Preservation and Neighborhood Improvement in Action

HPHT salutes new Montecito Heights homeowners Heather and Jason, who have created a wonderful blog documenting their rehabilitation and restoration of a neglected and altered bungalow in the HPOZ. Just two weeks into the project a dramatic transformation has already taken place. Welcome to the neighborhood, and keep up your great work! 

http://4001berenice.wordpress.com/

Galco's Soda Tasting #4 is Sunday July 20th 2014!

Please join HPHT for the latest installment of one of our favorite annual events, which benefits Friends of the Southwest Museum.  Get ready, this time it's all about Root Beer!  You can purchase advance tickets here.  Hope to see you there!

Interesting article from Claremont Heritage on some common misconceptions about window replacement, and how retrofitting original windows can actually save you money and efficiency while maintaining the historic character of a structure.  Very relevant to us in Highland Park: https://www.claremont-courier.com/mobile/article/t6620-heritage

Summer Soda Tasting #2 to Support the Friends of the Southwest Museum

Celebrate the summer enjoying sodas with the “King of Pop” when Galco’s Soda Pop Stop hosts its second annual Summer Soda Tasting from 5-8 p.m. on July 22. 2012.

• All proceeds to support Friends Of Southwest Museum
• Humorist Charles Phoenix Serves Poptails and a Seven-Layer Soda Pop Rock Cake
• Dublin Bottling Works will launch its new line of sodas, their West Coast debut
• New White Rosa soda will also be announced and sampled
• Performance By Native American Comic/Actor Dakota Black
• Music By Artichoke, Mele Ohana Ukulele Ensemble, Greger Walnum Blues Band and Genesee Hall

http://www.sodapopstop.com/

Buy tickets online at:

http://www.friendsofthesouthwestmuseum.com/soda2.html

John Nese in 2011 proudly showing off his White Rose Soda

Hendrik Stooker -May he rest in peace

It is with sadness that we announce the passing of Hendrik Stooker.  In honor of Hendrik, there is an open house at the studio of Carol Collin and Ted Waltz tonight at 6pm at 5400 Monte Vista Street, corner of N. Ave. 54. Hendrik started the Arroyo Arts Collective and was heavily involved with the art culture of Highland Park. He was a major preservation advocate for the community and an active member of Highland Park Heritage Trust. He will be missed. Photo courtesy of Antoinette Miller

Update on Autry CEQA Litigation

The Highland Park Heritage Trust (OR MWHA) does not take lightly the responsibilities of our duty to uphold the mission of our organization.  For the past 30 years, 99% of our advocacywork has been successfully handled by working out a preservation solutionthrough the community process, working with elected officials and agency staffand on technical merits and the law.   Itis the option of last resort to even contemplate litigation for our all-volunteerorganization.  So, for only the second time in the history of Highland Park Heritage Trust (or MWHA), the board decided last year that there was no other choice.  With another organization and with the guidance of a great legal team, we retained the law firm of Otten & Joyce to represent us with this important case.  As you can see by the summary below, we are finally looking at the hearing in late May with a decision shortly thereafter.

Summary of the Litigation and Process
On July 26,2011, the Highland Park Heritage Trust and the Mount Washington Homeowner’sAlliance (“Petitioners”) jointly filed a Petition for Writ of Mandamus and Complaint for Injunctive relief in the Los Angeles Superior Court relating to Autry National Center’s Expansion Project described by Autry as “Facility Remodeling of Exhibit Space for Interpreting Native American Environmental Stewardship.” 

Petitioners are asking the court to set aside the agency approvals and June 21, 2011 Notice of Exemption under the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) on various grounds including that: 1. the Project has been improperly piecemealed and isin fact just a segmented portion of a much larger project, 2. The Project is not subject to an exemption under CEQA and therefore further environmental review is mandated and, 3. the Project violates the provisions of the Northeast Community Plan specifically protecting the Southwest Museum at its Mt.Washington location.  Petitioners contend that Autry’s underlying motive is to move all collections off the SouthwestMuseum site and to dispose of the historic location at Mt. Washington altogether.

