PreserveLA Weekly Update
February 1, 2006 - March 5, 2006
http://www.preservela.com
In this issue:
- A Wandering Tour of L.A.
- Hollywood House Threatened
- Preservation Headlines
- Demolition at Hollywood/Vine
- L.A. Eichler Tract Landmarked
- Lincoln Place Not Historic?
- LAHD Rehab Grants & Loans
- LACMA Event at St. Vibiana's
- That box of Old Photos
- Urban & Historic Parks
- Old Spanish Trail
- Historic Preservation Guide
- 2006 Preservation Grants
- Exhibits & Events
Have news or putting on an event? Know of an historic resource that is threatened, lost, or has been saved? Be sure to let us know. With your help, we can get the word out to a much broader constituency - that and many of us are just plain interested!
Submit notices using the online form at: http://www.preservela.com/contact.html
Or send an email to editor@preservela.com.
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A Wandering Tour of L.A.
By Melinda Pillsbury-Foster
The Hollywood of 1909 was a quiet place, mostly large homes on one or two acres of land. Most families were beginning to exchange their horses for automobiles; their barns converted to auto garages while harness and other gear often lingered on hooks next to the collection of parts and tools the adventurous automobilist needed to keep his vehicle moving.
One such family lived on the corner of what was then North Palm Boulevard and what had recently been renamed Hollywood Boulevard. Their home was set on two acres and rose to two stories; fruit trees and a railroad the three children could sit in to ride wandered through the small orchard at the rear of the property.
Wander some more:
http://www.preservela.com/archives/000846.html
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Hollywood Boulevard's Oldest Structure Threatened
by John Clifford
The 1904 house, located at 1717 Bronson in Hollywood, is the oldest surviving example of the homes that once dotted Prospect Avenue during the early part of the 20th century, prior to the Avenue being renamed Hollywood Boulevard in 1910. The home had a large front yard, like most of those of the period. When development of the area began in earnest in the 1920s and 30s, that yard was converted to commercial use, as were many others.
More on this issue:
http://www.preservela.com/archives/000849.html
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Preservation Headlines
(Follow the link at the beginning or end of the section to view a full article. Free registration may be required. Some articles may expire or require a fee to read after one week has passed.)
http://www.preservela.com/archives/000818.html
Metro 417, Pacific Electric Lofts Earn Top Honors
Downtown L.A. - "Two Historic Core housing developments in former transportation hubs shared top honors at the Los Angeles Downtown News' fifth annual Downtowners of Distinction awards last Tuesday night..."
Subway Terminal Building: History Lesson
Downtown L.A. - "After Falling Out of Favor as a Commercial Property, LA's Historic Subway Terminal Building was Adapted to Luxury Rentals by Forest City West..."
More Trouble at the Frontier Hotel
Downtown L.A. - "The City Attorney's office launched an investigation last week into why the owner of the Frontier Hotel at Fifth and Main streets was nearly $75,000 late in paying Department of Water and Power (DWP) bills during February. The action came as the owner is undertaking a $12 million renovation of the structure..."
Hollywood Faces Consequences of Residential Binge
Hollywood - "The sizzling rate at which Hollywood office buildings are being converted into expensive residences is getting too fast for even some of its original proponents - the city of Los Angeles and members of the local business community..."
Owner wants items back
Tujunga - William Malouf is restoring Weatherwolde Castle to its former glory, but he is missing a few household items - taken by neighbors for safe-keeping when the building was threatened with demolition.
Spanish style still defines central pocket
Reynier Village - "Residents say Reynier Village was named for a family whose house stood on what is now a small and well-used public open space, Reynier Park. Today, that park is at the center of residential life..."
Lawndale's Old Times Not Forgotten
Lawndale - "History buffs mark the community's 100th birthday, in part to show it is older than its 1959 incorporation date and not just another suburb..."
At Crystal Cove, the Beginning of an Old Era
Crystal Cove - "When the last residents left the seaside El Morro trailer park this week, state officials returned their attention to their ongoing work just up the coast - renovating the historic beach cottages at Crystal Cove State Park. The state park, which includes the old trailer park and the cove where the homes stand, is undergoing a $14-million revamp. State officials expect to have 22 of the 46 cottages open to guests by this summer..."
