Gardner Dailey's "Gem of the Pacific", known as the Coral Casino, is located at 1281 Channel Drive, Santa Barbara, California, 93108. This website is an acronym for California Landmark Under Barrage combined with the Coral Casino’s zip code. The Coral Casino is sui generous (one of a kind).  Its LOW, LINEAR and OPEN International Modern design is dominated by its landmark lighthouse tower and a monumental front entrance.  There is nothing like it in California. 

It is undisputed that the Coral Casino, which was constructed in 1937, is the most architecturally significant building in Santa Barbara County with a style that is not Hispanic or Mission Revival. Internationally recognized Bay Area architect Gardner Dailey designed the Coral Casino which he believed was one of his best buildings. Gardner Dailey is considered to be one of the most
prominent Bay Area architects of the 20th Century. For more information about Gardner Dailey and his works, see the website at http://www.gardnerdailey.org. 

The Montecito Community (General) Plan formally recognized the Coral Casino's significance in 1992 and it was subsequently designated as a County Landmark. Moreover, it is universally agreed that the Coral Casino qualifies for listing on the National Register of Historic Places, but it might not qualify after the proposed project directory its architectural integrity. 

Noted Santa Barbara Architectural Historian David Gebhard described the Coral Casino as "a sophisticated version of the Regency Revival" combined with the International Style Modern. The landmark's original oceanfront dining room was surrounded by and Open Court which was subsequently covered (in a reversible manner), first by a light transparent, greenhouse-like roof and more recently by a flat roof with a dropped ceiling. The outline of the Open Court is shown in the Upper Deck Pictures by the inner railings and in the Interior Pictures by the outer columns that form a circle.

The current proposal seeks to create additional useable square footage for commercial uses. The proposed project will destroy the architectural integrity of Gardner Dailey's LOW, LINEAR, and OPEN design. It will irreversibly seal the fate of that Open Court by adding a massive permanent structure, namely a restaurant (with a kitchen), on top of it and a third floor sun deck. In this area, there was once an Open Court with a quiet sun deck and back-drop of cabanas that looked out towards the Pacific. The prominent and famous lighthouse-like tower is now and since 1937 has been fully visible from the Pacific. Unfortunately, the proposed project will significantly diminish the tower's prominence and full visibility.

The County of Santa Barbara approved the project that will degrade the architectural integrity of the Coral Casino. The matter was on appeal to the California Coastal Commission and scheduled for consideration on Wednesday, August 10, 2005 in Costa Mesa. The appellants were given 4 minutes to present their cases, and the Commission refused a public hearing on the Coral Casino expansion in spite of enormous coastal issues associated with the development including zoning violations, setback violations, coastal access, and loss of historic building fabric.

A lawsuit has been filed, as Santa Barbara County violated CEQA in failing to adopt feasible project alternatives that show project objectives can be met without adding a second story restaurant. A December 20 2005 court hearing and subsequent court order granted a stay so that no demolition will take place until the case is resolved. That court date is set for March 10, 2006. Meanwhile supporters of the demolition plan, officially labeled the Selective Salvage Plan, continue to accuse preservationists of abusing the administrative process as a delay tactic.

For other concerns (unrelated to historic landmark status) surrounding the highly controversial coastal development, please view http://www.coralcasinoprivateclub.org. Clearly a variety of groups that oppose this project have formed for different reasons.

The future of the integrity of historic preservation of our landmarks is at stake. This case is especially important as the Landmark is located in one of the most highly restrictive land use areas in the United States. If the County of Santa Barbara will not protect important Landmarks in Santa Barbara, where are Landmarks safe?

^{The below picture portrays the once quiet beauty of the coast where the Coral Casino is located.}