Conservancy Attends ‘Big Cities’ Preservation Gathering
Severely damaged Ennis House in 2005. Photo courtesy National Trust for Historic Preservation
The heads of major “Big Cities” preservation groups met in Los Angeles in early June to see preservation projects of the Los Angeles Conservancy and to discuss common issues. The group toured the recently restored Ennis House by Frank Lloyd Wright; met with Los Angeles preservation officials in charge of a citywide historic resources survey; discussed efforts to save the city’s historic bridges with local community groups; and toured cultural resources including Little Tokyo and the national birthplace of the Chicano Art movement.
Members of the “Big Cities” group take turns hosting the meetings, which have been held in Boston, Seattle, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Chicago, Denver and New York. The group, under the auspices of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, offers participants an in-depth opportunity to see major preservation projects; learn of preservation initiatives and discuss how members are handling common issues such as the closing of religious buildings. The Landmarks Conservancy was a founding member.
The 1924 Ennis House, a Wright masterpiece featuring textile block construction and a design evoking a Mayan temple had suffered from deferred maintenance, an earthquake and a season of torrential rains. The Los Angeles Conservancy worked with the National Trust and the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy to complete a multi-million dollar rehabilitation and stabilization project.
Meeting in the lavishly decorated City Hall, the group heard from with officials of the Office of Historic Resources who are two years into planning for SurveyLA, an extensive look at the city’s historic buildings. The Getty Foundation is funding the project, which has sent volunteers into target areas to explain the project and which has developed special computer software to aid on site data collection. Los Angeles covers 466 square miles and 880,000 legal parcels. So this survey, which will be used for planning and landmark designations, will be one of the largest of its kind.
Los Angeles has 25 historic district overlay areas, the equivalent of New York’s historic districts, and each has its own regulatory body. A citywide Cultural Heritage Review Board designates and regulates individual landmarks, of which there are approximately 1000.
The 32 year old Los Angeles Conservancy has more than 6000 members and hundreds of volunteers making it the largest local pres group in country. The group is known for masterful advocacy campaigns. They have championed the historic former movie theaters in downtown with an annual “Last Remaining Seats” film series which sells out each year and attracts thousands of people. The group successfully sued the Catholic Archdiocese to prevent the destruction of the historic St. Vibiana Cathedral, which is now an event space. And the group is currently promoting modern landmark designations with a “The Sixties Turn Fifty” campaign.
