TO: ADAM PIRRIE, CITY MANAGER
FROM: BRAD JOHNSON, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
DATE: DECEMBER 9, 2025
Reviewed by:
City Manager: AP
SUBJECT:
Title
RESOLUTION DESIGNATING 611 WEST EIGHTH STREET AS A CULTURAL RESOURCE AND ADDING THE PROPERTY TO THE REGISTER OF STRUCTURES OF HISTORICAL AND ARCHITECTURAL MERIT OF THE CITY OF CLAREMONT. APPLICANTS - DAVID MEDAK AND ELENA ESQUIBEL
Body
SUMMARY
The property applicants, David Medak and Elena Esquibel, have requested that the City Council accept their nomination of 611 West Eighth Street to the Register of Historical and Architectural Merit of the City of Claremont (“Register”). The applicants have submitted a Local Register Listing form (application) to the Planning Division. The form outlines the historic context for 611 West Eighth Street and provides details about its architectural characteristics, concluding that the property appears to be eligible for the local Claremont Register. The property is unique in that it is constructed of adobe bricks made from local clay from the Padua Hills area and was constructed by a couple who remain prominent in the history of Claremont.
Staff finds that the nominated property reflects the distinctive character of Claremont and meets at least one of the six criteria needed in order for the City Council to approve the addition of a Cultural Resource to the Register. On October 29, 2025, the Architectural and Preservation Commission reviewed the proposal and voted unanimously to recommend approval of adding the subject property to the Register; citing that several criteria were being met. The City Council is the decision-making body for register listings and is asked to approve or deny the request at this meeting.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommended Action
Staff recommends the City Council:
A. Adopt A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CLAREMONT, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING REGISTER LISTING #25-RL02, DESIGNATING 611 WEST EIGHTH STREET AS A CULTURAL RESOURCE, AND ADDING THE PROPERTY TO THE REGISTER OF STRUCTURES OF HISTORICAL AND ARCHITECTURAL MERIT OF THE CITY OF CLAREMONT. APPLICANTS - DAVID MEDAK AND ELENA ESQUIBEL; and
B. Find this item is exempt from environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
Body
ALTERNATIVES TO RECOMMENDATION
In addition to the recommendation, there are the following alternatives:
A. Continue the discussion and request additional information.
B. Deny the proposed addition to the Register, specifically identifying how none of the Register Criteria identified in CMC Chapter 16.302.080.A Cultural Resources Preservation can be met.
FINANCIAL REVIEW
The costs associated with reviewing this application are partially borne by the applicant through a fixed fee, designed to keep the costs of adding properties affordable and encourage preservation. The additional costs, estimated to be approximately $750, have been borne by the City through the operating budget of the Community Development Department.
ANALYSIS
Procedures for Adding Properties to the Register
The Claremont City Council adopted the Register of Structures of Historical and Architectural Merit of the City of Claremont (“Register”) in 1980 following an exhaustive inventory of the City’s historic resources. The aim of the creation and adoption of the Register was to further the General Plan’s objectives to foster appreciation for Claremont’s historic resources and to focus attention on their ongoing protection. Since the Register’s adoption in 1980, a number of properties have been added to it. Currently, there are approximately 1,126 properties listed on the Register. On January 27, 1998, the City Council adopted formal procedures for the Architectural Commission (now the Architectural and Preservation Commission) to follow when designating new additions to the Register. These procedures remained in place until 2024, when they were replaced and codified under Section 16.302.090 of the Claremont Municipal Code as part of the City’s new Cultural Resources Preservation Ordinance (“Preservation Ordinance”) (Attachment G). The Preservation Ordinance also outlines the criteria for designating cultural resources (adding new properties to the Register) in Section 16.302.080 and assigns review responsibilities to the City Staff, Architectural and Preservation Commission, and City Council (CMC Sections 16.302.040-070).
