Palm Springs board recommends Class 1 landmark status for Lawrence Harvey residence

The Palm Springs Historic Site Preservation Board voted unanimously June 2 to recommend Class 1 landmark status for the Lawrence Harvey residence at 300 West Merida Place (HSPB No. 180, APN 505‑293‑005).

Staff presented the owner‑initiated application and a report concluding the late‑1960s home, designed for actor Lawrence Harvey by architects Buff and Hensman, retains character‑defining features — including a distinctive swimming pool shape, post‑and‑beam construction and horizontal massing — and meets the ordinance criteria for Class 1 designation. “Because it retains much of its integrity, the staff does find that this home meets the criterion and deserves to be reclassified as a Class 1 landmark,” Preservation Officer Sarah said during her presentation.

Board members praised the home’s design and recent restoration work. Member Hare moved that the board adopt the draft resolution recommending designation; the motion was seconded and passed unanimously, recorded as 4‑0. The board’s recommendation will be forwarded to the Palm Springs City Council for final consideration under the city’s historic preservation ordinance (section 8.05.0.07 as cited in the staff report).

The action follows a staff site visit and review of documentation and photographs demonstrating the property’s retained design, setting and workmanship. Applicant representatives and the report author were available online during the hearing to answer technical questions about elevations and alterations. The board noted that subsequent design‑review steps will follow if the property’s owners pursue planned alterations.

The City Council will receive the board’s recommendation and is the final decisionmaker on local landmark designation. The board’s vote does not itself impose restrictions beyond the designation process; staff said further procedures apply for any proposed changes to a designated resource.