Petitionersfiled their Opening Brief with the court on March 5, 2012 and just recently received the City’s Opposition Brief.  Petitioners’Reply Brief is due in early May with the hearing on the matter currently set forMay 17, 2012 before the Honorable Judge James Chalfant.

Blacksmithing on Second Saturday

Sat. May 12th from 2 to 9 PM
Adam's Forge, a school & cooperative of artist blacksmiths celebrate the beginning of a new adventure with a new community at the Compound (Los Angeles Industrial Arts Compound) 2640 N. San Fernando Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90065. Enter on Media Center Drive.
Demonstrations of blacksmithing, team striking and foldforming will be ongoing in the forge. Throughout the afternoon and evening there will be demonstrations of wood turning and stone carving.  Food trucks in case you get hungry. Live music. There will be a gallery with fine examples of metal art, wood turning, stone carving and other industrial arts. We will be a part of NELA art 2nd Saturdays when local galleries are open. There will be several artists in other media on display. Other surprises will be happening throughout the afternoon & evening. More fun than a barrel full of hot forging monkeys!
Admission is free.
Come see what's going on.
http://www.adamsforge.org/Adams_Forge/News_Blog/Entries/2012/5/12_Save_that_Day!.html
Here is a link to a map:
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=203057544486961315251.0004b6469e9e0c911f003&msa=0

Heather McLarty

www.steelcrazy.biz
www.adamsforge.org

L.A. Heritage Day!

Ride the Rails to LA Heritage Day! Take the train to Union Station and
attend. Part of the fun is that it will be Dapper Days on rail (more
info here: http://dapperday.railla.org), and they'll be including LAHD
on their Whistle Stop Tour of Historic LA.

 

Highland Park Heritage Trust will have a booth, so come by and say hi!

Highland Park Heritage Trust Community Awards

(Sketch by Rod Smith)

Franklin High School was the gracious host for our annual Community Preservation Awards.

The ceremony was held in the Old Gymnasium basketball court. Councilmembers Reyes and Huizar were both in attendance and showing their appreciation for HPHT. Amy Inouye gave a riveting presentation on the relighting of the Highland Theatre Sign (Award winner). To see more photographs of the Awards Ceremony by Martha Benedict go to this link: http://www.marthabenedict.com/hphtAwards2012

Tina and Charles Miller accepted their award for the addition to their Garvanza house.

Amy Inouye received the award on behalf of the North Figueroa Association for the Sign Relighting project. Walking tour docent, Pat Griffith stands next to our table hosted by Ann Walnum, Carmela Gomes and Louisa Van Leer. Rod Smith is sketching in the back.

Zenay Loera and Jose Huizar are enjoying the day.

The thanks goes to Franklin High School for making it happen!

Spotlight on Mt. Angelus

This 1927 French Chateau Style home was brough back to life by Gregg Logg. Gregg has painstakingly restored this fine residence in Mt. Angelus through the interior and exterior restoration. Most of the original features are still intact in the house, including the stone fireplace, iron and metal sconces, window & door hand forged hardware, as well as stained glass windows, oak flooring and the distinctive barrel roof. Many of he original windows had begun to be replaced with vinyl by a previous owner, but Gregg removed those and replaced them with proper wooden windows. The original light fixtures are also a sight to see as they are also intact. The main room has a beautiful wrought iron chandelier that is original to the room. One of the distinctive characteristics of the front exterior is the 1920's winding upward staircase that needed attention as a stairway railing had been altered and fell in disrepair only to be appropriately replaced by Gregg.