Register Criteria
As discussed above, the City’s 2024 Preservation Ordinance codifies procedures for adding structures and/or sites to the Register. This requires staff review of any application for designation (listing), followed by review and recommendation by the Architectural and Preservation Commission and approval or denial by the City Council. The ordinance requires that any property or other resource be at least 45 years old and meet one or more of six criteria before it can be added to the Register (CMC Section 16.302.080). These criteria are:
1. It is identified with important events in national, state, or City history or exemplifies significant contributions to the broad cultural, political, economic, social, or historic heritage of the nation, state, or City;
2. It is associated with a person, persons, or groups who significantly contributed to the history of the nation, state, region, or City;
3. It embodies the distinctive and exemplary characteristics of an architectural style, architectural type, period, or method of construction; or is a noble work of a master designer, builder or architect; or is a valuable example of the use of indigenous materials or craftsmanship;
4. It is the work of an architect or master builder whose individual work has influenced the development of the City of Claremont;
5. It has yielded, or has the potential to yield, information important to archaeological prehistory or history of the nation, state, region, or City and/or;
6. It exemplifies the early heritage of the City.
Property Description and History
The subject property is located on the north side of West Eighth Street, on the block situated between North Cambridge Avenue and Oxford Avenue. It is located in the neighborhood identified in the Claremont General Plan as “Old Claremont.” The property has a General Plan Designation of Residential 6 and is zoned Single-Family Residential- 8,000 square foot lot size (RS 8,000).
Constructed in 1948, the Ordway House, located at 611 West Eighth Street, is a rare and well-preserved example of adobe residential architecture found in Claremont. The character-defining features of both the exterior and interior of the home were identified through a site visit to the property. The primary residence is a one-story, low-profile Ranch-style structure with a rectangular floor plan and a front-gabled roof oriented parallel to the street. Its exterior walls are composed of handmade adobe brick, and the roof is finished with traditional, handmade clay tile. Distinctive features include a columned front porch and porte-cochere on the east façade, both supported by repurposed palm tree trunks salvaged from the City’s post-World War II street improvements along Yale Avenue. A large picture window in the living room faces the rear patio and heritage oak tree, while original metal casement windows are present throughout the home. The home features polished concrete floors, open wood-beam ceilings, and an early, now-inactive, galvanized copper radiant floor heating system. The focal point of the interior is a custom brick fireplace lined with indigenous decorative tiles, each depicting a unique animal motif. The rear covered patio, supported by additional palm trunk columns, features concrete slab flooring with unique wood infill strips. The grounds include a mature landscape of significant trees, notably a heritage Coast Live Oak estimated to be over 100 years old, two mature olive trees approximately 60 years old, and a large pepper tree along the east property line. The detached two-car garage is in keeping with the main house, as it is constructed with handmade adobe clay, features exposed wood-beam ceilings, and polished concrete floors.
The original owners of the property, Philip Ordway and Ruth Kneeland Ordway, were both notable early residents and civic leaders of Claremont. Attachment F is an excerpt from Judy Wright’s book Women of Claremont, which provides details of Ruth and Phillip’s life and their importance to early Claremont. The couple owned Citrus groves prior to buying one of the first lots in the old Claremont neighborhood and building this home. Ruth is credited with assisting in the formation of the League of Women Voters and was a prominent figure in helping the City embrace integration in the mid-twentieth century. Phillip Ordway served on the City Council and assisted in directing the City to undertake the City Manager form of local government as opposed to a strong mayor model.
Qualifying Criteria and Staff Evaluation
Staff finds that the designation of the Ordway House, located at 611 West Eighth Street, as a Cultural Resource to be listed in the Claremont Register is warranted. The home clearly meets the 45-year age requirement and satisfies both Criteria 2 and 3 for designation as a Cultural Resource under the Claremont Municipal Code. Each satisfied criterion is listed below (in italics), followed by Staff’s rationale on why it is being met.
A. It is associated with a person, persons, or groups who significantly contributed to the history of the nation, state, region, or City.
