By Emanuela Boisbouvier
Daily Press Intern
Locals are encouraged to put on their walking shoes in the coming weeks and participate in one of the Conservancy walks featuring Downtown Santa Monica.
On Saturday, July 30, the Conservancy is partnering with the City of Santa Monica on a walking tour that will feed into a workshop about the Downtown Community Plan.
According to organizers, the 2.5-hour tour will cover several blocks within downtown with the goal of exploring conservation, preservation and integration of new construction.
The tour will try to show what change looks like and how to preserve some of the defining buildings downtown while adding life and change as well.
Tours will begin at the Rapp Saloon, located at 1438 2nd St., and with only 30 people per tour maximum, several have already sold out.
The sites that are visited during the tour are specific and refer to preservation and change. The tours are aimed at starting the conversation that will be pursued during a workshop on Aug. 13 at the Santa Monica Bay Woman's Club (at 1210 4th St.). Register for the walk online at www.downtownsmplan.org/events/view/208.
At the Aug. 13 workshop, the public is invited to join the Santa Monica Planning and Community Development Department for a discussion about the Downtown Community Plan and its approach to preservation and change.
Organizers said the discussion would focus on the importance of Downtown's character and history. Discussion topics will include building scale, use and contributions to the community.
“Come listen to three local expert panelists share their perspectives on subjects like adaptive reuse, affordable and market-rate housing, and the challenges of creating new projects that fit into existing environments,” said the official announcement.
The event will be held at the Santa Monica Bay Woman's Club (1210 4th St.) from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Register online at www.downtownsmplan.org/events/view/213.
The Conservancy will offer another tour on Sept. 18 from 1 to 5 p.m. under the theme “Don't tear it down!”
The annual home tour highlights the architecture and charm of five “vintage homes” in the city.
“Three architectural styles will be featured — Victorian, Craftsman and Spanish Colonial Revival — with each home demonstrating different approaches to renovation and expansion. These homeowners chose to retain their historic homes and modify them for contemporary living rather than demolish and start anew,” said the tour literature.
Tickets are $30 for members and $35 for non-members. Tickets on the day of tour will be $35 for members and $40 for non-members. Check-in will be at the DMV parking lot at Cloverfield Boulevard and Colorado Avenue.
The Conservancy is a local, private organization focused on preservation. Founded in 2002, it has advocated for landmarking several buildings, rallied to save the last shotgun house in the city and worked to transform the Marion Davies estate at the Annenberg Community Beach House.
The group holds weekly downtown walking tours and staffs the Marion Davies house on weekends.
For more information or to join, visit http://www.smconservancy.org.
Daily Press Editor Matthew Hall contributed to this report.
