Iconic Mel's Drive-In Faces Redevelopment as Landmark Bid Advances

SANTA MONICA - A 1959 Googie-style diner long associated with the western end of Route 66 is the subject of a preliminary redevelopment application and a concurrent bid for historic landmark status, setting up a potential conflict between housing construction and preservation.

ValueRock Realty has filed a preliminary application under Senate Bill 330 to replace the building at 1670 Lincoln Boulevard-currently occupied by Mel's Drive-In and formerly known as the Penguin Coffee Shop-with an eight-story mixed-use project. The proposal calls for 138 apartments, ground-floor retail space, and parking. No demolition permit has been issued, and the restaurant's existing lease on the property runs through 2029.

Separately, the Santa Monica Conservancy and the Los Angeles Conservancy have jointly nominated the structure for designation as a Santa Monica historic landmark. The Landmarks Commission is scheduled to hold a public hearing on the nomination on December 14. Landmark status, if granted, would subject future alterations or demolition to additional review under the city's historic preservation ordinance.

The building, designed in the late 1950s, is frequently cited as one of the remaining examples of Googie architecture in Santa Monica and as a visual marker near the traditional terminus of Route 66. It has operated under the Mel's Drive-In name in recent years while retaining distinctive mid-century features, including signage associated with its earlier life as the Penguin Coffee Shop.

City records show the preliminary application was submitted in mid-September. Because it is an SB 330 filing, it provides the city with basic project information and starts certain review timelines under state housing law, but it does not constitute final entitlement or approval to demolish or construct. Further environmental review, design review, and public hearings would typically follow if the applicant proceeds.

Preservation advocates argue that the structure's architectural style, its association with mid-century roadside culture, and its visibility at a major intersection make it significant to the city's history. The conservancies' nomination triggers a formal evaluation process that includes the December 14 Landmarks Commission hearing, after which the commission can recommend designation, deny it, or continue the matter.

Property records indicate ValueRock acquired the half-acre site in 2020. The company later marketed the property for sale at a substantially higher price, though the current redevelopment filing indicates an intent to pursue new construction rather than an immediate sale to another party.

City officials have not publicly commented on the merits of either the development application or the landmark nomination. The two processes are proceeding on parallel tracks: the preliminary housing application moves through the planning department under state and local housing rules, while the landmark nomination is handled by the Landmarks Commission under the city's cultural heritage ordinance.

If the commission designates the building, any subsequent demolition or major exterior change would require a certificate of appropriateness or a finding that the project meets the city's standards for alterations to historic resources. Conversely, if the nomination is rejected, the applicant could continue through the standard entitlement process without the additional historic-resource layer, subject to other applicable zoning, design, and environmental requirements.

Residents and stakeholders on both sides of the housing-versus-preservation debate are expected to participate in the December 14 hearing. The outcome of that session will not automatically halt or approve the redevelopment proposal, but it will determine whether the building receives formal historic protection before further decisions on the site are made.

As of mid-October, Mel's Drive-In continues to operate under its existing lease. No construction or demolition activity has begun. Both the landmark review and any subsequent development applications remain subject to public notice, hearings, and possible appeals.

The case illustrates ongoing tensions in Santa Monica between efforts to add housing on commercially zoned sites and efforts to retain mid-century commercial buildings that some residents and preservation groups view as culturally significant. Decisions by the Landmarks Commission and, later, the Planning Commission or City Council will determine how those competing priorities are balanced at this particular location.