By Megan Ma

joe hu/town crier The Los Altos Historical Commission has designated the Kreisman family home as a Historic Landmark.

The Los Altos Historical Commission’s review of the status of a Cherry Avenue house came to fruition last week when the city council unanimously designated the private residence a Historic Landmark.

Built in 1929, the approximately 1,300-square-foot Spanish revival home is one of the few of that design remaining in Los Altos. Popularized in the early part of the century, Spanish Colonial, as the design is also known, spans a catalogue of styles including Spanish and Portuguese architecture.

Lance Kreisman said he knew his family had found something special when they bought their home at 571 Cherry Ave. last fall. As early as 1997, the city’s historical commission had shown interest in the house. That rating, however, was not quite high enough to grant it full Historic Landmark status, according to state requirements for defining city landmarks.

“I felt the initial historical scoring was inaccurate, there wasn’t enough justice done to the house, and the commission agreed,” said Kreisman, who uncovered the two key factors for the home’s recent successful elevation to landmark status.

While digging around his home, Kreisman found the original blueprints that attribute the design to architect Birge Clarke or his draftsman Erwin Reichel, both noted area architects. The house has not been altered significantly since it was built. Coupled with detailed information about original owner Lucille Liewer’s contributions to Los Altos, the evidence was compelling enough to sway the commissioners to grant the designation.

An amateur history buff, Kreisman said he hoped to enjoy the house for many more years.

“It has lots of character. The interior wood is original. … It’s like walking into a museum,” he said.

Los Altos architect and historical commissioner John Hamblin said he was impressed with Kreisman’s hard work.

“What’s unusual about this case (was that) they were able to find more information,” he said. “History can get lost at some point.”

Local historian Don McDonald helped the Kreismans gather information about Liewer, an influential presence in the community. A daughter of one of the founding families of Los Altos, Liewer, who died in 2005, was instrumental in expanding the Los Altos School District.

The revised score also allowed the owners to enter an agreement under the state’s 1972 Mills Act Property Tax Abatement Program. The Act allows local governments to implement property tax relief in exchange for an agreement to restore and preserve qualified historical buildings. The Kreismans are responsible for maintaining the exterior of their home as a condition of the agreement.

Historic Landmark status designations are “very rare” in Los Altos, said Commissioner Ken Girdley, a general contractor.

Currently, there are 116 properties on the commission’s inventory for review. Only six of the 18 Los

Altos Historic Landmarks

qualify under the Mills Act, which has more stringent qualifications.