Los Feliz Ledger
get ready to sweat
[city sleuth]
SurveyLA: Shaping the Future by Documenting the Past By Diane Kanner, Ledger Columnist History buffs, come forward! The city needs your help in uncovering cultural assets, places that matter to Angelenos, which might otherwise be lost to demolition. “Information will give property owners and developers greater up-front certainty about the historic significance of a place so they can plan accordingly,” said Silver Lake resident Janet Hanson, who is also the director of SurveyLA, with the Dept. of City Planning. “Parks, stores, social halls,
the building then located at 3201 Los Feliz Blvd., would be noted. Hollyhock House at 4800 Hollywood Blvd. in Barnsdall Park, would be recognized not only for its revolutionary design, but the significance of its first owner, Aline Barnsdall to 1920s and 30s Socialism. The hardware store at 1801 N. Western Ave. would be recognized as the former location of Flower View Gardens. The Ito family who built it was among the first Japanese Americans in Los Feliz to tend flower farms in the foothills below Griffith Park from 1917 to 1942. Also, SurveyLA would
Can you recommend a neighborhood or structure important to a Los Angeles trend such as race relations, film, transportation and aerospace? Survey LA has already received some 1,000 nominations. canals and bridges are being documented. Historic districts range from residential neighborhoods to industrial complexes,” she said. SurveyLA seeks to uncover sites where significant social events occurred. For example, a 1964 demonstration by the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), which prevented members of the White Citizens Council from leaving
Surge of Car Break-Ins And Stolen Bikes FRANKLIN HILLS—A surge of vehicle break-ins and bicycle thefts were reported from July 11th though July 17th, according to the Franklin Hills Residents Association’s newsletter. Most of the bikes taken were from under car apartment garages, according to the newsletter, that had locks on them. Items taken included cameras, lens, bikes, electronic devices, computers, garage door openers, laptops, television and cell phones. The newsletter reports that some locations where the thefts occurred were: 1900 and 2000 block of Rodney Drive; 3900 to 4300 block of Los Feliz Blvd., 2000 block of Hillhurst Ave., 4600 block of Clarissa and 1300 to 2600 block of Glendale Blvd. August 2010
recognize Los Feliz for its significance to early 20th century film production. Today’s reminders, such as DeMille Drive in Laughlin Park and KCET’s brick studios on Sunset Drive, have already been noted by SurveyLA, according to Donald Seligman, through the efforts of the Los Feliz Improvement Association (LFIA) which Seligman serves as president. “The LFIA is very supportive of this project and we provided SurveyLA with a trove of research formatted on DVD and hardcopy. We provided lists of important architects’ works, celebrity addresses through the last 100 years, as well as our oldest housing stock. I would be surprised if they have any more material from any other part of Los Angeles than what they have for Los Feliz,” he said. Can you recommend a neighborhood or structure important to a Los Angeles trend such as race relations, film, transportation and aerospace? Survey LA has already received some 1,000 nominations. Visit www.SurveyLA.org to fill out the “My Historic LA” form. Identify a resource which warrants evaluation by professional consultants and you will lead the way to preserving history. And watch footage of 1930s era Olvera Street, 1940s era Venice and 1950s era Hollywood at the SurveyLA.org site. www.losfelizledger.com
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