TO: ARCHITECTURAL AND PRESERVATION COMMISSION
FROM: BRAD JOHNSON, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
DATE: JULY 23, 2025
SUBJECT:
Title
ARCHITECTURAL AND SITE PLAN REVIEW #24-A10, PROPOSED ADAPTIVE REUSE OF 251 EAST TENTH STREET AND ADDITION OF A NEW THREE-STORY BUILDING TO HOUSE THE PSYCHOLOGY AND DANCE DEPARTMENTS. APPLICANT - SCRIPPS COLLEGE
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SUMMARY
The project site is located on land bounded by North Columbia on the east, the Garrison Theater complex on the west, Tenth Street to the south and Eleventh Street to the north. It is within the more modern west campus portion of the Scripps College campus and is located just west, across North Columbia Avenue, of the historic core of the Scripps College campus.
Scripps College purchased this property from Claremont Graduate University (CGU) in 2024. The existing two-story building on the parcel, addressed as 251 East Tenth Street, was formerly used as an Art and Music Building for the Claremont Graduate University. Scripps College proposes to convert the existing building through adaptive reuse to house its Psychology Department. Further, Scripps College proposes to construct a new three-story building on the north side (rear) of the existing building to house its Dance Department. The two buildings are designed to appear cohesively as one building while maintaining independent interior floor plans as well as individual entrances.
The overall project encompasses two parcels, both owned by Scripps College. The proposed building will be situated on 251 East Tenth Street (APN: 8308-011-035), and ancillary improvements will be located on the rear side of Garrison Theater, on 231 East Tenth Street (APN: 8308-011-033). The overall project includes the following:
• Adaptive reuse including interior renovation/addition and façade upgrade of the existing building at 251 East Tenth Street to house the Psychology Department, totaling 32,525 square feet, complete with new entrance staircases, landscape features, and outdoor seating.
• Construct a new three-story, 34,476 square foot building to the rear of the existing building facing Eleventh Street to house the Dance Department. This building will include two performance studios on the ground floor, classrooms and offices on the second floor, and a large boardroom and balcony on the third floor.
• Construction of a new sidewalk along the west side of North Columbia, between Tenth and Eleventh Street, as well as along the Eleventh Street frontage of the project site. This will result in the removal of a row of bottle trees along this block, which are planned to be replaced by a smaller number of new trees between the sidewalk and the renovated/new building.
• A new utility yard, walkway, and new landscaping between the proposed new Psychology/Dance building and Garrison Theater.
• Construction of eight new parking spaces between the new Dance Department Building and Garrison Theater.
• Demolition of an exterior art yard, covered canopy (1,541 s.f.), metal support building (1,297 s.f.), and an existing 13-space parking lot at the southwest corner of Eleventh Street and Columbia, known as Lot 94.
• Relocation or demolition of 241 East. Eleventh Street - a 1925 residential structure that has been converted for office use by Scripps College.
• New landscaping throughout the project site.
The proposed project will enable reorganization of campus functions and spaces, so that larger spaces will be available for academic instructions, and that faculties will have larger offices. It will not lead to an increase in student enrollment or the hiring of new faculty.
In order to achieve a harmonious transition in architectural styles between three different parts of the Scripps College, the proposed architecture represents a measured departure from the Mediterranean architectural style of the historic campus to incorporate horizontal profile, colors and materials used on the Garrison Theater building while maintaining the Scripps white plaster walls with concrete trims, punched windows with Scripps Green frames, decorative elevator tower, laser cut guard railings for the balcony, and an arched entrance.
Pursuant to Section 16.300.030.A of the Claremont Municipal Code (“CMC”), new construction, modifications to existing development, and site changes are subject to the review and approval of the Architectural and Preservation Commission.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the Architectural and Preservation Commission:
A. Adopt A RESOLTION OF THE ARCHITECTURAL AND PRESERVATION COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF CLAREMONT, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING ARCHITECTURAL AND SITE PLAN REVIEW #24-A10, FOR THE EXPANSION AND ADAPTIVE REUSE OF 251 EAST TENTH STREET. APPLICANT - SCRIPPS COLLEGE
B. Find this item is exempt from environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
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ALTERNATIVES TO RECOMMENDATION
In addition to the staff recommendation, there are the following alternatives:
A. Continue the item for additional information or redesign of the proposal.
B. Approve the project with additional or revised conditions of approval.
C. Express the intent to deny the request, specifically identifying the design review criteria that cannot be met and continue the matter to the September 10, 2025 meeting for adoption of a denial resolution
FINANCIAL REVIEW
The costs associated with this review have been borne by Scripps College.
