Fay Avenue Cottage Gains Historic Protection
La Jolla Cottage Wins Historic Designation in Underdog Victory
Sometimes David beats Goliath, and sometimes a nearly century-old cottage beats city hall.
Michael and Lisa Maher just scored a major win for La Jolla preservation after the San Diego Historical Resources Board voted 7-2 to designate their 1928 Colonial Revival cottage at 7320 Fay Avenue as a historic resource, directly overruling city staff recommendations.
The drama unfolded during the board's January 22 meeting, where city planners argued the home lacked sufficient character-defining features for designation. Staff pointed to alterations over the years that they said compromised the home's architectural integrity.
The Mahers weren't having it.
Local preservationists rallied to their cause, with historian Diane Kane explaining the cottage represents the smaller homes in America movement that sparked residential building booms during the 1920s. Architectural historian Seonaid McArthur noted the house embodies early La Jolla residential development and remains authentic to its period.
The couple has watched helplessly as neighboring cottages fell to developers. A 1915 home next door was demolished just last month. La Jolla once had hundreds of such cottages. Now only a handful survive, with just 21 historically designated throughout the community.
Board member Michael Provence raised an intriguing question during deliberations about whether rarity itself should factor into preservation decisions as these architectural examples disappear. City staff said it typically doesn't, but the board clearly felt differently.
After nearly an hour of debate, the motion narrowly passed.
For the Mahers, who simply wanted to protect their home beyond their lifetimes, the victory felt profound. As Michael put it, seeing the community unite reminded them why La Jolla remains such a special place.
Sources: San Diego Union-Tribune | La Jolla Light | Wikipedia