and stained glass windows. When constructed, the house had 54 doors, 14 rooms (exclusive of two bathrooms) and a basement. The two bathroom's, one upstairs and one downstairs, piped in hot and cold water and gas heating (manufactured from gasoline by Malpas) throughout the house. During the time that Malpas lived in the house (1887 to 1904), he hand - painted the ceilings and put in a white oak staircase, both features which are still part of the house. The house was nearly destroyed by the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake when its seven foot tall sandstone foundation crumbled, which resulted in the house falling seven feet and two inches into its own basement. Financial help to restore the home was received by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, California Family grants, the American Red Cross, the Town of Los Gatos, and the State of California disaster assistance funds. Restoration work was done by contractor Tim Lantz, one and one half years after the earthquake. Restoration began in November of 1990 and was finished in April of 1996. Lantz painstakingly returned the house to its original condition. Lantz's efforts were aided by the fact that few changes had been made to the house over the years and that the history of the house was well documented. Lantz received the grand prize award of the 1993 Great American Home Award from the National Trust of Historic Preservation and the California Preservation Foundation 1994 Preservation Design Award both for an extraordinary earthquake recovery of the Malpas house. E. Description of Particular Features that Should be Preserved in Addition to those covered under Section 29.80.260 of the Town Code: None SECTION III This Ordinance was introduced at a regular meeting of the Town Council of the Town of Los Gatos on September 21, 1998, and adopted by the following vote as an ordinance of the Town of Los Gatos at a meeting of the Town Council of the Town of Los Gatos on October 5, 1998. This ordinance takes effect 30 days after it is adopted. COUNCIL MEMBERS: AYES: Randy Attaway, Joanne Benjamin, Steven Blanton, Jan Hutchins, Mayor Linda Lubeck NAYS: None ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: None SIGNED: Lam-✓ MAYOR OF THE TOWN OF LOS GATOS LOS GATOS, CALIFORNIA ATTEST: CLERK OF THE TOWN OF L6 GATOS LOS GATOS, CALIFORNIA