ANALYSIS
The proposed statement of operation (description of how the building is to be used), architectural plans, colors and materials palette, landscape plans, and site photos are attached (Attachment B through E). Site photos are included in Attachment F. An 11 by 17 inch-sized copy of these plans are available for review at the public counter in City Hall.
Background
Scripps College is proposing the adaptive reuse of an existing two-story building at 251 East Tenth Street and the addition of a new three-story building located at the north end of the existing building on a 1.57 acre site. The project site is within the west campus portion of the Scripps College campus, and is across the street from North Columbia from the historic campus. The parcel has a General Plan land use designation of Institutional and is zoned Institutional Educational (IE). All adjacent properties are also zoned IE. The nearest non-educational land use is a residential area approximately 650 feet to the west. Since Scripps College does not have a Master Plan, the proposed project is evaluated against standards in the Claremont Municipal Code.
Proposed Construction and Demolition
This project includes two components - the adaptive reuse of the existing two-story building at 251 East Tenth Street and the addition of a new three-story building located at the north end of the existing building. Architectural plans have been included with this staff report as Attachment C. Staff will discuss the proposed construction of the two buildings separately.
Adaptive Reuse of 251 East Tenth Street
The existing two-story building was built to house the CGU art department in 1981 and is defined by its brutalist style. Painted in white, this building has a modest entrance facing Tenth Street, and it has no windows along all four sides. This building has been utilized for art instructions by Claremont Graduate University; therefore, it features large art studios/workshop spaces and a courtyard dominated by blank walls in the interior for hanging artworks. To the rear of this building is an outdoor art yard, a covered canopy, and a metal support building.
Scripps College intends to repurpose this building for its Psychology Department by reorganizing large art studio spaces into offices and classrooms, converting a portion of the existing interior courtyard into a study room, landscape the interior courtyard, adding new interior and exterior windows, and creating a larger lobby. The existing building is 30,873 square feet. With the courtyard conversion and the expanded lobby, the building will gain an additional 1,652 square feet on the ground floor and will total at 32,525 square feet.
New Dance Department Building
The outdoor art yard, covered canopy, a metal support building, and a parking lot along the rear of the existing Tenth Street building will be demolished to create a pad for a new three-story Dance Department building totaling 32,476 square feet.
The first floor of the new building will feature a lobby, two large dance studios, offices, conference rooms, and locker rooms. The second floor will include open-to-below areas to the dance studios, costume lab/storage, and offices. The third floor will contain a large board room, a multi-purpose room, and a large balcony that wraps around the north and east elevations of the building facing North Columbia Avenue and Eleventh Street.
The two buildings will function independently with separate structural supports, but will be connected with a new east entrance facing North Columbia Avenue.
Demolition of 240 East Eleventh Street
The residential building at 240 East Eleventh Street will be removed from the project site to create room for a landscaped walkway and the expansion of the parking lot behind Garrison Theater. This single-story building was constructed in 1925 as a duplex. It is generally rectangular and covered by a multi-gabled roof. It was acquired by Scripps College, and converted into office use in 1998. Permit records indicate that the building has gone through multiple substantial alterations. The applicant submitted a Historic Assessment prepared by a historic preservation consultant for this building (Attachment G). The report concluded that the building is not a Cultural Resource under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) due to the following reasons:
• It is not listed on any National or State historic registry, therefore it is not a mandatory historical resource.
• It is not listed on the Claremont Register, therefore it is not a presumptive historical resource.
• It is not eligible to be listed on the Claremont Register by the Lead Agency (i.e. the City), therefore it is not a discretionary historical resource.
