This Week’s Preservation Setbacks
It hasn’t been a good week for preservationist-minded Angelenos. First came the word that the historic downtown Herald Examiner Building now faces demolition. Then came news of the actual destruction of the oldest home in Van Nuys. (Originally built circa 1911, the old Sylvan Street bungalow was first erected to attract potential suburbanites to the community.) Now there’s word that the paddle boat franchises at the Echo and MacArthur Park lakes may be sinking fast. Granted the fiberglass boats aren’t the most historic things in town. Still, they’re a slice of local life that would be a shame to say goodbye to.
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[...] My recent post about the fate awaiting the Herald Building got me thinking. For years, a major knock on Los Angeles has been its lack of respect for history. Thanks to our constant fascination with everything hip, trendy and modern, we’ll eagerly level any cultural landmark that stands in the way of a glitzy new development project. It’s a constant headache for preservationists, but why fight it? Hell, as long as we’re kissing off the ol’ Hearst place, we may as well go on a free-for-all. [...]