This decision and many others by Gregg Logg helped bring back a return to the original character of the house. The exterior landscaping was also considered and redone to integrate with the architecture and functions as a continuum of the original character of this Frenxh Countryside-Style home. There is even a wine cellar in the basement of the house. The kitchen and bathrooms have been updated with brand new plumbing and fixtures as well as high quality materials chosen for the floor and counter tops. White marble was used for all the surface counters in both the bathrooms and kitchen. The finishes are of high level in both material and execution.Gregg also bought the home across the street on Outlook Avenue and Garrison Drive so he could also do a complimentary restoration on that adjacent property to reflect and showcase the careful work of the 6118 Garrison Drive residence. The second home is also 1927 but it is a Spanish-Colonial style home. This restoration of this residence is not complete yet. But it is already apparent that the high level of restoration on both these homes has set a new mark of quality execution and finish as a gateway to Mt. Angelus. In other words, Mr. Logg's restoration work is a shining example of empowering the notion that one home or several home restorations on a street, can bring up an entire block of homes not at the same level of maintenance or finish.

(Text by Tina Gulotta-Miller)

WANTED: Northeast Newspapers

WANTED! Northeast Newspapers:
Highland Park News Herald and Journal
Eagle Rock Sentinel
Lincoln Heights Bulletin-News
South Pasadena Journal
Eastside Journal-Los Angeles
El Sereno Star
The Arroyo Seco Journal

Do you have any newspapers- particularly recent ones 1980 to present? Please participate in this joint project of Highland Park Heritage Trust, Occidental College Library and Eagle Rock Valley Historical Society to preserve and digitize these valuable records of our community's past.
Call: 323-257-1900
E-mail: hphtpres@gmail.com

Relighting Highland Theatre Sign

Photos by Martha Benedict tell the whole story...
http://www.marthabenedict.com/relight

Highland Park is so proud!

Old Cypress Park Branch Library is a NEW Historic Cultural Monument!!!

Old Cypress Park Branch Library - Richard Henry dana Branch Library Background / History: Richard Henry Dana Branch, later known as the Cypress Park Branch, is a former branch library of the Los Angeles Public Library located in the Cypress Park, Los Angeles, California section of Los Angeles, California.

The Georgian Revival style building was built in 1926 based on a design by architect Harry S. Bent.In 1987, the Richard Henry Dana Branch and several other branch libraries in Los Angeles were added to the National Register of Historic Places as part of a thematic group submission.The application noted that the branch libraries had been constructed in a variety of period revival styles to house the initial branch library system of the City of Los Angeles. With respect to the Dana Branch, the application described the building as a charming one-story New England Colonial Revival Style building. It is designed in an L-plan with a high-pitched gable roof. The portico features paired wood paneled doors with an arched canopy supported by paneled posts.

Thank you to Charlie Fisher for his photos and historic information.

History of Highland Park Mural

By Nicole Possert

(story from www.eastsiderla.com )
The 33-year-old “History of Highland Park” mural is all about the layers. Layers of graffiti above layers of original paint, layers of history, layers of architecture, art and culture. On January 29, a project began to remove the layers of graffiti and grime and to restore and preserve the 125-foot-long mural, which adorns two long walls of the AT&T building at 1207 N. Avenue 56. The $78,000 project, led by Judy Baca (one of the original four artists), was the result of years of community advocacy and collaboration between AT&T, SPARC, and Councilman Jose Huizar.

