Santa Barbara’s Franceschi House Faces Demolition: Can the Park’s History Endure? 

A long-neglected historic house perched above Santa Barbara could soon be demolished, as city officials consider replacing the Franceschi House with an interpretive garden terrace — a proposal that has reawakened debate over how the city should preserve the park’s history.

Known for its sweeping coastal views, sunset gatherings, and the aging structure itself, Franceschi Park has long been a destination for locals and visitors alike. While the park is named after botanist Dr. Francesco Franceschi, the house in its current form was largely shaped by later owners and gifted to the City of Santa Barbara in 1931. In 1982, the building was designated a City Structure of Merit, a classification that triggers historic review rather than full landmark protection.

Over time, the Franceschi House deteriorated significantly, suffering from structural problems and neglected maintenance impacting the structure. City studies conducted around 2018 found that renovating the house would be excessively costly and probably not viable for the long term. Consequently, city officials concluded that tearing down the structure, along with preserving and recording significant architectural features, was the most feasible choice. 

At last week’s Historic Landmarks Commission hearing, commissioners voted unanimously to continue the project indefinitely with their feedback. The vote did not approve demolition or construction but allowed the design process to move forward while ensuring key elements — like medallions and architectural details — are documented or incorporated into the terrace. The hearing’s main purpose was to review the preliminary proposal and guide the team on improving accessibility, enhancing the visitor experience, and preserving historic features. At the heart of the discussion was a central question: how should the city preserve the history of Franceschi Park — and can that history survive without the house itself?

For architect and Historic Landmarks Commissioner Robert Ooley, the debate hinges on a distinction many residents may not realize: The historical significance of Franceschi Park does not necessarily rest in the house itself.

In an interview with the Independent following last week’s meeting, Ooley said the park is named after Franceschi for his horticultural contributions, not the building that currently stands on the property. “The value of Franceschi is not in the house,” Ooley said, noting that the structure was heavily modified after Franceschi’s time.

While much of the public debate has focused on the building, Ooley said Franceschi’s true legacy lives in the landscape. The botanist introduced plant species from around the world — including specimens from Italy and Australia — transforming the hillside into one of Santa Barbara’s earliest botanical experiments. But those plants, Ooley said, were never meant to last indefinitely. 

“We should not expect that the plants that are in the park now, the ones Franceschi planted, will last forever, because they won’t,” he said, emphasizing that preserving Franceschi’s vision means carefully replacing plants as they naturally age.

The Franceschi House contains notable architectural elements, including stained-glass windows, an ornamental stairway, a small fireplace imported from New Jersey, three sculptural herms by artist Ulrich H. Ellerhusen, and 85 decorative medallions. However, Ooley said these features do not outweigh the building’s overall deterioration. Individual elements, he said, can be documented or salvaged, but preserving history does not always require preserving an entire structure.

Ooley also questioned the architectural intent behind the house’s decorative features, including its 85 medallions, suggesting they were added incrementally rather than as part of a cohesive design. He characterized them as decorative additions that were “glued onto the building” over time.

Under the proposal, the house would be replaced by a 19-foot-wide garden terrace featuring a standing wall designed to display a selection of the medallions. Because the terrace cannot accommodate all of them, Ooley said a historian should review the medallions to determine which warrant preservation and public display.

What remains unresolved is what will happen to the dozens of medallions that cannot be incorporated into the terrace. Ooley suggested alternatives, including long-term storage, thorough documentation, or dispersing the medallions throughout the park as interpretive elements along walking paths. However, he emphasized that no final decisions have been made, leaving the fate of many of the medallions — and other decorative pieces — uncertain.

Several residents who spoke at the hearing said the house has long served as an informal gathering space, with some describing years of sunset picnics and daily visits to the park. Carol and Patrick Navin, a Chicago couple who have biked to Franceschi Park since 2018 during their stays in Santa Barbara, said they visit regularly for the views. Carol Navin said that if the project moves forward, it could make the site more “accessible for people to learn the history of the place.”

Supporters of the proposal also emphasized accessibility improvements. Ooley said the current site presents physical barriers that limit access for visitors with mobility challenges, and that the proposed terrace would allow more people to experience the park’s views safely.

No final decision was made at the hearing, and further findings will be required before the project can proceed. The proposal will continue through the city’s review process, with final decisions dependent on funding, environmental review, and additional public input. Construction, if approved, could take place in phases and span several years.