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WHPA Statement on the Formosa Cafe

July 23, 2018 / WHPA Editors

The West Hollywood Preservation Alliance is in concurrence with staff recommendation to initiate cultural resource designation proceedings by adopting the following resolution:

DRAFT RESOLUTION NO. HPC 18-130: A RESOLUTION OF THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF WEST HOLLYWOOD, INITIATING DESIGNATION PROCEEDINGS FOR THE BUILDING AND TROLLEY KNOWN AS FORMOSA CAFÉ LOCATED AT 7156 SANTA MONICA BOULEVARD, WEST HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA AS A LOCAL CULTURAL RESOURCE

The Formosa Cafe is a landmark cultural iconic resource intertwined with the legendary Hollywood history of both Elmore Leonard and authentic gangland lore. A unique resource, the cache of historic documents and photographs also remain as an interior feature. We hope West Hollywood would honor this location with a cultural resource designation.

WHPA Statement on Patio del Moro

July 23, 2018 / WHPA Editors

The West Hollywood Preservation Alliance agrees with the staff recommendation to the Historic Preservation Commission that it recommend approval of the Mills Act Contract for the rehabilitation of 8225-8237 Fountain Avenue (Patio Del Moro) to the West Hollywood City Council.

We are extremely pleased that the applicant — new owner Brian Friedman — has shown a true interest in the importance of this spectacular cultural resource, so long well-maintained and restored by the McConnell family across generations.

This Arthur and Nina Zwebell masterwork is filled with charm and beauty.

We hope Mr. Friedman will continue the stewardship so important to this Southern California landmark.

Join the Effort to Designate Route 66 a National Historic Trail

July 23, 2018 / WHPA Editors

The National Trust for Historic Preservation has launched a campaign to designate Route 66 as a Historic Trail:

While it’s not the oldest automobile highway in the United States, Route 66—a National Treasure of the National Trust—is likely the most enduring highway in America’s public consciousness. “The Mother Road,” as it’s often called, represents a significant moment in history that continues to define the nation’s identity: the rise of the automobile and its implications of freedom, mobility, and a uniquely American story.

To find out more and support the effort, CLICK HERE.

For Consideration by the State Historical Resources Commission

May 17, 2018 / WHPA Editors

The West Hollywood Preservation Alliance (WHPA), a nonprofit community organization dedicated to historic preservation, is so very pleased to see the Crosby Building in West Hollywood being considered for the National Register of Historic Places. The WHPA collaborated with City staff and the historic preservation firm that conducted a survey of potentially historic commercial buildings in West Hollywood.

WHPA Supports Effort to Designate State and National Historic Status for the Bing Crosby Building on the Sunset Strip

May 6, 2018 / WHPA Editors

Here is WHPA’s statement supporting state and national historic status for the Crosby Building at 9028 Sunset Boulevard. The California State Historical Resources Commission is considering such status at its hearing on May 17, 2018.

Historic Preservation Commission to Consider Local Status for Paul Revere Williams’ Building on the Sunset Strip

March 27, 2018 / WHPA Editors

West Hollywood Historic Preservation Commission Meeting

Subject: Berman/Kohner Building at 9165-9169 Sunset Boulevard

Wednesday, March 28, 2018 @ 7:00 pm

Plummer Park Community Center, Rooms 1 & 2

7377 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood

At its meeting on March 28, 2018, the West Hollywood Historic Preservation Commission will consider Berman/Kohner Building at 9165-1969 Sunset Blvd.for local cultural resource status.

This strikingly designed building served as the Sunset Strip offices for furrier Louis Berman and high-powered Hollywood talent agent Paul Kohner. The building was identified in the city’s recent survey of commercial properties as being potentially eligible for the trifecta of local, state, and national historic status. Gaining local historic status generally affords a building the greatest level of protection since land use rules tend to be very locally based.

The building was designed in the mid-1930s by Paul R. Williams, one of the most significant — and prolific — architects who worked in Los Angeles in the 20th century. His commercial projects included numerous landmarks, including the Beverly Hills Hotel, Beverly Wilshire Hotel, Arrowhead Springs Hotel, Knickerbocker Hotel in Hollywood and the building at Doheny Drive and Beverly Blvd. that housed Chasen’s Restaurant, among many others.

Williams also designed the residences of actors Frank Sinatra, Barbara Stanwyck, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, ZaSu Pitts, Luise Ranier, Lon Chaney and others, as well as the Sunset Plaza Apartments (1220 Sunset Plaza Dr.), which were demolished in the 1980s despite having been listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

The West Hollywood Preservation Alliance will be speaking in support of this designation and encourages all those interested to attend.

For more information, CLICK HERE [PDF].

March 10 Doors Walking Tour

March 8, 2018 / WHPA Editors

Jim Morrison and Pamela Courson, center, with Tere Tereba (left) and members of the Doors at Pamela’s shop Themis, 947 N. La Cienega Blvd.

