{"nrhp_refnum":"78000699","name":"Parkhurst Building","other_names":[],"category":"building","location":{"address":"185 Pier Ave.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Santa Monica","county":"Los Angeles County","state":"CA","lat":33.99849689000007,"lon":-118.48019770899998,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1978-11-17","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Architecture"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A two-story Spanish Colonial Revival commercial building at 185 Pier Avenue in Santa Monica, California, built in 1927 for retail shops and medical offices. It was designed by the firm Marsh, Smith & Powell.","why_significant":"The nomination argues the building is a good example of the Spanish Colonial Revival style used in 1920s Southern California commercial buildings, and a distinctive contribution to the Santa Monica streetscape. Its brick-patterned octagonal tower and ornate detailing make it a unique architectural statement. It was also built by Clinton Gorden Parkhurst, a Santa Monica Bay realtor and Mayor of Venice, and was designed by a firm led by the noted architect Norman F. Marsh.","narrative":"Standing at the corner of Pier and Main Streets in Santa Monica, this two-story commercial building was completed in 1927 for realtor and Venice mayor Clinton Gorden Parkhurst. Its steel, concrete and brick structure measures roughly 80 by 80 feet. The main feature is a 2-1/2 story octagonal corner tower, decorated with protruding red brick in a crosshatched pattern, wrought iron grilles, finials, gargoyle pediments and a cupola. A scalloped parapet and red clay tile roof add to the Spanish Colonial Revival character. The firm of Marsh, Smith & Powell designed it, with partner Herbert Powell taking primary responsibility. The ground floor can hold one large store or four small ones, while the upper floor was meant for medical and dental offices. That flexibility has allowed bakeries, shops, artists, studios, doctors and lawyers to occupy it with little change. It was recognized as a Santa Monica landmark in 1977 and listed nationally in 1978 for its architecture.","period_of_significance":"1927","architect_builder":"Marsh, Smith & Powell","architectural_style":"Spanish Colonial Revival","criteria":[],"status_note":"Described as in very good condition with no substantial alterations; the ground-floor openings have been enclosed with folding glass doors or wood and glass walls, and the building has been used by a range of tenants.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:55:31.762008-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_CA/78000699.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/78000699/370b2ecbf7-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/78000699/370b2ecbf7-1600.webp","licence":"CC BY-SA 3.0","author":"Los Angeles","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Parkhurst_Building,_Santa_Monica,_California.JPG\" rel=\"noopener\">Los Angeles</a>, <a href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0\" rel=\"license noopener\">CC BY-SA 3.0</a>, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Parkhurst_Building,_Santa_Monica,_California.JPG"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/123859390","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parkhurst_Building","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q65044906"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/california/los-angeles-county/parkhurst-building-78000699/"}