After a kick-off event, the actual work began to peel off layers of graffiti and remove inappropriate treatments to the iconic 1977-78 mural. After starting with a lot of elbow-grease and “biodegradable orange peel juice,” the mural restoration crew then followed up with a power-washer that stripped off years of the unwanted graffiti in a manner of minutes, revealing the original mural underneath.
AT&T is paying SPARC (Social and Public Art Resource Center) to undertake this project over the next several months with their muralists and local youth. After the mural is brought back to its original beauty, a new anti-graffiti coating, using the latest industry advancements, will be applied for its ongoing protection.
“Los Angeles is known as the mural capital of the world. This is where the mural movement began,” said Huizar to the audience of about 100. Artist Judy Baca built upon that notion by saying “This project gives great hope for the future of all our murals in LA. It’s the beginning of a wave. A wave to take back these works for the community and bring back to full color and their original beauty.”
Or, leave it to a student from Mrs. Marquez’ 5th Grade class at nearby Yorkdale Elementary, who simply said “The vandalism was so gross. And, that people would falsely believe our neighborhood was not nice and be grossed-out.”
Community pressure, support and stewardship to ignite this project was properly recognized with leaders from Highland Park Heritage Trust (writer is a board member), Arroyo Arts Collective, Historic Highland Park Neighborhood Council, Yorkdale students and parents and most of all the surrounding neighbors who have waited for this day to come for many years.
Origins of the mural
AT&T’s former company, Pacific Bell, commissioned the work to be done by Barrio Planners in 1977, who in turn selected Judy Baca and a team of artists that consisted of Joe Bravo, Sonya Fe, Arnold Ramirez, Sonny Williams and others. Barrio Planners’ Frank Villalobos said “It weaves together the history of Garvanza and Highland Park with the landscape and people of the Arroyo Seco. It was designed to work in conjunction with the street trees that were also planted creating a 3-D effect.”
But there is another layer of history to this story. The original mural was done to “mitigate” the significant alteration and loss of the original 1920’s brick building that the stucco bunker covered as part of a seismic retrofit project. Local historian Charles Fisher remembers it as “a simpler design but similar to the Police Museum building on York Blvd, utilizing gold bricks.” At that time, neither the Highland Park Heritage Trust nor the L.A. Conservancy were not yet formed, But community sentiment for historic preservation took and the result was this mural a new layer in the community’s history.
Mural history
Many of the important murals in Highland Park are interpretations of its history. Time lines and layers of repeating history with a successive generational twist strike the heart of these public art interpretations. “History of Highland Park” utilized historic photographs given to the project by Henry Welcome (Eagle Rock Valley Historical Society) and took contemporary images of its residents in 1977. The wall along Meridian Street depicts many notable historic landmarks (Southwest Museum, York Blvd Bridge), notable people and events (Franklin High School’s infamous football team, Charles Fletcher Lummis and President Roosevelt at Occidental College), and the landscape of the Arroyo Seco with rock walls and native trees mixed with plein-air artists, like William Lees Judson, painting.
As you turn the corner to Avenue 56, the time line shifts to the present, circa 1977, with several scenes capturing that moment in time. The people featured are sometimes seen today visiting with their children (or grandchildren) to show the mural and their place in local history.
The mural itself is 125 feet long and 15 feet high and is one of the largest and oldest murals in Highland Park. It was an early expression and part of the history of the Chicano public art movement. It also helped launch the careers of young artists like today’s renowned Judy Baca.

Historic GlenMary Archway to be the Site of a Mural that Honors the Past, Present and Future of Life in Highland Park

Historic Glenmary Stairs on Figueroa

On Sunday, November 21, 2010 at 2:30 pm artists Pola Lopez and Heriberto Luna and their team of 15 youth artists will unveil the new mural “Haramoknga – Place Where People Gather” on the site of the Historic Glen-Mary Archway. The mural is the culmination of a 15-month process to collect stories and images from local residents, organizations and historic sites. The site of the GlenMary Archway has been a place for people to gather since the times of the early Tongva people. The original archway was built around 1903 as a waiting station- the GlenMary-Sycamore Grove stop for the red car of the Pacific Electric Trolley.Today the archway overlooks busy Figueroa Boulevard and is only steps away from the Metro Gold line, the 110 Freeway and the Arroyo. The project is produced by LA Commons, with partners Avenue 50 Studio, Franklin High School, Arroyo Arts Collective, Highland Park Heritage Trust, Milagro Community Garden, the family of Lupe Handy, Future Studios, and the Office of Council Member Ed Reyes. Support provided by: Flourish Foundation, the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, the Office of Council Member Ed Reyes, and the Highland Park Ebell.About the ArtistsPola Lopez is a prominent painter based in Los Angeles, and Santa Fe, New Mexico. Her work has appeared in many books and publications, and was awarded three purchase awards by the New Mexico Acclaimed Artist Art in Public Places Program, and can be found in permanent collection at the National Hispanic Cultural Center, The State Art Capitol Art Collection, El Museo Cultural, Millicent Rogers Museum, and the Harwood Museum in New Mexico Heriberto Luna is a painter with deep roots in Highland Park. Luna apprenticed on major mural projects with LA’s influential muralist team the East Los Streetscapers and artist Paul Botello as well as with painters Margaret Garcia and Pola Lopez. Luna has exhibited in 20 Museums including: The Santa Monica Museum of Art, The National Mexican Fine art Museum in Illinois and The Museum of History and Art in Ontario, California and his works are part of the art collection at Arizona State University.

