#lahistory

Built between 1957-1965 to meet growing demand for government services, the West L.A. Civic Center is significant for its Modernist architecture and role in expanded government services following WWII. More recently, it’s become hallowed ground for L.A.’s skateboarding scene, attracting skaters worldwide with its stairs and ledges. In January 2021, the County and City selected Abode Communities and AvalonBay Communities to redevelop the site.

As currently planned, the 1960 Courthouse, 1961 branch City Hall, 1962 Community Center (Senior Center), and 1965 Amphitheatre are to be demolished.

(Only the 1956 library will stay--for now--and is not a part of this project scope.)

This means an eligible historic district marking an important part of West L.A.’s growth will be erased.

Two facades of the branch City Hall were planned to be kept (which is not preservation) yet that is now being reconsidered, citing soil conditions. The same goes for the now-doomed Googie style Amphitheatre, despite being marked for preservation in the proposal that was selected by the City and County.

As a public-private venture between the City, County and the developer (AvalonBay and Abode Communities), preservation was supposed to be a priority, at least it was in the official Request for Proposals (RFP) process, stated as one of ten key aspects to be addressed.

So … what is happening here?

Preservation through adaptive reuse is readily achievable in this project, and can complement the proposed new mixed income housing. New buildings of the same footprint are to replace the branch City Hall and Courthouse. The existing Amphitheatre can be repurposed and kept.

It is easier to demolish everything and build subterranean parking over the entire site than build around the historic buildings. Yet easy does not equal better. Until someone in leadership steps forward and presses for an alternative that successfully marries the old with the new, this development team will continue to seek the easy way out. As a familiar pattern that keeps repeating itself across this city, L.A. can do and deserves better.

Please join the L.A. Conservancy in pressing City Councilmember Mike Bonin and County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl for another alternative! Email them at: [email protected] and [email protected]. Be sure to cc [email protected] so that we can track!