Dear Commissioners, 

We write today regarding the Demolition Permit Application HP-822-24-DEM for 4918 E White Gates Drive (colloquially known as “White Gates”) which was architect Al Beadle’s personal family residence built on Camelback Mountain in 1958. It is undeniable that this home has garnered long term global visibility as one of the most iconic homes in Arizona. Most recently, the threat of its ultimate demise has ignited significant public outcry and the community coming together to propose solutions to save this home. 

It has long been understood by scholars of Beadle’s work, historic preservation staff members, as well as laypeople with an interest in Phoenix’s culture that White Gates qualifies as historically significant architecture that helps tell the story of our city’s role as a hub for midcentury modern architectural design and lifestyle in the 1950s. The City of Phoenix HP Staff’s own self-initiated study of White Gates in 2013 found the building to have enough integrity to qualify, and a recent staff research report from them sent to the community along with the demolition application notice affirms that their favorable assessment stands true today. The property’s owner has argued that the site’s integrity has been lost, however we trust the assessment of the HP Office and the 2024 Building Condition Assessment by Motley Design Group which indicates that exterior integrity and structural conditions are good enough for rehabilitation. It is important to note that the landscape and interior are exempt from such assessments as per the City’s and Nation’s own designation criteria.

We agree that the offer to salvage and relocate the three brise-soleil panels for installation on another site (the “Salvage Plan”) is a generous one, and should it come to that, we are committed to seeing the Salvage Plan through. It needs to be noted that while the demolition narrative named us as originators of the Salvage Plan, we were merely contributors who were consulted on the terms that might best satisfy the preservation community given the current policies in place. To be clear, we are willing to support the Salvage Plan, however, we do not believe the Salvage Plan is the best option. At the negotiation table over the last several months we have consistently brought asks of the owner to either resell or rehabilitate White Gates. Those requests have been strongly declined. The preferred outcome is for White Gates to be restored and kept on the site, which is a huge contributor to the significance of the architecture. If demolition is imminent, however, then the Salvage Plan makes sense; of course the brise-soleil panels should be conserved.

The question you will need to face at the December 16, 2024 HP Commission meeting is not whether or not the property is historic, however, it is whether demolition is imminent. Does the City of Phoenix want to enact the double-wall of protections in policy it has voluntarily put in place to regulate itself in preventing demolition of cultural icons?

Initiation of a historic overlay with only one year of consideration before a demolition permit may be applied for again will likely aggravate an already delicate situation, resulting in withdrawal of the offer laid out in the Salvage Plan. Under the terms of this Plan, the owner has agreed to allow deconstruction of the facade and to be prohibited from demolishing the building for 320 days (nearly a year). Enactment of this Plan does not discount the possibility that the entire building be removed (despite the difficulties cited in Motley’s report) or that another resolution such as sale or rehabilitation can be arrived at by October 17th, 2025. 

As for whether or not the property qualifies as a Landmark, we urge you to listen to the community stakeholders who will be weighing in with you this week. It is the neighborhood that will be impacted the most. The home’s site specificity on Camelback Mountain, the artistry, Beadle’s reputation as an architect with four of his properties already on historic registers, and the national attention this building has gotten in its 66-year lifespan should also inform your assessment. 

If the Commission agrees that White Gates does indeed merit Landmark status, earning it a three year stay of demolition, we respectfully request that the Commission stand publicly and actively behind this position as the necessary votes come before City Council and/or for related Zoning Cases that could reverse a historic outcome. We are asking you to fully commit and assist in ushering Landmark designation through to completion. The property will have our support in that endeavor as well.

If Landmark status is not selected, we are committed to following through with the Salvage Plan and the RFP process that emerges for the highest and best of the salvaged panels and materials. In this regard, you have our unconditional support on whatever decision you make, and are prepared to either finish or continue the story of White Gates as we know it.

It is important to note that our collective efforts within the stakeholder group to come to the table with the owner and his attorney to work on compromise, may have created long term impacts to the future of an already challenged preservation process. We are deeply concerned about the precedent this Salvage Plan may serve for future property owners to argue that demolition by neglect, and the optics of offering an incentive to essentially rule in favor of a newly created demolition plan by not initiating an overlay. That is what the Salvage Plan ultimately results in: conservation of pieces and parts, not preservation in place – at a price.  

In summary, we strongly believe that Al Beadle’s White Gates residence deserves a Landmark designation. However, should the Commission decide against this, we are prepared to respect the decision and support the alternative salvage plan proposed by the applicant.

Historic Preservation is not just about old buildings that we value. It’s about the cultural values we hold today that we use to shape the city we want and tell our story. Phoenix is second only to Palm Springs for Mid Century Modern architecture, where they have not only created strong preservation processes, they promote it to drive significant tourism and culture opportunities. We continue to be evaluated by new residents, companies moving headquarters here and businesses who are looking for their next city to operate in. What we do with White Gates today speaks volumes about us as a community, what our values are and how strong our leadership is. Is preservation a point of pride for our community or is it something we hide? Phoenix is one of the most beautiful, unique cities in the country and it deserves to be protected.  

Respectfully,
Lauren Bailey
Ashley Harder
Alison King, Modern Phoenix LLC

Cc:

Gallego
Robinson

We the undersigned support Lauren Bailey, Ashley Harder and Alison King in their assessment of the circumstances surrounding White Gates, the need for change to the current policies surrounding demolition of historic structures and create accountability to preserve buildings in Phoenix and the state of Arizona. We urge the City of Phoenix to reevaluate its preservation policies for the future of our great state, its young history and those that continue to call it home. We simply cannot continue to create a fast track to tearing down our historic placemaking. It takes bold and courageous leadership to create and uphold policies that are designed to protect people and places that cannot speak for themselves and we ask you to do that today, not only for White Gates, but for our future as residents of Arizona.