The experimental post-and-beam Stoner Residence, located in Long Beach’s Naples Island, is under imminent threat of demolition. Designed in 1956 by visionary architect Ray Kappe, the home is one of his earliest designs, showcasing his innovative use of light, open space, and connection to the environment—ideas that would shape his celebrated career and influence generations of architects through his founding role at SCI-Arc.

Despite it’s architectural importance, plans to demolish the Stoner House have been approved, threatening to erase a vital piece of Long Beach’s modern architectural heritage and the story of Kappe’s pioneering work. In response, the Coalition to Save the Stoner House, made up of a trio of organizations including the Los Angeles Conservancy, Docomomo US/SoCal and Long Beach Heritage, has filed an appeal to reverse the demolition decision.

The Coalition to Save the Stoner House, strongly objects to the proposed demolition of the Stoner House. To justify the demolition of the house, two fundamentally flawed historic assessment reports were commissioned by the owner that found the property ineligible for listing. The reports found the house ineligible for listing due to lack of significance and integrity.

The conclusions regarding significance are fatally flawed due to the limited and inappropriate lens used by the owner’s consultants. The Stoner House holds immense significance for three key reasons:

• The Stoner House is the earliest of only three known extant works by master architect Ray Kappe in the City of Long Beach. The two later residences have alterations and/or currently do not meet eligibility standards for the City of Long Beach due to the age of the property.
• The Stoner House was built at a critical point in Kappe’s career and is an excellent, well-documented example of his Modernist post-and-beam aesthetic. Because Kappe’s work is inherently site-specific, it is crucial to preserve multiple extant examples to gain a full and nuanced understanding of his broader body of work.
• The loss of this house would constitute irreparable harm to the Long Beach community and severely diminish the regional context for one of California’s most significant Modernist architects.

Integrity:

Although the Historic Resource Assessment Reports cite integrity concerns, the property retains numerous character-defining features that clearly convey its significance, including overall massing, fenestration pattern, and many original materials. The claim that the home’s integrity has been compromised beyond eligibility is inaccurate.

Alterations identified in the report and relatively minor and reversible:

• All alterations on the primary façade are non-structural wood elements that can be restored.
• Similarly, the interior changes cited, such as the cabinet doors of an extant built-in below the fireplace, can be replaced with compatible materials.
• Other interior alterations, such as bathroom renovations and light fixtures, have a relatively minor impact on the overall integrity of the property.

The fundamental structural and spatial characteristics that exemplify Kappe’s design—the post-and-beam framing, seamless integration with the site, and distinct material palette—all remain intact.

Alternatives to Demolition

The Coalition recognizes the property owner’s desire to enlarge and modernize the residence to meet current needs. However, these goals can be achieved without demolishing a significant and rare work by Ray Kappe. The plan proposed would only modestly increase the inhabitable square footage of the property while losing a significant architectural contribution by Ray Kappe.

The Coalition sees the potential for other options such as sensitively expanding the original 1946 structure to accommodate the owners needs without compromising the integrity of Kappe’s work.