Built during the City’s post-World War II growth, the Ordway house reflects the embrace of local architecture and the use of local materials. The home is strongly associated with Philip and Ruth Ordway, two of Claremont’s most influential civic leaders. Philip Ordway, a citrus rancher and City Council member, chaired the committee that initiated the bond measure creating Memorial Park, guided the construction of the 1948 portion of City Hall, and helped establish Claremont’s City Manager-City Council form of government. Ruth Ordway served as president of the League of Women Voters and co-founded the Intercultural Council, advancing civic participation and social equality in Claremont. Their combined civic leadership and community advocacy mark the property as one closely associated with people who significantly shaped Claremont’s government and cultural identity.
B. It embodies the distinctive and exemplary characteristics of an architectural style, architectural type, period, or method of construction; or is a noble work of a master designer, builder or architect; or is a valuable example of the use of indigenous materials or craftsmanship.
Furthermore, the Ordway House embodies the distinctive characteristics of mid-century Ranch-style adobe architecture, a rare form within Claremont’s built environment. Its handmade adobe brick construction, handmade clay tile roof, repurposed palm trunk columns, metal casement windows, and polished concrete floors showcase unique craftsmanship and creative use of indigenous materials. The home’s integrity is also notable in that original features such as the animal-tile fireplace, mid-century cabinetry, wood-beam ceilings, and detached adobe garage remain intact. The property’s mature landscape, including heritage oaks, olive trees, and low adobe walls, further contributes to its authenticity and setting.
As one of the few adobe residences in Claremont and the only one known to feature palm tree columns, the Ordway House exemplifies the City’s early postwar architectural experimentation and community craftsmanship. The handmade adobe bricks, created by local Boy Scout Troop No. 1 using clay from Padua Hills, symbolize a community-based approach to construction and preservation of regional identity. The color of these bricks matches the color of the soil found in the Claremont Wilderness Park and Padua Hills Theater area of the City. Preserving these bricks preserves a unique historic connection to Claremont’s natural environment.
COMMISSION REVIEW
The Architectural and Preservation Commission reviewed and voted unanimously to recommend approval of the nomination on October 29, 2025. The Commission’s resolution is Attachment B.
RELATIONSHIP TO CITY PLANNING DOCUMENTS
Staff has evaluated the agenda item in relationship to the City’s strategic and visioning documents and finds it related to the following: General Plan and the Cultural Resources Preservation Ordinance.
CEQA REVIEW
The request to add the subject property to the Claremont Historic Register is categorically exempt from the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) under Section 15301(e), in that the proposed action, the addition of a resource to the Claremont Historic Register, is covered under the General Rule Exemption of the California Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA"). The General Rule Exemption applies to actions that can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the action in question may have a significant effect on the environment per CEQA Section 15061 (b)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines as the action will not result in construction activities or other direct physical changes or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical changes, nor will it result in the relaxation of standards to allow for environmental degradation. Additionally, any changes to the structure and/or site are subject to review by the City to ensure compliance with the requirements of the municipal code and CEQA. Therefore, no additional review is required at this time.
COMMISSION REVIEW
As required in CMC Section 16.302.040.J, the Architectural and Preservation Commission held a public hearing on October 29, 2025 to review the proposed register listing. After staff presentation, public comment, and discussion, the Commission adopted a resolution recommending City Council approval of the proposed listing for 611 West Eighth Street.
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 the City Clerk’s Office.
Submitted by: Prepared by:
Brad Johnson Jordan Goose
Community Development Director Assistant Planner
Reviewed by:
Christopher Veirs
City Planner
Attachments:
A - Draft Resolution
B - Architectural & Preservation Commission Resolution No. 2025-14
C - Application
D - 2010 Primary Record by Ginger Elliot of Claremont Heritage
E - Photo Survey
F - Excerpts from Women of Claremont by Judy Wright
G - Chapter 16.302 Cultural Resources Preservation