In Progress - Columbia Square and The Peerless Building
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The Columbia Square Restoration project
undertaken by Kilroy Realty Group, which has returned the 1938 Sunset Blvd.
courtyard appearance to the building. Although not a curved drive as it was
at the time, the project will have the Sunset open sapce planned by William
Lescaze, the original architect for CBS. This is an ongoing project that has Hollywood Heritage as a contractual cooperative agreement with Kilroy to preserve and restore the CBS building using the Secretary of the Interior's guidelines for historic structures. We will post more in-progress pictures as the project continues. At this time Hollywood Heritage is very much involved in the signage and public spaces of this reinvigorated landmark. |
 The former Spaghetti Factory, which started life as the Peerless
Automobile Showroom, which also spent many years as KNX is coming to
life via the acgreement between Hollywood Heritage and the CIM
Group. Still very much an in-progress project, the form of the
original building is beginning to take shape. On the right you see (clockwise from upper left) the reinstallation of the roof tiles, the reinstallation of the original fireplace and Spanish rafter beams, the window grilles repaired and ready for installation, and finally, the crew as it inspects the exterior columns recreated for reinstallation. The Corinthian columns which decorated the front of the building were much later additions. These Doric columns are of the kind that originally graced the outside of the building. For background on the Peerless Building, click HERE. |
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OFF THE ENDANGERED LIST !
5346 Virginia Ave./Hollywood Bungalows:
In
November 2010, Hollywood Heritage narrowly prevented the demolition of an
intact 1905 vintage bungalow located next to the 101 Freeway. Owned by an
absentee landlord in England, the house was listed on two historic resource
surveys and did not have approval for demolition. Saved from the wrecking
crew, the house continued to be neglected, unsecure and open to vagrants.
Hollywood Heritage recently learned that former Hollywood Heritage Board
Member Edward Hunt and his wife, Martha, have purchased the property. They
have started to fully restore the single-family house to its original
exterior condition and anticipate two minor interior wall changes. Work has
begun with seismic safety upgrades. During the fourth quarter of this year,
work should begin in earnest with completion expected near the end of the
first quarter of 2013. The three-bedroom house will be lovingly brought back
to life; new amenities include a third bathroom. Stay tuned for the final
results of another successful restoration story in Hollywood.
This case highlights the plight of Hollywood’s oldest and most common historic housing type, the bungalow, scores of which have been lost in recent decades. Protection of these resources through proper planning and maintenance is essential for the preservation and rehabilitation of Hollywood’s single-family residential neighborhoods.
If you know of a rehabilitated bungalow that should be acknowledged, please send a photograph and particulars to Hollywood Heritage, P.O. Box 2586, Hollywood, CA 90078 or email us at [email protected] .
A Success Story
HOLLYWOOD COMMUNITY HOUSING CORPORATION-A PROFILE
The somewhat forlorn mansion from 1904 at left, on the corner of Fountain Avenue and Wilcox Avenue, is one of the last survivors of the community of Colegrove founded by Senator Cornelius Cole, friend and confidant of Abraham Lincoln. The home is seen at right in a vintage photograph. Below is the current, restored home.
Hollywood Community Housing Corporation (“HCHC”) has been a preservation partner in Hollywood for over 20 years. Founded in 1989 through the efforts of former City Councilman Michael Woo, the Community Redevelopment Agency, the Los Angeles Community Design Center and Hollywood Heritage founding and current Board Member Christy Johnson McAvoy, long time community leaders, historic preservationists and concerned Hollywood residents were brought together to form the agency. HCHC develops safe, attractive and affordable homes for some of the lowest-income residents of our community. Projects are close to public transportation, schools and places to shop and work. HCHC buildings include amenities and services that help families and individuals to further improve their lives.
The first project of HCHC was the rehabilitation of the historic Nelson Dunning House, known as "Orchard Gables" and new construction of 24 adjacent units of affordable housing. Architect and former Hollywood Heritage board member Ed Hunt was instrumental to the project. Today, HCHC operates twenty-two buildings that serve 718 households. The work of HCHC benefits large families, seniors, children and single parents. At the same time, HCHC buildings revitalize blighted, crime-infested areas with renovations of historic properties and striking new construction.
Other HCHC affordable housing projects involving historic buildings include the St. Andrews Bungalow Court near Sunset Boulevard, the Palomar Apartments on Santa Monica Boulevard near Western Avenue, Alexandria House Apartments near Wilshire Boulevard, the Werner Illing House, the Wilcox Apartments at Yucca, the Kenmore Apartments, Argyle Court and the 2010 Hollywood Bungalow Courtyards on Kingsley and Serano.
New development projects include the Mariposa Apartments, Carlton Court, Harold Way Apartments, LaBrea/Franklin Apartments, Barnsdall Court, Casa Verde, Hollywood Metro Apartments, Views at 270, Carlton Apartments, Waterloo Apartments, Innis Heights, Mirada Terrace, and Allesandro Apartments.
Although not an affordable housing project, the latest rehabilitation project of the organization is Orchard Gables, located at the intersection of Wilcox and Fountain Avenues. HCHC has restored this Historic-Cultural Monument to serve as the offices for the LACER afterschool program and others.
We look forward to HCHC’s continued effort in the preservation of Hollywood’s built environment. For further information on HCHC please go to hollywoodhousing.org.