DOORS TOUR SATURDAY! We’ll walk #WEHO

This Saturday March 10, 4-6 pm. We’ll start at Tara 1342 N Laurel Ave. (Free parking passes) and walk 1 1/2 miles, from Jim Morrison’s last US residence, past Irv’s Burgers original location, Elektra Records, the site of Themis and the Doors office, with a final stop at fave hang Barney’s Beanery!

$20 ticket includes entry to Pam Curson flat and balance of proceeds benefit the West Hollywood Preservation Alliance.

Rezzies: royoldenkamp@gmail.com

Historic Factory/Studio One Building Up for Hearing on March 1

February 28, 2018 / WHPA Editors

The West Hollywood Planning Commission is holding an important preservation-related hearing which you’re encouraged to attend:

WHAT: Public Hearing on Robertson Lane Project, Including The Factory/Studio One Restoration

WHEN: Thursday, March 1, 2018 @ 06:30 PM

WHERE: West Hollywood Park Public Meeting Room – Council Chambers
625 N. San Vicente Boulevard, West Hollywood, California

The West Hollywood Preservation Alliance will be presenting supportive testimony. Here is the Alliance’s statement:

WHPA Statement on the Streetcar Building and Robertson Lane Projects

January 25, 2018 / WHPA Editors

Below is the West Hollywood Preservation Alliance (WHPA) statement regarding Item 8.A. 9091 Santa Monica Blvd., and Item 8.B. 645 N. Robertson Blvd. that are on the agenda for the Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) meeting of Monday, January 22, 2018. The meeting begins at 7:00pm in the Plummer Park Community Center, Rooms 5 and 6, 7377 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood.

WHPA Statement on the Streetcar Building and Robertson Lane Projects

January 21, 2018 / WHPA Editors

Rendering of Robertson Lane

1. The West Hollywood Preservation Alliance (WHPA), a nonprofit community organization dedicated to historic preservation, urges the Historic Preservation Commission to designate the building located at 9091 Santa Monica Boulevard as a local cultural historic resource. A bit of history: the first iterations of the city’s commercial survey in 2016 did NOT include this building as being potentially historic, but through community engagement, the West Hollywood Preservation Alliance campaigned for its final inclusion as did then Mayor Lauren Meister.

We are now pleased to see that a formal application for designation has been brought by the owners of the building. Dating from 1924, the two-story, brick building is strongly associated with the period in West Hollywood’s history that accompanied the Pacific Electric Railway’s expansion in the 1920s.

According to West Hollywood native and former WHPA Board Member Lyndia Lowy, this building once housed a Maxwell’s Clothing Store and many other businesses through the years, and it is one of the few made of bricks stlll left on the city’s west side. For nearly 90 years, this streetcar-related building has served as highly visible anchor at the western gateway into the city. The WHPA believes that it sustains sufficient integrity to be designated as a cultural resource, and plans for its adaptive reuse appear to be well-thought out.

The development of the large Melrose Triangle project across the boulevard will unfortunately result in the demolition of the historic 1938 Streamline Moderne building that once housed the Jones Dog and Cat Hospital at 9080 Santa Monica Boulevard. The cultural memory of our city deserves respect, and the designation as a cultural resource and the rehabilitation of the building at 9091 Santa Monica Boulevard would show that respect.

Imagine as you enter our city from the west: the new Melrose Triangle on the south side of the western gateway, and the historic streetcar building anchoring the north side. By the way, that north side also includes some other potential sites for historic designation – the buildings housing The Troubadour nightclub and Dan Tana’s Restaurant. But those can come at another time. Let’s now have your recommendation for designating 9091 Santa Monica Boulevard to forward on to the City Council.

2. The West Hollywood Preservation Alliance concurs with city staff requesting the Historic Preservation Commission recommend City Council certify the Final Environmental Impact Report and approve the Certificate of Appropriateness associated Alternative 3 of the Robertson Lane Hotel Project. Faring, architects and preservationists have worked in concert to preserve and restore and adaptively reuse the Truscon steel modular building known as The Factory as a centerpiece of the Robertson Lane hotel and retail project.

This final version of the EIR now offers an even better aspect of proposed siting of The Factory with a clearer separation of the new architecture adjacent to this landmark building, so important to the history of West Hollywood industry as well as a symbol of the burgeoning recognition of gay culture.

Faring proposes to honor the history of the building by addressing controversial aspects of gay life in its documentation of all historic elements, including discrimination against men of color by the gay community via discriminatory entry policies, especially in the 70’s and 80’s. Events in history are not always admirable, but deserve recognition.

The preservation community would of course like to see the asset remain its current size, restored in situ by some magnanimous benefactor, but that option is unlikely to ever lead to a full restoration, and some elements of the steel and truss building have significant decay. This iteration is the best chance to preserve this significant, iconic structure. WHPA thanks Faring for its cooperation and forward thinking on the Robertson Lane tract.