Harbor House San Pedro History and Design Evolution

Harbor House San Pedro has a rich history that spans over a century. The property was originally built in the early 1900s as a private residence.

The original design of the house was influenced by the Mediterranean Revival style, which was popular in Southern California during that time period. This style is characterized by the use of stucco walls, arches, and a red-tiled roof.

The house was later converted into a boarding house in the mid-20th century, catering to the growing number of sailors and fishermen in the area. This conversion brought about significant changes to the property's layout and design.

Today, Harbor House San Pedro has been restored to its original grandeur, while still maintaining its historical charm and character.

Harbor House San Pedro has a rich history that spans over a century. The original YMCA building was designed by Jay, Rogers & Stevenson Architects, who were responsible for popular structures across Los Angeles and San Diego in the early decades of the 20th century.

The building was built to support the nearby Naval Base San Pedro and originally housed a gym, pool, coffee shop, cafeteria, dormitory with 410 beds, and open-air handball courts.

In 1944, the open-air handball courts were enclosed, likely to provide more protection from the elements for the players.

The building was converted from military to civilian use as a nursing home in the 1940s.

Harbor House was designated as a historic landmark in 1982, recognizing its significance and importance in the community.

The team that restored the building, Omgivning, preserved many of the original features, including painted beams in the grand lobby, tilework, artistic trim painting, and the existing basketball court with a running track above.

The design of Harbor House San Pedro is a masterclass in adaptive reuse. Major construction and upgrades to structural and building systems were necessary to reimagine the building as a mixed-use space with 100 new residential units.

The historic spaces were repurposed as common areas, while non-historic spaces were modified to create residential units, making the project economically viable. Omgivning carved in a one-story light court to provide access to these units, enhancing natural light and airflow.

Double-loaded corridors on most floors were maintained to meet historic preservation requirements, resulting in residential units that are only 11' deep. This design solution created long and thin units, but with ample light and creative layouts to make them feel spacious.

Typical kitchens and bathrooms were designed to be smaller, size-appropriate for smaller apartments, leaving the remainder of the unit flexible to grow, shrink, or switch closet locations based on existing conditions. This approach allowed for speed of construction and flexibility in building design.