The determination was drawn because the building’s association with Scripps College is less than 50 years, therefore it is not significant in the context of higher education. It is also not significant in the context of residential development of Claremont during the early twentieth century because this area was never fully developed as a residential neighborhood. In addition, there are not enough residential properties with shared physical characteristics of historical associations in the area to form a potential historic district. Also, this building is not significant in the context of architecture because no records can be found about the original designer/builder. Further, research on previous residents of the house did not yield any individuals with significant contribution to history.
Although the building has no historic value, since it is structurally intact, Scripps College proposes offering it for sale and relocation first. If there is a buyer, then the structure will be relocated and preserved by the buyer. If the structure is not sold by the time grading needs to occur, the structure will then be demolished.
Development Standards
The development standards of the IE zone apply to the project location as follows in bold with proposed standards listed in (italics):
• Minimum setback from North Columbia Avenue (Private Street): 25 feet from curb face unless reduced setback is approved by the Architectural Commission - (13 feet provided)
• Minimum setback from Tenth Street (private street): 25 feet from curb face unless reduced setback is approved by the Architectural Commission - (maintaining existing 48’ setback)
• Minimum setback from Eleventh Street (private street): 25 feet from curb face unless reduced setback is approved by the Architectural Commission - (proposing 19’ setback)
• Maximum Building Height: 100 feet based on 650-foot distance to nearest boundary of I district that fronts to a residential zone - (49 feet proposed)
• Maximum lot coverage: 60% for entire campus - (37% proposed)
• Maximum floor area ration (FAR): 1:1 for entire campus (0.55:1 proposed)
Although setbacks in the IE zone are usually 25 feet from the curb, reductions are permitted for colleges with unique streetscape plans under Section 16.069.050.B of the Municipal Code, based on the characteristic of the street and the surrounding development. While the existing Tenth Street building will maintain all current setbacks, the proposed new Dance Department building does not meet said setback requirement along the North Columbia and Eleventh Streets.
Along the North Columbia Avenue frontage, the setback of the new Dance Department building ranges from 23 feet to 11 feet. This encroachment is to allow for building pop outs for dance Studio B, which abuts an enclosed small courtyard, an elevator tower, and the east entrance. Along Eleventh Street, the reduced setback is to allow for a dance studio that is large enough to support quality performance on the ground floor (Studio A), as well as the formal entrance to the Dance Department building.
The variations in building setback connect the building to the proposed new sidewalk, create visual variation and interest, and provide a scale and urban feel that is consistent with the perimeter of the Scripps College campus historic core as well as the scale and design style of the more modern west campus. The design of the new addition is intended to place a glass encased lobby close to the Eleventh Street sidewalk to build an inviting connection between the street and the building, therefore connecting the activity inside the semi-public lobby to the surrounding campus community. Reduced setbacks are typical on the Scripps College campus with the historic campus core being cloistered (surrounded by a perimeter wall). The majority of campus buildings are placed behind a wall located adjacent to the sidewalk and street. Accordingly, these buildings along North Columbia Avenue and Platt Boulevard do not meet the required building setback due to the cloistered campus design concept.
Therefore, staff believes that the proposed reduced building setback is consistent with unique campus design of Scripps College, the characteristics of the street, and surrounding development.
Architectural Design
The project site is at the juncture of three different parts of the Scripps College campus. Each part was developed in a different time period with a distinctive architectural style. The historic campus core is characterized by National register listed Spanish Colonial Revival architecture designed by Gordon Kaufmann in the 1920’s. The west campus was developed with buildings designed in the brutalist/modern styles including the Williamson Gallery and Steel Hall. To the west of the site is the mid-century modern Garrison Theater complex with modern lines and heavy use of red clay brick as an exterior material. To address its location at the transition between these various campus styles, the proposed Psychology and Dance Department building seeks to blend architectural elements, colors, and materials from surrounding buildings to accomplish a smooth transition. The proposed architecture includes a modern interpretation of Spanish details and red clay brick facades blended with contemporary lines in a variety of scales and setbacks that reflect its surroundings.
