Project Data:

Firm Name:              Bickel Group Architecture

Completion Date:     9/29/2016

Square Footage:      10350

Building Use:           Multi-Tenant Retail & Restaurant Adaptive Reuse

Location:                 15445 Whittier Boulevard, Whittier, CA

Project Description:

Once a beloved and busy part of the local community fabric, Friendly Hills Lanes in Whittier had fallen victim to changing times, tastes, and recreational trends. What once was home to what the Los Angeles Times called “the Southland’s newest and most exciting recreation wonderland” with 24 hour access to 32 lanes, a restaurant, cocktail lounge, billiard room, and a supervised nursery for children was now a tired and underutilized property in the heart of Whittier. As such, the time had come to repurpose the original 1956 Googie style building designed by Power, Daly and DeRosa (considered master architects in the Googie vernacular) and bring life back to the property. The challenge was to preserve the vital elements of the original design while creating viable spaces for multiple contemporary tenants and ensuring the project was to the expectations and standards of a City and community that have a strong history of avid historical preservation. It was imperative to find a design solution specifically able to preserve the original architectural concept while distinguishing the new additions and modifications to the building from those previously completed at the site. In keeping with the U.S. Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation with Guidelines for the Rehabilitation of Historic Buildings, entrances were modified and glass entry vestibules were added to differentiate the new construction from that of the original structure. Signage for multiple tenants also had to be designed in a way respectful of the original design but to the needs and requirements of national tenants. The local landmark pole sign was refaced to spell out "SHOP" where it once said "BOWL" and building signage was relocated around the façade as public art to pay homage to the site's history. Structurally the building needed retrofitting for current codes, accessibility, and tenant needs, including filling in the recessed slab that once held the bowling lanes and ensuring that the roof and structure could accommodate modern heating and air conditioning equipment. Site modifications were needed to meet the needs of retail delivery truck paths, utility connections and service upgrades for current multiple tenant needs, current parking standards and codes, grading, drainage, and accessibility. The plant palette chosen needed to balance the historical landscape trends associated with Googie architecture while still meeting current irrigation requirements for water conservation. Working with an extensive team of engineers and consultants, along with an involved community and City officials, the end result gave new life to an old building and preserved the Googie aesthetic of Southern California for future generations to enjoy.

C.O.T.E. | Committee on the Environment

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