The Little 6422 Garvanza House

Here is an example of advocacy on a small level that has made a difference to our community in Garvanza!
This is an early 20th century or possibly late 19th century bungalow with all its original features, that is until they showed up one day and gutted the interior. There were permits for an addition but no permits to knock down interior walls, knock out exterior walls and replace windows and doors. I was called by Danny Bohbot, a fellow Garvanzan to go check out the property. They were in the process of demolishing this house. But I stopped them through Building and Safety and the Housing Department came out and sited them and posted a stop work order! They were also ordered to restore the house, to put back the windows and doors and exterior walls they had begun to demolish on the sides and back of the house. I know they gutted the inside, as I was too late for that, but at least they restored the windows and did the new addition with clapboard instead of stucco. They are also landscaping it and put up a really nice looking fence along the alleyway. Oh and there are security bars inside the windows, at least they are not obtrusive. Anyway, just wanted you to see these pictures. (6422 Garvanza St.)

Tina Gulotta-Miller, Secretary Highland Park Heritage Trust

Movie of Glenmary Stairs

On our last Walking Tour October 24th, we featured Robinson Jeffers, Poet and Alumni of Occidental College. We walked down the Glenmary Stairs on Figueroa Street directly across from the Sycamore Grove Park.

Thank you Tina Gulotta-Miller, Secretary of HPHT for providing the video.

Highland Park is Front Row Center at Adobe Max Conference in Los Angeles

Do you recognize the building in the middle of the poster? The Highland Park Hall on Figueroa Street is front center of the Photoshop montage at the Adobe Max Conference held last week at the Los Angeles Convention Center. The Poster was created as a back drop for one of the bars at the conference.

Photo courtesy of David Wolf, Architects Toolbox

Los Angeles Preservation Ordinance 2009

Below is direct correspondence from Ken Bernstein, Director of the Office of Historic Resources.
_______________________________________
Today, the City Planning Commission voted 7-1 to approve the staff recommendation on the proposed amendments to the Cultural Heritage Ordinance.

Most of the discussion focused on the review of interior spaces in Historic-Cultural Monuments. The Commission supported the staff recommendation, which emerged from meetings of a Working Group on Interiors, to go back to the status quo on interior review. Under this proposal, all interior permits would continue to be referred to the Cultural Heritage Commission and the Office of Historic Resources for review, as has occurred since 1962. As in the current ordinance, the CHC could not deny approval of interior work altogether: it could only object to the issuance of the permit for no more than 180 days, with a possible 180-day extension of the objection period upon approval of the City Council.

We felt that this compromise lessened any potential burden on property owners, while still protecting Monuments whose significant interiors are often inseparable from the building's overall architectural significance. The new ordinance would require that exterior work, additions, or new construction be subject to a "Certificate of Appropriateness" that could be denied. The ordinance version approved today also maintains our staff recommendation to enhance protections for historic properties by giving the Cultural Heritage Commission the power to deny demolition requests for Monuments.

Next, the ordinance will go to the City Attorney for review and possible refinement. The City Planning Commission also voted to request that the City Attorney and Department of City Planning staff review and refine how the Cultural Heritage Ordinance provisions will interact with requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Because these reviews may take a few months, we anticipate that the ordinance may not proceed to the Planning and Land Use Management (PLUM) Committee and City Council for final approval until early 2010.

Sincerely,Ken Bernstein

Charlie Fisher: Community Hero

Charles J. Fisher was given the "COMMUNITY HERO" award last Thursday night at the Heritage Square Museum Summer night concert. Susie Hansen's Latin Band was the featured live music for the warm summer evening. Charlie has volunteering tirelessly in the Highland Park community and greater Los Angeles area for Historic and Cultural Resources. He is commended for his work as the Chair of the Highland Park HPOZ Board. He also serves as Board member of the Highland Park Heritage Trust. Charlie is pictured here next to his wife Anne Marie Wozniak, Membership Officer for the HPHT. Thank you Charlie and Anne Marie for all your community service!

Sycamore Grove Walking Tour

What a wonderful Walking Tour on June 27th!!! We had a very engaged and interesting group of people, including a couple from Orlando, Florida! At the La Boheme House, we tasted delicious jellies made by Hillary Danner from her fruit trees and fresh squeezed lemonade. We're hoping to see the Baker House next door for the August 22nd tour. Sign up for the next tour!

Tour docents include: Pat Griffith, Charlie Fisher and Justine Leong. Troy Evans and Heather McLarty are always gracious hosts of the Hiner House. And to top it off, refreshments at the Avenue 50 Studios! Thank you Kathy Gallegos for being a great hostess of the Studios.

The "Sousa Nook":

Entrance to "La Boheme": Hillary and her Jenkin's Jellies:

Successful Move for the Donnelley House!

See the pics below taken by Charles Miller last night.
The House was moved by truck from Chinatown to Ave. 64 in Garvanza!