For the front elevation of the Psychology Department building fronting Tenth Street, its new look is reflective of the adjacent Glanville Library located between the project and Garrison Theater. It incorporates stacked brickwork, large storefront windows, and an added horizontal profile created by window awnings. The building is also designed to connect the street level with the historic campus core; by providing two sets of wide, inviting staircases drawing pedestrians from street level, and connecting with the staircase across the street (North Columbia Avenue) to the entrance arch of Balch Hall. For the east elevation, since it is across North Columbia Avenue from the historic Balch Hall, it will incorporate white plaster walls with concrete trims, as well as punched windows with frames painted in Scripps green. A new arched entrance that mimics the Honnold Gate Arch, Balch Hall Arch, and Denison Library Arch is also proposed along the east elevation.
As for the new Dance Department building, it includes a decorative tower, a low-pitched roof, and a large balcony on the third floor. Custom laser cut panels are utilized throughout the building as railings for the balcony and metal decorative screens. Further, it incorporates red flat clay roof as well as stucco for exterior walls. In terms of massing, the main performing studio space (Studio A) is placed at the northwest end of the project site to mimic the height and volume of Garrison Theater. To further blend in with Garrison Theater, Studio A will also carry brick detail and banding similar to the Garrison Theater. Modern elements including the use of brick veneer, large windows, and dark bronze metal awnings were also drawn from the neighboring Garrison Theater building.
Traffic and Parking
In order to analyze the possible traffic and parking impacts of the project, the applicant submitted a Transportation Impact Study prepared by Fehr & Peers, a transportation consulting firm (Attachment H). Since the project will result in relocation of existing faculty and staff from nearby overcrowded buildings and will not result in any new faculty, staff, or students, the project is anticipated to generate less than five vehicle trips during the AM and PM peak hours. Therefore, no adverse traffic impact is anticipated.
In terms of parking, the project will remove an existing 13-space parking lot (Lot 94), and construct eight new parking spaces, resulting in a net loss of five parking spaces. However, as shown in the Scripps College Parking Analysis (Attachment I), the college currently has a daytime surplus of 180 parking spaces, therefore, staff is not concerned about the loss of five parking spaces.
Tree Disposition
There are 51 existing trees on the project site surrounding the existing building. The applicant’s architect submitted a Tree Impact Narrative (Attachment J) that includes a Tree Disposition Report prepared by an Arborist (Exhibit 1), a relocation plan for an existing Coast Live Oak Tree (Exhibit 2), and a Tree Evaluation Report from Senna Tree Company (Exhibit 3).
The Tree Impact Narrative stated that the project will result in the removal of forty-eight existing trees - many of them are in poor health, or were planted by Claremont Graduate University and do not fit into the Scripps College planting palette. These trees are either within the planned footprint of the proposed construction, or are close to proposed hardscape or utility trenching. After extensive evaluation and consultation with the Senna Tree Company, the applicant concluded that three trees can be saved. A Coast Live Oak and a Canary Island Pine will be preserved in place, while a mature Cost Live Oak that grows next to the Garrison Theater will be moved to the northwest portion of the project site at a prominent spot facing Eleventh Street.
Staff has included a Condition of Approval requiring the applicant to replace the relocated Coast Live Oak tree, if it fails to thrive at the new location with a new Coast Live Oak tree of sufficient size.
Landscaping
The applicant has submitted a preliminary landscape plan (Attachment K). The proposed planting incorporates the existing Scripps campus plant palette which is documented in the Scripps College Landscape and Architecture Blueprint, also known as the Getty Report for the campus. The applicant is proposing to plant 37 new trees and relocate an existing Coast Live Oak tree. Eleven different tree species were selected, of which, ten were taken from the Getty Report, and are present in the historic campus core. These tree species include the Tulip Tree which were planted along the Tulip Walk, the Swan Hill Olive Tree which resembles the trees along the Olive Walk, as well as the California Sycamore trees that were planted in the Sycamore Court of Balch Hall. The trees will be complimented by shrubs of and ground covers of varying height and colors.
