How to research original architect/plans

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Trooper_IHB

Trooper_IHB

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I'm trying to do some research in order to give a unique gift to a friend. Perhaps someone on IHB has done similar and can offer a suggestion or two.

I'm trying to research who the original architect/builder and owner were waaaaay back in 1955. This house is in L.A. and L.A. County....I was able to google the tax AIN number, parcel and tract info. I know the office where the records for this property are kept at.... so I've pretty much done everything I can to I.D. the place.

this is my question.....can I actually get my hands on and copy the original drawings of the house ? Find out the actual name of the first owner ? Or anything else interesting....
 
A title search will give you the name of the first owner.

In Florida, plans are generally kept with building and zoning; I suggest you start there. It's not always possible to track them down, in Miami, for example the building housing them burnt down sometime in the 1950s, so they are no longer available.

If you find the first owner, and the name is unusual, sometimes you can track people down, maybe a descendent knows something

You can get a copy of the deed, no doubt.
 
LL, a title search....isn't that expensive ? Is there some sort of cheap way to do one ?

I know the first owner was an artist...that was another angle...try and get the name and track down some artwork.
 
Sometimes you can search on line, but I don't know how far back the authorities go when they do this, here or there.

Hopefully, Blackacre can tell you.

Here, if you just need one piece of info, they don't charge too much.
 
This is on topic but won't really help you trooper.

For the newer communities, this is a great resource: http://www.insidetract.com/

I know many RE agents have access to the CDs which basically shows them every tract floorplan and community plan in OC . I saw demos of it and it was really cool.
 
Trooper-

I doubt the records have yet been digitized, so this will most likely end up with you digging through old development records and permits in some county archive. If you are lucky they've been microfiched, otherwise they're still paper records. If this is a tract home, you want to find out who the developer was and do a name search for any records for that company. Most likely the original building permits will have the architect's info included as part of the permit process leading up to the buildout of the tract. If it is a custom home, the records may still exist, but it will mean painstakingly reading any and all records for that parcel. Blueprints may or may not have been required and/or kept as part of that record.

As others have mentioned, a simple title search will provide the original owner of the home.

Hope that helps.
 
Thanks Nude. Blackacre was able to whisper me some of the info, but it's pretty convoluted. The house was built in 1955 but just magically appears at the present address in 1994. It also orginally (1994) had the parcel # ending in -001....but in 2003 the next recorded sale shows it to be parcel # -004. WTF ? The original owners name is not there, only begins in 1994. ( ?? ) He said the title changed hands between two parties no less than 10 times over the years....not sure what to make of that.

The house is on the corner of two streets, so it's possible the land got subdivided and the address changed from one street to the other. (?) It's funny, the first time I went there, the front door and driveway face Street #1, but the physical address is Street #2. The only thing that lands on Street #2 is a side gate that leads down to the mailbox. (I also thought it was odd the mailbox was down there...I'm sure it has something to do with a legal battle or subdivision) I called the Assessor's Office today, they don't have plans there...they suggested calling L.A. Building and Safety and checking in with them. I'll try and do that on Monday.

Thanks for the other tips.
 
Troop,

It sounds to me like the lot was split with the parcel number changing, and with the door location. I don't know about LA, but the OC property tax collector web site allows you to look up a property by parcel number. If it was split, then the different numbers would have different bill amounts.

I have a bad feeling, that LA's records are going to suck. My place in Costa Mesa was a pain to get appraised because of poor records. It was built at a similar time.

You can get records going past 1994. A title company can dig further if they need to. If it gets to that point, just let me know, and I will put you in touch with someone who can do it for you. Unfortunately, it's not like they are busy.

Another thing to try is to get the plat map. It lays out the streets are parcels. It's a stab in the dark, but sometimes there is info on who the builder or developer is for the tract. Again, if you want to try this route, I can get the plat map.

Also, you could take some .jpgs, and there is a 2% chance I might know, plus or minus 2%. Of course, I could forward them to someone who might know more than me.
 
To follow up on Graphrix's suggestions, if you get a copy of the plat map, it will show the name of the surveyor. If the surveyor is still around, and they tend to be in business a long time, they may know who the architect was.

Also, the house I had build by a local builder was on a corner, and the address change happened to me. It was supposed to face west, and when we went out to look the slab was facing south. We didn't care so didn't say anything. (Altho South would have been better as far as lighting is concerned.)

Anyway, for years afterward, the house had 2 addresses. When the monster raised its head we would cut it off, but then a few years later the other address would reappear, in some new context. For all I know, 26 years later the wrong address may lurk on some county database.

The fact that the mailbox is in the odd spot indicates to me that this might have happened here. And, the lot may have been split--but it's also possible that your lot has 2 folio numbers, one in quiescence.
 
Homes built in the 50's often were without architect. After WWII residential plans were not required to be prepared by a licensed architect. Many builders went out and hired low wage draftsman to do the work and submitted them under the builder's or the contractor's name. S&S Construction were very popular in LA County and especially active in the San Fernando Valley. If the home has certain pedigree style then you would be able to narrow your search for the architects who practiced in that idiom.
 
A couple ideas:

1) One of the largest collection of architectural plans is at my alma mater - UCSB. They may have the plan, or at least an idea how to research.

2) Local historical society.

3) Local public library.

4) Building and Permits Department

the early 50's was when municipalities started to really enforce zoning laws and regulations, so you might be in luck. One of things that is fascinating to see in researching a property in So Cal is that the county reports generally derive back to the original Spanish land grant. The full description of the lot you are researching will referece that 200+ year old deed.
 
cdm, Thanks for the suggestions but I came to a dead end quite some time ago. I had an acquaintance, who is an architect, research it for me and he struck out. The best we could find out was the name of the original owner, but not the architect, and no original plans. Sigh.
 
Trooper said:
I'm trying to do some research in order to give a unique gift to a friend. Perhaps someone on IHB has done similar and can offer a suggestion or two.

I'm trying to research who the original architect/builder and owner were waaaaay back in 1955. This house is in L.A. and L.A. County....I was able to google the tax AIN number, parcel and tract info. I know the office where the records for this property are kept at.... so I've pretty much done everything I can to I.D. the place.

this is my question.....can I actually get my hands on and copy the original drawings of the house ? Find out the actual name of the first owner ? Or anything else interesting....
Click to expand...

Why are you looking for the original plans? Are you just curious? Maybe the arch is Koenig? I'm assuming that the original plans will do no good for remodeling purposes as the home has been added onto many tmes over the years.

I think bks' is correct. You won't find the plans on file at the county office of records. Maybe your only option is to request chain of title report from title company, which will cost money. If the plans were on micro fiche at the clerks office, would they release them without consent from arch due to the plans having been filed 50 years ago?
 
jcaraway. I wanted to frame the original rendering as a gift. They do not exist on micro fiche, or anywhere. You are correct (and I found out during my search) that if I had been successful finding them, I would indeed need a signature from the homeowner in order to get a copy of them....so that would have ruined the surprise anyways.

Official end of thread. Thanks all.
 
Too bad, That's a cool gift, especially with the approval stamps. I've seen people obtain the original blue prints of the elevations of their homes, it's neato.
 
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