About LA CommonsLA Commons helps L.A.’s diverse neighborhoods give voice to their unique stories through community-based arts programs. Created by local emerging artists, these projects express the cultural and historical essence of the communities. With its Trekking LA program, LA Commons introduces visitors from other parts of Los Angeles, as well as tourists from outside the region, to these arts projects, and to the food, music and cultural history of the communities.

Contact:

Karen Mack, Founder/Executive Director

LA Commons

213.705-4457

karen@lacommons.org

http://www.lacommons.org/

Watch it being installed on the historic wall: (photos courtesy of Linda Miller)

Successful Garvanza Book Signing

HPHT had a successful Book Signing event at Figueroa Produce on Saturday, Nov. 6. Charlie Fisher signed his books on "Garvanza" and the "Highland Park," published by Arcadia Press. Many neighbhors came out to purchase the books and it was well received by the community!

All photographs are courtesy of Martha Benedict. For more pictures of the event, go to:

http://www.marthabenedict.com/fisher/index.html

R.I.P. Arroyo Seco Parkway

On Two Historic Roads Renovation Encroaches on Preservation Wheels ...The Pasadena Freeway is narrow and twisty by today's standards It was ... The Pasadena Freeway and Merritt Parkway are two historic roads that are crumbling ...wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/.../on-two-historic-roads-renovation...

Garvanza Sign Debate

See this LA Curbed Article about Garvanza:

Who needs community meetings when you can just post your renderings for the world to see? For the last two weeks, this sign was up at the corner of Avenue 66 and Crescent Street in the Garvanza section of Highland Park, the notice talking up a seven-unit condo building. Not surprisingly, there's a tangled mess behind the story of the sign: Developer Alex Ma has stated he wants to tear down two homes on the site for his building, while locals in the neighborhood--an area known for its historical late 19th and early 20th century homes--want him to incorporate the structures in his condo development. It's a "volatile and contentious situation," says Tina Gulotta-Miller, Secretary of the Highland Park Heritage Trust, who has been battling Ma for years over the site. Who knows why exactly the sign was put up (presumably it was put up by Ma or an associate), but is it supposed to taunt the neighbors? Get them on his side?
Complicating everything: Here comes an HPOZ.>>>
While the purpose of the sign may not be clear, Ma originally submitted plans to the city back in 2006 to tear down the two homes on the site, and put up the condo project. According to a rep for the Dept of City Planning, Ma was told by the department to do an environmental impact report for his condo building because of the historical nature of the bigger house. Ma, who didn't respond to request for comment, hasn't completed an EIR yet.
But complicating his plans is the fact that this neighborhood is in process of being designated an Historic Preservation Overlay Zone (HPOZ), a label that makes altering residences more difficult. Once the HPOZ is in place, "he would have to get approval to tear down [the homes]," says Charlie J. Fisher, Co-chair of the Garvanza Improvement Association. "Which he won’t get from the HPOZ board."
Both Gulotta-Miller and Fisher believe that Ma could preserve the two existing homes, and build his seven units on the site. "I've said to him, 'take the existing structures, you got three units and they could be converted to condos,'" says Fisher, who works as a historical consultant. "And you have space to build out the rest."
For now, neighbors have to deal with a boarded up properties, which haven't seen tenants in years, according to Gullata-Miller. She also accuses Ma of trying to tear down the larger home three years ago, and says he was only stopped when neighbors came out and called the city to complain.
Meanwhile, back to that big sign. Building and Safety launched an investigation after a complaint was made, and the sign was removed yesterday.
And for those interested in the HPOZ issues, there's a workshop tonight (6pm and on) for the proposed designation at the Highland Park Senior Citizen Center 6152 N. Figueroa St. This new HPOZ would essentially expand the existing HPOZ and rename the whole area to the Highland Park-Garvanza HPOZ. It's expected the study will go before the Cultural Heritage Commission on July 15th.

