Council reclassifies 1680 Bryant Street to Category 3, finding extensive alterations

Palo Alto — The City Council unanimously approved staff’s recommendation on Dec. 15 to reclassify 1680 Bryant Street on the city's historic inventory from Category 2 to Category 3 after staff and an applicant presentation and public comment.

Planning staff summarized the construction chronology and a July historic-resource evaluation that documented extensive demolition and alterations to a 1914 John Hudson Thomas–designed Prairie-style house. The city’s historic-resources board (HRB) had previously voted 3–1–1 to retain the Category 2 designation, expressing that even in altered form the building held community value and cautioning that reclassification removes some municipal protections such as demolition-delay provisions.

The applicant’s architect, Steve Allen of Stanton Architecture, and family representative George Halstead argued the remaining structure had experienced permanent, non-reversible changes — including removal of roughly two-thirds of the original footprint — and that reclassification would allow the owners to make the building habitable and put it back into the housing stock. Allen told the council: “It’s sort of undeniable that this building has had very extensive and permanent changes to the original building.”

Planning staff advised that the property no longer met the technical standards for Category 2 and recommended the reclassification to Category 3. The council voted to adopt the staff record and reclassify the property; the city clerk recorded the unanimous roll call.

What this means: Category 3 resources are treated as contributing structures in the inventory with fewer review constraints under municipal code; reclassification lifts certain review restrictions that apply to Category 1 and Category 2 resources and allows greater flexibility for owner-initiated changes subject to other zoning rules and building-permit processes.

Next steps: The applicant may now pursue changes consistent with Category 3 status; neighbors or preservation advocates can ask the council or HRB for additional action if new information arises.