Historic Home Architect in Glendale
A historic home architect in Glendale works inside two sets of rules: what the house wants, and what the city's historic preservation review allows. Verdugo Studio restores and adds to Spanish Colonial Revival, Craftsman, Tudor and mid-century houses in Rossmoyne, North Cumberland Heights, Brockmont Park, Ard Eevin Highlands and the city's other historic districts.
Who this is for
Owners of pre-war Glendale houses who want to restore, add on, or pursue a Mills Act contract without losing what makes the house worth keeping.
What we do
- Restoration of windows, stucco, tile, woodwork and ironwork, replicating what is missing from photographs and physical evidence.
- Compatible additions at the rear, lower than the main roof, clearly new but quiet.
- Kitchen and bath remodels inside historic houses, where the plan changes but the character stays.
- Mills Act applications and the restoration plans the city attaches to the contract.
- Glendale Register nominations for houses that qualify.
How Glendale reviews historic work
Houses in the Rossmoyne, North Cumberland Heights, Brockmont Park and other designated districts are reviewed for how changes affect the district's character. Work that follows the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation generally moves faster and can qualify for an exemption from longer environmental review. Individually listed houses and Mills Act properties get an extra layer of review from the Historic Preservation Commission.
Mills Act
A Mills Act contract reduces property tax in exchange for maintaining and restoring a designated historic house. The city's council has turned down applications where unpermitted gates, walls or windows had been added, and approved others with conditions such as restoring an original leaded window. We prepare the restoration plan, document existing conditions and keep the application clean.
Craft
Smooth plaster, true-divided wood windows, salvaged clay tile, hand-made terracotta floors. We know the trades in the San Gabriel Valley who still do this work and we detail for them.
Questions about this work
Can I replace the windows on a historic Glendale house?
Original wood windows can almost always be repaired, and repair is what the standards favor. Where windows are missing or beyond repair, matching wood replacements are usually approved; vinyl is not.
Does Mills Act apply to my house?
The house must be on the Glendale Register of Historic Resources or a contributor in a historic district. We can tell you in a short call whether yours qualifies or could be nominated.
Can I still modernize the inside?
Yes. Review focuses on the exterior and on character-defining features. Kitchens, baths and systems can be fully updated.
Related work
All projectsStart with a site visit.
A site visit is the first step. We walk the property, tell you what the lot allows, and give you a cost range before you commit to a fee.
Not sure the lot is buildable? Ask about a site feasibility review.