Sustainable Development Practices
Scripps College is planning to incorporate environmentally sustainable design elements into the proposal. Based on the applicant’s Sustainability Narrative (Attachment K), the following sustainable practices will be utilized:
• Reuse of the existing building shell and primary structural systems
• Reduced construction waste through adaptive reuse
• New storm drain system meeting the City’s MS4 requirements
• Installation of four bicycle racks
• Light-colored roofing to reduce heat island effect
• Rooftop solar panels
• Battery storage of solar energy
• Use of energy management control systems
• Day lighting and LED lighting
• Efficient lighting controls including occupancy sensors, timers, and daylight sensors
• Low-flush/dual action toilets
• Drought tolerant landscaping
• Drip irrigation system
Staff Evaluation
Staff finds the design of the Psychology and Dance Department Building, although structurally two buildings as defined by the California Building Code, integrate well to appear as one building. The interchange of brick and stucco for exterior material in addition to the large windows and glass doors also intersects the building mass. Therefore, although this building is larger than some of its neighbors, it has an elegant appearance and is anticipated to blend in well with the scale of surrounding buildings. Staff further finds the design to be consistent with the review criteria of Chapter 16.300.060 of the Municipal Code as described in detail in the attached draft approval resolution (Attachment A).
Staff Concerns
Staff believes that the proposed landscaping is compatible with the architectural style of the proposed building, and with the overall Scripps College campus. However, although a minor issue, staff is concerned that the Eleventh Street frontage lacks tree coverage. The applicant is proposing to plant five new trees along the front elevation of the Dance Department Building. Of which, only two are large shade trees. Although the mature Coast Live Oak Tree, once relocated to face Eleventh Street, is expected to provide shade as well, there is still an approximately 107 feet distance that is without any tree canopy, making the sidewalk along this segment of Eleventh Street more exposed than surrounding streets.
The City’s Tree Policy encourages planting of trees along public streets and rights-of-way, as the City’s General Plan points out the importance of trees in several elements. The City’s Tree Policy and Guidelines Manual provides guidance on the planting of trees on viable sites.
Although this segment of Eleventh Street is private and therefore not subject to the City’s Tree Policy, staff recommend that the Commission consider requesting the applicant to add more tree canopy along this location and bring the development into greater consistency with the City’s Tree Policy, as there appear to be viable sites along this segment of Eleventh Street.
RELATIONSHIP TO CITY PLANNING DOCUMENTS
Staff has evaluated the agenda item in relationship to the City’s strategic and visioning documents and finds that it applies to the following City Planning Documents: Council Priorities, Sustainable City Plan, General Plan.
CEQA REVIEW
The Project is categorically exempt from the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act pursuant to Section 15314, in that the proposal is for the adaptive reuse of an existing two-story building at 251 East Tenth Street and the addition of a new three-story building located at the north end of the existing building on a 1.65-acre site. There will be no increase in the student and faculty population. Therefore, no further environmental review is necessary as justified in the CEQA Memorandum prepared by Dudek, a professional environmental consulting firm, dated June 6, 2025 (Attachment L).
PUBLIC NOTICE PROCESS
The agenda and staff report for this item have been posted on the City website and distributed to interested parties. If you desire a copy, please contact Pearl Juarez at pjuarez@claremontca.gov.
On July 10, 2025, a notice of this review was sent to property owners located within 500 feet of the project site and posted on the City website. On July 10, 2025, notice of the project was also published in the City Manger’s Weekly Update. Copies of this staff report have been sent to the applicant and other interested parties.
Submitted by: Prepared by:
Brad Johnson Catherine Lin, AICP
Community Development Director Senior Planner
Reviewed by:
Chris Veirs
Principal Planner
Attachments:
A - Draft Approval Resolution
B - Statement of Operation
C - Architectural Plans
D - Color and Material Board
E - Preliminary Landscape Plan
F - Site Photos
G - Historic Assessment for 240 E. Eleventh Street
H - Transportation Impact Study
I - Scripps College Parking Analysis
J - Tree Impact Narrative
K - Sustainability Narrative
L - CEQA Memo prepared by Dudek