The Annenberg Foundation and City of Santa Monica join forces to celebrate the opening of the Annenberg Community Beach House at Santa Monica State Beach. Set amidst the breathtaking sweep of Santa Monica Bay in Southern California, this beautiful and historic beach facility opened to the public April 26, 2009.
Kicking off a public opening celebration on Saturday April 25 at 11 am, Foundation Chairman, President and CEO Wallis Annenberg along with State and local officials welcomed the hundreds of community supporters that have long advocated for the revitalization of this historic site. The original pool with its colorful historic tiles was then christened with a “First Splash” performance from “O™” by Cirque du Soleil. The festivities continued with hula dancers, storytellers, tours, and many other activities for both children and adults. A large sand castle and a flock of kites celebrated the site’s incredible natural setting.
Visitors are encouraged to walk, bike or shuttle to the opening as no onsite parking will be available. Free shuttle service will be available throughout the day from the Santa Monica Civic Center (4th Street & Olympic Drive, just off the 10 freeway).
The Annenberg Community Beach House is a unique project created through the efforts of an innovative public/private partnership between the Annenberg Foundation, California State Parks and the City of Santa Monica, with additional funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Federal Preserve America Program. This exciting new public gathering place now joins the ranks of Santa Monica’s other icons of Southern California beach culture such as Muscle Beach and the Santa Monica Pier, responsible for making Santa Monica Beach a ‘Great Public Space’ in 2008 (a designation awarded by the American Planning Association).
The Annenberg Community Beach House transforms and revitalizes an architecturally, socially, and recreationally significant 5-acre beachfront property. It was originally built by William Randolph Hearst in the late 1920’s for actress Marion Davies and for two decades its elegant and expansive mansion hosted many luminaries of Hollywood’s Golden Era – with guests such as Clark Gable, Cary Grant, Charlie Chaplin and Gloria Swanson frequenting the lavish parties hosted by Ms. Davies. In the late 1940’s, the property was sold, becoming Oceanhouse, a hotel owned by Joseph Drown who eventually demolished the large mansion but preserved an original guest house and pool as well as cabanas and a locker building. Subsequently it was sold to the State of California and leased for thirty years to the popular Sand and Sea Club until the City of Santa Monica assumed responsibility for the site in 1989. After a brief period as a seasonal public beach facility, it was severely damaged during the 1994 Northridge Earthquake.
Wallis Annenberg of the Annenberg Foundation had fond memories of visiting The Sand and Sea Club as a child and in 2004 when she learned about the City’s struggle to identify funding to realize its vision for a year-round public beach facility, she enthusiastically offered to help. Having a personal connection to the club and truly interested in the benefit it would create for the community, she generously reached out with a $27.5 million Annenberg Foundation grant that paved the way for the site’s rehabilitation and reuse.
Today the property has been restored and renovated to create a truly unique space for all to enjoy, completely open to the public, with no membership required. This exciting new venue incorporates “green” building design throughout as well as promotes full access for persons with a disability. A few of the visitor features include volleyball and beach tennis courts, event and meeting space, the Back on the Beach Café, children’s play areas, gardens and an accessible boardwalk extending westward toward the ocean. Along with new facilities thoughtfully designed by Frederick Fisher and Partners, Architects, comes the rehabilitation of the historic pool and guest house.
For more information on The Annenberg Community Beach House visit: beachhouse.smgov.net
Public Hours:
8:30 am – Sunset.
The pool will be open weekends in May, daily in summer; from 10 am – 6 pm.
Getting There:
Car: On-site parking is limited – advance online reservations are recommended.
Payment will be required at the time of reservation.
Bus: The new Big Blue Bus Beach Ride will provide service on weekends, May – September. Big Blue Bus Line 9 also provides service close to the site, with a stop at nearby Will Rogers State Beach.
Bicycle: Located directly adjacent to the South Bay Bike Trail there is ample bike parking on site. A low-cost bike valet service may be offered on weekends.
Walking: There are several footbridges crossing over PCH to connect Palisades Park to the South Bay Bike Trail.
Fees:
Parking: $6 – 10 per day or $3 – $4 per hour depending on season. Pool pass: $4 for children, $5 for seniors, $10 for adults – or $24 for a family pass (2 children, 2 adults). Walk-in entries are also available.
Volleyball courts: May be reserved ahead of time for $5, or are available on a walk up basis for free.
Membership:
Public facility, open to the public, no membership required.
Location:
415 Pacific Coast Highway at Beach House Way, Santa Monica, CA. North of the California Incline and Santa Monica Pier, and south of Will Rogers State Beach.