This Old House Looking for Old LA House to Renovate

THIS OLD HOUSE® PLANS FIRST-EVER RENOVATION IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY

The ever popular television series This Old House is looking for a historic home to renovate in Los Angeles County. Below is an article describing the submission process:

"The TV crew is hoping to find a dynamic family with a classic old house in need of help, with plenty of things to save and update. However, the project's scope must be "just right" - not a whole house, but more than just a kitchen. The renovation must be able to be completed in about five or six months, with constructionpotentially beginning as early as August 2010 and finishing by January 2011. The ideal project should already be underway with architectural plans and/orhave the ability to be "fast-tracked" to the building phase.
The selected project will be featured on multiple This Old House episodes airing on PBS in early 2011. The deadline for submissions is June 14, 2010.
Please note that the renovations are completely funded by the homeowners and not by This Old House, though the show coordinates product discounts and donations where possible. All donated items are considered gifts, on which the homeowners pay taxes.
This Old House is reviewing proposals now. To be considered, submit the following:
· Brief description of the renovation project - be sure to also include house style, location and year built· Low-res digital pictures of the home's interior and exterior· Brief description of the current owners· Low-res digital pictures of the homeowners· How much you plan to spend· When you need to start and conclude the project
Please e-mail proposals to pickmyhouse@thisoldhouse.com or submit them via regular mail to: This Old House Project Proposals, P.O. Box 130, Concord,Massachusetts 01742.
Select homeowners will be contacted by show producers for furtherinterviews. Due to the volume of proposals received, This Old House willnot be able to respond personally to everyone or return submitted materials.
For more information about this and other This Old House projects, pleasevisit http://www.thisoldhouse.com/. Viewers can also become a fan of This Old House on Facebook or follow the show on Twitter.
* * *
MEDIA CONTACTSDawn NewellSenior Account ExecutiveWGBH Boston617-300-5344dawn_newell@wgbh.org
Tara Rafieymehr PettinatoAccount ExecutiveWGBH Boston617-300-5328tara_rafieymehr@wgbh.org
Karen AffinitoSenior ManagerThis Old House Ventures, Inc.212-522-3740karen_affinito@timeinc.com
* * *
This Old House is produced by This Old House Productions, Inc., for This OldHouse Ventures, Inc., and is presented on PBS by WGBH Boston. VicePresident of Television Operations is Michael Burton. Senior producer and director is David Vos and senior series producer is Deborah Hood. Series creator is Russell Morash. Funding is provided by GMC, Home Depot, Lumber Liquidators and State Farm. This Old House is the No. 1 multimedia homeenthusiast brand, offering trusted information and expert advice throughaward-winning television, a highly regarded magazine and an information-driven Web site. This Old House Ventures, Inc., is a business of Time Inc., which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Time Warner.
WGBH Boston is America's preeminent public broadcasting producer, the sourceof fully one-third of PBS's primetime lineup, along with some of publictelevision's best-known lifestyle shows and children's programs and many public radio favorites. For more information, visit http://www.wgbh.org/."

More Arroyo Seco Parkway Updates

Below is a photoshop rendering of the median and side barrier proposed by Caltrans:
All photographs are courtesy of Martha Benedict. This is a current photo of the existing condition on the same stretch of freeway:

Poppies along the parkway...

Historic Curb on the Avenue 43 offramp.