History
The site of the Beach House was a hot spot on Santa Monica's Gold Coast in the 1930s and 1940s, as William Randolph Hearst and Marion Davies entertained Hollywood's rich and famous at Davies' 5-acre (20,000 m2) estate. The property boasted a 110-room Georgian Revival mansion designed by William Edward Flannery, tennis courts, guest houses, and an ornate swimming pool complete with marble deck and staircases.
After Davies sold the estate in 1946, it was operated as 'Oceanhouse,' a luxury hotel and limited-membership beach club. Prior to being sold to the State of California is 1959, the main mansion was demolished. The Sand & Sea Club continued until the City of Santa Monica took over operation of the site in 1989. It was run as a public facility open to event rental and filming until the 1994 Northridge earthquake severely damaged all structures on site.
After the earthquake, the City of Santa Monica conducted an extensive community process to re-envision the role of the site as an important community gathering space. The resulting reuse plan called for a facility with a 'light touch' on its surroundings and one that would encourage a diverse group of users. The project sat on hold while the City sought funding.
In 2005, the Annenberg Foundation, at the recommendation of Wallis Annenberg, made a generous financial commitment to realize the City's vision and preserve the site for public use. The Annenberg Community Beach House at Santa Monica State Beach opened to the public on April 25, 2009, representing a unique partnership between the Annenberg Foundation, California State Parks and the City of Santa Monica. The total construction costs were roughly $30 million. Local residents succeeded in forcing the city to significantly limit its hours of operation.
Read more about this topic: Annenberg Community Beach House
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