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OT: We Won Historical Monument Status For Our Homes!!


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I thought some of you might want to know... We have been featured in an article about historical preservation in The Westsider (a small newspaper). We have been battling long and hard to save these houses, which are literally the last string of three or more homes remaining from the original Westwood Hills development, for several months now. Earlier today, the Cultural Heritage Commission (referred to in this article) designated all three of the properties as historical monuments because of their architectural and cultural significance and rarity. http://www.laindependent.com/display/inn_news/news05.txt Another article about the fight for preservation will appear on the Friday edition of the Los Angeles Times!! ~~~~~ Our fight for historical preservation was also featured on a radio show on KCRW (National Public Radio). Here is a transcription of the broadcast: SAM HALL KAPLAN "CITY OBSERVED" TRANSCRIPT FOR 2.26.03 (3:55 PM, 89.9 FM) The City of Los Angeles also has an opportunity to preserve a distinctive landmark on its waning West Side, and in doing so, and more importantly, preserving the remnants of one California's more noteworthy planning and design efforts. Lending Kelton Avenue south of Santa Monica Boulevard scale, character and a sense of history are three Spanish Mediterranean styled duplex apartment buildings. They were developed in the late 1920s by the Janss Company as part of its master plan for Westwood out of which grew UCLA. The duplexes are currently up for landmark designation before the city's Cultural Affairs Commission. The hope in the neighborhood, and here, is that the designation would block their demolition, and encourage the owner to save them, or sell them to someone who will. What the neighborhood doesn't want, and what the neighborhood doesn't need, is the duplexes to be replaced by another four story boxy apartment building, which the owner has indicated it wants to build. These mid block monstrosities are bad enough, destroying the scale of streetscapes, but here it also will destroy a piece of L.A.'s history. This is the City Observed, and I'm Sam Hall Kaplan, for KCRW
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Great news Ken!!! [img]http://www.jamezbrown.com/mysmilies/kao/otn/blobflower.gif[/img] [img]http://smilies.jeeptalk.org/kao/otn/bloblaugh.gif[/img] [img]http://mindscraps.com/s/kao/otn/pangel5.gif[/img] [img]http://smilies.crowd9.com/kao/otn/pcheers1.gif[/img] [img]http://smilies.jeeptalk.org/kao/otn/bloblaugh.gif[/img] [img]http://www.jamezbrown.com/mysmilies/kao/otn/blobflower.gif[/img]
So Many Drummers. So Little Time...
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Congratulations! I have a certain appreciation for old buildings... if those walls could talk. When I lived in over in Olde Hyde Park, I rented half of a converted Spanish style house built circa 1950. The floors creaked, it smelled weird, and I couldn't run the microwave and the A/C at the same time, but man it looked cool. BTW, nice kitchen!
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I am halfway through escrow to move to the Valley. That hasn't changed. I'll follow through. I'm not going to back out now. We knew that when we started filing the application for historical preservation that even if we won, we would not be able to stay because we would be served an eviction notice. This eviction notice was served in January. Now that this has occurred, some people might be able to file for an extension. We, of course, will not because we are in escrow and will not back out of it now. The only reason I would even consider backing out would be if I would somehow be able to go in on the house with some other people, but I don't think that's likely right now. I would like a chance to purchase part of the house at some point, but that will have to wait. Right now, the historic preservation designation is a HUGE win for us. Huge. But we're not out of the woods yet, of course. We will have to try and get the owners to cooperate with us and either preserve it, find alternate uses for it, or sell it to another buyer interested in historic preservation. The historic monument designation lasts for 180 days. This can be renewed for an additional 180 days. The owner has to show a "good faith" effort in preserving the houses. If he wants to continue to attempt to develop it, he must perform an EIR (Environmental Impact Report) - at his expense. He can avoid this by selling the properties. At the end, if the 180 days and the 180 extension (if it is extended) expires, the owner may proceed with the demolition. You read that correctly. He may proceed with the demolition. If you think that's completely messed up, I'd agree with you. Los Angeles has some of the WORST historical preservation laws in the country, and far worse than Europe. There has NEVER been a historic survey even performed in Los Angeles, which would at least send up a "red light" to tip off people if there were something historic that were being torn down. But for now, it's up to regular citizens to fight for historic preservation when the can. That's the only way that these buildings get saved. It's a total grass root effort. In Pasadena, the old Perkins Palace - now called the Raymond Theatre - is again in danger of being torn down. If you've seen it and know the history, you know that this is completely insane.
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Yeah! Another evil capitalist is deprived of his property rights. The Taj Mahal west is saved! Break out the bong!

"Our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." -- John Adams

 

"I am a senior member, and thereby entilted to all the privileges and rights accorded said status"

-- NBR

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So you feel it's okay to tear down the last remnants of our cultural history? By the way, we were acting within the law and within our rights as citizens. Every person has the power to declare something historical monuments. If the "evil capitalist" (not my words) had bothered to do any research, or hey, bother to ASK anyone in the neighborhood before he had purchased the property, he might have found out something instead of just eyeing them as potential Giant Box Condos with absolutely no consideration for the surrounding area or the community. Whenever supporters of development - and trust me, there's not very many of them when they are tearing down historical properties - argue against historic preservation, they talk about property owner's rights. One must remember that we, as community members, also have rights. These rights are not usually exercised. We have exercised them within the parameters of the existing law - something that the developers have not done. The Cultural Heritage Commission happened to agree with us. Unanimously. So has the fifth district. Before you shoot your damn mouth off, get your facts straight.
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