Makeover for old steel town
Fontana - "North Fontana, long an enclave of low-income African Americans, is now being proposed as the site for Fontana's most expensive housing and commercial developments. Some see this as progress, others as an attempt to erase this part of San Bernardino County's cultural history..."
Hearings on Old Spanish National Historic Trail to begin
California - "The Bureau of Land Management and National Park Service are seeking the public's advice this month about how to care for the Old Spanish Trail, a 19th-century trading route between Santa Fe and Los Angeles..."
http://www.preservela.com/archives/000818.html
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Demolition at Hollywood/Vine
The Los Angeles Community Redevelopment Agency (LA-CRA) has initiated eminent domain proceedings for a proposed development near the intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street. The action has be criticized as heavy-handed and unfriendly by Hollywood Heritage, homeowners, and merchants who argue it is wrong to use public money and power to benefit a private developer. The project, as currently planned, will result in the near complete demolition of the National Register listed Herman Building (also known as the Bernard Luggage Building) at 1636-1640 Vine Street in Hollywood.
Get the scoop:
http://www.preservela.com/archives/000845.html
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L.A. Eichler Tract Landmarked
A tract of about 100 Eichler houses in Granada Hills was recently granted protection as a historical landmark by the city of Los Angeles. This was done as an interim control to prevent owners from razing or significantly altering the residences' exteriors without prior approval. The tract is in the process of being declared an official City Historic Preservation Overlay Zone (HPOZ), which will provide the properties with a level of protection.
Continue reading:
http://www.preservela.com/archives/000842.html
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Lincoln Place Not Historic?
Last year, the historic Lincoln Place Garden Apartments in Venice were deemed eligible for inclusion on the State Historic Register, guaranteeing it certain protections from demolitions and redevelopment. The property owner/developer, AIMCO, has been fighting the designation and evicted 52 households in December. Last week, the State Historical Resources Commission, with six new members appointed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, overturned the property’s historical status to the dismay of preservationists.
The full story:
http://www.preservela.com/archives/000841.html
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LAHD Rehab Grants & Loans
My house is a historic landmark. It is in need of exterior painting, as well as some other interior preservation. Is it possible for me to apply for a grant to get these things taken care of?
Unfortunately, direct funding for the rehabilitation of 'historic' homes and buildings is generally hard to come by. Either there is just too little money to go around, or governments/organizations do not perceive such programs as having great value to a community. There are, however, a few grant and loan programs available for the rehabilitation of homes in general - assuming you qualify - among other tax-based incentives.
Available programs:
http://www.preservela.com/archives/000839.html
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LACMA Event at St. Vibiana's
Anyone who hasn't gotten a chance to see the recently restored St. Vibiana's Cathedral will have an opportunity to do so on Saturday, April 22nd. The downtown historic landmark is the final destination for LACMA Muse's ArtWalk 2006.
Where and when:
http://www.preservela.com/archives/000836.html
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That box of Old Photos
Have you ever browsed through the boxes of old anonymous photographs in an antique store or at a flea market? It always disturbs me when I see these forlorn cast-offs all jumbled together, being sold for .25, .50...a dollar. I can't help but think of the people pictured and who they might be.
Photographs:
http://www.preservela.com/archives/000009.html
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Urban & Historic Parks
Of potential interest to advocates of Los Angeles' historic parks is a new website recently launched by the City Parks Alliance and the National Association for Olmsted Parks. ParksPractices.org is intended to assist local parks in meeting their current needs more effectively as they encounter the ever present challenges in preserving, maintaining, operating and funding their parks and in serving their increasingly diverse constituents.
Visit the website:
http://www.preservela.com/archives/000832.html
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Old Spanish Trail
The Bureau of Land Management and the National Park Service are seeking public input in developing a comprehensive management plan for the Old Spanish National Historic Trail. The plan will describe how the surviving elements of the trail - the route, the landscape, and the historic places - will be developed to preserve trail resources, provide access to trail sites, and tell the story of the trail and its role in American history. Designated as part of the National Trails System in 2002, the trail route crosses six states - New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Arizona, Nevada, and California – and links some of the West’s oldest communities from Santa Fe, New Mexico, to Los Angeles, California.
