By Maureen Neeley, revised and updated from a Summer 2018 article by Laura Scully
In Belmont Heights, our historic buildings are a source of pride. Even if you don’t live
in one of the designated historic districts, many homes in the area are nearly a century old. This often sparks curiosity about their past—who built them, who lived there before, and what changes have been made over the years.
Last Summer on an early Saturday morning, over 60 people joined Heather Kern, Executive Director of the Belmont Shore Business Association, on a Saturday morning weekly walk. Named “Tour the Shore,” the event brings walkers on a two-to-three-mile loop, exploring different points of interest on foot. This particular morning the Gaytonia was on the agenda: re-sparking interest in this landmark.
This multi-story Norman Revival structure, located at 212 Quincy Avenue, was built in 1930 for developer/builder George Thomas Gayton (1880-1957). Gayton was born in York, England and always favored the Tudor / Norman style of architecture. Immigrating through Canada to Long Beach around 1923, he and his London-born wife, Emma Hall (1879-1959), became well-known fixtures in Long Beach society. His firm was responsible for numerous apartment homes, the Belmont Theatre on 2nd Street (home to the Belmont Athletic Club today), the rebuilding of All Saints Episcopal Church on Termino after the 1933 earthquake, and even the Bowling Green clubhouse in Recreation Park.
But Gayton’s crowning jewel was the “castle” he built for himself at 212 Quincy. Hiring architect Reginald Freemont Inwood (1902-1974), Gayton built it as an apartment hotel for the Gayton family and 26 tenant-neighbors. Inwood was born and raised in Long Beach. He is most well-known for Gothic and Tudor style churches featuring stained and leaded glass, as well as for the Belmont Theatre mentioned earlier.
The Gaytonia cost about $100,000 to construct and had 27 furnished apartments. There was maid service for residents and an on-site laundry. Many of the apartments still feature built-in furnishings, telephone niches and milk delivery doors. Several Navy officers stationed in Long Beach during the forties and fifties lived there. At the time, they could enjoy a heated swimming pool (once located on the lot next door) and gymnasium. Several outdoor terraces are still used by current tenants.
George Gayton installed a rooftop neon sign, visible from Catalina, proclaiming the building as the “Gaytonia.” The historically-designated building resembles a large French chateau in Normandy. Turrets and battlements perch on the top, with quoins marking the corners. Half-timbering (actually made of cast-concrete/art stone) covers the projecting third story.
There is a Gothic arch over the entrance, flanked by leaded glass windows. Gaytonia’s lobby features a large art stone fireplace and metal sconces with rampant lions on shields. Two roaring lion statues sit in window niches.
Today, the Gaytonia remains one of Long Beach’s most sought-after apartment residences. There were numerous owners in between Gayton and Robert Thomas, the current owner. Purchasing the building in 2006, Mr. Thomas is to be congratulated on the considerable resources spent in time and funds on restoring and caretaking the Gaytonia’s unique architectural features. The building is a stellar example of Long Beach’s historic architecture, affectionately appreciated by those who are lucky enough to live there.
For information on the “Tour the Shore,” weekly walks, see https://www.belmontshore.org/events
Comments