Despite three attempted motions by Historical Resources Board (HRB) members to designate a property at 1328 Virginia Way as historic, none of the motions passed. Two of the motions resulted in a 4-3 vote and another resulted in a 5-2 vote. Although all of the motions resulted in majority votes in favor of designation, HRB rules require an affirmative vote by at least six board members for a historical designation to be granted. The property, dubbed the Windemere Cottage by generations of La Jollans, is a two-story single-family beach cottage-style bungalow built in 1895 by the firm of Falkenham and Gill. In 1927, the cottage was relocated from its original location on 844 Prospect St. to its current location on Virginia Way. The HRB staff and the applicants’ representative Scott Moomjian recommended that the HRB not designate the property as a historical site due to a lack of historical value. “Over the years, the property was substantially modified and altered to the extent that the property does not posses any of its original integrity,” he said, emphasizing that the cottage’s relocation further tainted much of its integrity. “In our calculations, approximately 92 percent of the building’s exterior has been modified.” John Bolthouse, executive director of La Jolla Historical Society, spoke on behalf of all 21 board members from the society who voted unanimously to support the designation of the La Jolla cottage. “There’s something to be said about saving structures like this that have character,” he said. “This one certainly is quirky and has been changed over time, but we believe very strongly that it has not been changed significantly that would argue against its designation.” The vote that came closest to granting a historical designation for the property was one proposed under Criterion D as being representative of a notable work by a master builder, designer, architect or craftsman — that of master architect Irving Gill and his early method of single-wall construction. “It’s the first of its kind, it’s last of its kind and it’s extremely important for its place in Gill’s formative years when he was learning how to do his craft,” said Bruce Coons, executive director of the Save Our Heritage Organisation (SOHO). “I know of no other cottage that is equal to this cottage or even very similar to this cottage even at the time or now.” He contended that if the work were put into the cottage to restore it, it could likely be eligible for the California Register of Historic Resources and even the National Register of Historic Places. “It’s recognizable, it’s unique, it’s historic and it’s an extremely important house,” he said. “It should not be lost. It needs to be designated.” Moomjian did not discredit the architectural mastery of Irving Gill. He did, however, argue there is no way of knowing if the architecture of the cottage was, in fact, Gill’s. “Irving Gill has long been considered a master architect and rightfully so,” Moomjian said. “When you see the property, I think it’s very clear that the building has been so modified that it can’t possibly represent the work of the architect.” According to the HRB’s procedural guidelines, the matter may be reconsidered once upon the request of a board member who voted on the prevailing side of a vote if there are new facts, laws or changed circumstances that were not known at the time of the original vote and may have affected the board’s decision. The board must first vote on the decision to reconsider and, if passed, the item may be reconsidered again with the new information. HRB secretary Shannon Anthony said no board member has directed her to docket the item for a future meeting. SOHO and members of the La Jolla Historical Society, however, are seeking options like the city’s appellate process to bring the matter back onto HRB’s radar in the hopes the property will get another chance for historical designation. “The Historic Resources Board’s findings on Windemere Cottage were not only disappointing, but the process by which some members of HRB reached their conclusions was simply flawed,” Bolthouse saiad. “The preponderance of the documentary evidence clearly showed this great structure meets at least the minimum threshold for HRB’s own historic designation standards. Given all the great Irving Gill architecture represented throughout La Jolla that has essentially made our town a de facto Irving Gill district, why not enhance La Jolla’s historic connection to Gill further by designating Windemere? HRB’s actions just seem antithetical to its fundamental purpose for being.”