More on the master plan:
http://www.preservela.com/archives/000831.html
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Historic Preservation Guide
The Environmental Design Library at U.C. Berkeley hosts an online resource guide for historic preservation that many of you will find useful. Historic Preservation: A Guide to Resources, developed by Head Librarian Elizabeth Byrne of U.C. Berkeley's College of Environmental Design, is a guide to strategies and resources for students and others beginning research on the conservation, preservation, or restoration of historic buildings and landscapes.
View the guide:
http://www.preservela.com/archives/000614.html
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2006 Preservation Grants
Application forms and guidelines for the 2006 Federal Save America's Treasures grants are now online. Grants are available for preservation and/or conservation work on nationally significant intellectual and cultural artifacts and historic structures and sites. The National Trust has expressed that it is especially eager to identify eligible projects west of the Mississippi and those in the Gulf States impacted by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
Obtain a grant:
http://www.preservela.com/archives/000828.html
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Become a CONTRIBUTING WRITER!
Get involved by becoming a Contributing Writer at PreserveLA.com, and let your voice be heard. All Contributing Writers are recognized as authors of PreserveLA.com and have the opportunity to create their own content. Visit http://www.preservela.com/content/writers.html to find out how to sign-up.
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News! Events! And History!
PreserveLA benefits from the knowledge of its readers. News briefs, event notifications, and article submissions are always welcome and encouraged.
Contact PreserveLA by visiting: http://www.preservela.com/contact.html.
Or send an email to editor@preservela.com.
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Exhibits & Events
Select upcoming Preservation-related events:
- Los Angeles Conservancy Walking Tours, Weekly: Art Deco, Broadway Historic
Theater Distric, Historic Core
Los Angeles Conservancy, http://www.laconservancy.org
- Echo Park Lake Walking Tour, March 11
Echo Park Historical Society, http://www.historicechopark.org/id1.html
- San Pedro Walking Tour, March 11
Los Angeles Conservancy, http://www.laconservancy.org
- Little Tokyo Walking Tour, March 11
Los Angeles Conservancy, http://www.laconservancy.org
- Angelino Heights Tour, March 18
Los Angeles Conservancy, http://www.laconservancy.org
- Downtown's Evolving Skyline Walking Tour, March 18
Los Angeles Conservancy, http://www.laconservancy.org
- Downtown Union Station Walking Tour, March 18
Los Angeles Conservancy, http://www.laconservancy.org
- Historic Highland Park Walking Tour, March 25
Los Angeles Conservancy, http://www.laconservancy.org
- Lecture: Santa Monica's Gold Coast, Homes and Stars, March 19
Santa Monica Conservancy, http://www.smconservancy.org
- Historic Landscapes Seminar, San Simeon, March 22-23
National Preservation Institute, http://www.npi.org
- Fifth National Forum on Historic Preservation Practice, "A Critical Look at
Authenticity and Historic Preservation," March 23-25
Goucher College,
http://www.goucher.edu/mahp/downloads/GoucherHPAuthenticityForum2006.pdf
- Historic Spring Street Walking Tour, March 25
Los Angeles Conservancy, http://www.laconservancy.org
- Elysian Park Walking Tour, March 25
Echo Park Historical Society, http://www.historicechopark.org/id1.html
- Pasadena Victorian Spring Home Tour, March 26
Pasadena Heritage, http://www.pasadenaheritage.org/tourevents.html
- Wallace Neff Tour, April 1
Society of Architectural Historians SCC, http://www.sahscc.org
- The Real Los Angeles Noir, April 4
Santa Monica Museum of Art, http://www.smmoa.org
- Modernity and the Imagined Past: Defining Los Angeles (lecture), April 6
LACMA & National Committee for the History of Art, http://www.nchart.org
- USC Walking Tour, April 8
Los Angeles Conservancy, http://www.laconservancy.org
- Echo Park Lake Walking Tour, April 8
Echo Park Historical Society, http://www.historicechopark.org/id1.html
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