The La Jolla Historical Society has announced the winners of the inaugural Jewel Awards honoring La Jolla homeowners for their preservation and restoration efforts.
The La Jolla Historical Society's Landmarks Steering Committee and Preservation Committee have recently revealed the winners of the first Jewel Awards: owners of Florence Palmer house and studio at 360 Fern Glen and owners of Anna Vickers house at 1419 Virginia Way.
Homeowners Drs. Adriana Diakiw and Hal Meltzer won the historic preservation award for their restoration of the Florence Palmer house in 2018-19; the Landmarks Steering Committee nominated them.
Homeowner Michelle and Brett Lanuti, on the other hand, won the historic rehabilitation award for their successful rehabilitation of the Anna Vickers house in 2017; the Preservation Committee took notice and nominated them.
The inspiration to create the Jewel Awards came from the Going the Extra Mile or the GEM Award in Coronado, an award that is given to recognize the properties that were acquired and restored and for their contribution to the community.
Florence Palmer House
The Florence Palmer house was completed in 1929 and served as a home and studio for Florence Palmer, who was one of the few female architects in San Diego in the 1920s, the La Jolla Historical Society said. The two-story house features a tall central chimney, steeply pitched gables, and leaded windows.
Look at the Google street view of the Florence Palmer house from 2008.
Dr. Diakiw said she wanted to make the restoration as close as possible to the way the house looked in 1929. Through extensive research into the building techniques practiced during those days, they were able to do a historically accurate restoration of the house.
Check out the Google street view of the Florence Palmer House from 2019.
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Anna Vickers House
Meanwhile, Anna Vickers house owner Michelle Lanuti credited Laura DuCharme for the renovation of the house, which involved the preservation of the structure's original character and incorporating modern elements into it.
The 1920s Tudor Revival style house was designated as historical on September 28, 2017. The home features a steeply pitched gable roof; tall, narrow, wood window with multiple-pane glazing; brick veneer; front-facing gable; massive chimney; and board and batten siding.
Look at the Google street view of the Anna Vickers house from 2011
The house underwent several modifications, especially in the last 16 years, including the relocation of the basement stairs to the exterior, the addition of shed dormer, and a new roof.
The Anna Vickers house, the HRB statement said, conveys the historical significance of the Tudor Revival style. It has also retained its integrity from its significance during the 1928 period.
Check out the Google street view of the Anna Vickers house from 2019
The committee plans to give the awards to this year's winners, along with the 2021 Jewel Awards recipients, at a ceremony in 2021. The nominations for the 2021 awards will be open to the community at large. While the criteria are yet to be announced, Landmarks Steering Committee President, Seonaid McArthur said that the house does not have to be historically designated to be eligible for nomination.
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