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2011 PRESERVATION AWARDS President's Award:
One of the best aspects of historic preservation is how it fuels economic development and neighborhood revitalization. People use preservation to this end every day. Yet in terms of sheer magnitude, few entities have done more in this respect than the Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Los Angeles (CRA/LA). Although community redevelopment in general has not always focused on preservation, the Conservancy can point to more than fifty projects in which CRA/LA has played a key role in preserving significant historic places. CRA/LA has demonstrated a firm commitment to revitalizing neighborhoods, supporting affordable housing, and making strategic investments that foster economic development—often in a manner that honors the rich architectural and cultural heritage of Los Angeles.
Throughout the city, CRA/LA has supported efforts to rehabilitate neglected historic landmarks and develop strategies to place buildings back into productive use, serving the community. A number of these projects have received Conservancy Preservation Awards themselves, including Downtown Women’s Center (2011), Hollywood Bungalow Courts (2010), and Dr. Ralph J. Bunche Peace and Heritage Center (2006). Current efforts by CRA/LA include rehabilitating the 28th Street YMCA building (1926) in South Los Angeles into housing for people with special needs, as well as restoring Chinatown's Central Plaza Gateways. Pending projects include the 1889 Boyle Hotel in Boyle Heights and the 1926 Westlake Theatre in MacArthur Park. CRA/LA has also promoted historic preservation by supporting crucial survey work to identify places of potential significance.
Historic preservation is a powerful engine for economic development and sustained growth, generating on average more than a dollar return on each dollar invested. We believe that the work of CRA/LA to revitalize neighborhoods through the reuse of historic buildings is a key strategy for our city and state’s economic recovery. For enriching the lives of countless Angelenos while honoring our priceless cultural heritage, the Conservancy is proud to bestow CRA/LA with its highest honor, the President’s Award. Learn More
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Palace Theatre Built in 1911 as the third home of the Orpheum vaudeville circuit in Los Angeles, this theatre at Sixth St. and Broadway, a work of architect G. Albert Lansburgh, is now the oldest remaining original Orpheum theatre in the country. Loosely styled after a Florentine Renaissance palazzo, the facade of this brick and concrete structure features terra cotta flowers, fairies, and theatrical masks illustrating the spirit of entertainment. Photo courtesy of Tom Zimmerman |
