The Street Seen: 214/218 Strand Street (Storz)
214-218 Strand Street @ 2nd St
In 1923, a 4-unit bungalow court is constructed on the south side of Strand St between Main and 2nd St.
[1923 to 1928] Storz
In 1923, contractor G. C. Ballinger1 builds a 4-unit bungalow court2 for D. O. Storz3 on a vacant lot4 on the south side of Strand St near 2nd St.
The property consists of two 1-story, 45-ft by 21-ft Mission Revival style buildings. Each flat roof, stucco on wood frame building has two single units.
Storz lives in one of the units (214½ Strand St) until his death in 1928.
[1928 to 1958] Unknown Owners
Between 1928 and 1958, the property is a rental with unknown (to us) owners. In 1959, the property is offered for sale at $0.02 MM. The sellers are Paul D. and Florence Young of 9th St, Santa Monica.
[1964 - 1994] Hempler
In 1964, mid-century artist, sculptor, and freelance designer, Orval Hempler, acquires 214-218 Strand St as a rental property. Hempler also owns the adjacent property at 2302 2nd St, which he uses as his residence/studio, and dies there in 1994.
[1996] Current Owner
The current owner5 acquires the 214-218 Strand St property for $0.42 MM in 1996.
George C. Ballinger (1866 – 1924). Born in Missouri, from 1890 to 1910, Ballinger works in copper mining in AZ. From 1911 until his death in 1924, he builds many houses in Los Angeles. 214-218 Strand St is the only Santa Monica project we could find.
214-218 Strand’s low scale, multiple detached structures, and orientation around a central common area are characteristics of a bungalow court. In Ocean Park of the 1920s, bungalow courts are a popular type of multifamily housing that takes advantage of the temperate climate and provides residents with access to outdoor space.
Daniel Oscar Storz (1850 - 1928). Storz is born in Germany and comes to the US in 1870. From 1875 to 1920, he is a painter / interior decorator in San Francisco. For the health of his wife, May L. Leonard (1867 - 1922), they move to Ocean Park (2325 2nd St). In 1922, May Storz, despondent over her poor health, drinks hydrochloric acid left by plumbers and dies (age 55) at St Catherine’s Hospital.
Lot 9 of the South Santa Monica Wharf Property of 1887 is 50-ft x 116-ft property. In 1915, the Strand St sidewalk is widened by 2-ft, reducing Storz’s lot to 48-ft x 116-ft. Storz sells the vacant east 50-ft of his property to J.H. Mathews (who builds 2302 2nd St in 1925) - leaving 214-218 Strand on a 48-ft x 66-ft separate lot.
The current owner of 214-218 Strand St also owns the adjacent 2302 2nd St.