October-November 2018

November/December 2018| ISSUE NUMBER 340 Living History Tour West Adams www.westadamsheritage.org Holiday Tour Eating OUT Restaurants IN and Near West Adams Lucy Wheeler House Preservation Report Places to eat close to home. Photos: Frank and Suzanne Cooper President's Message The West Adams newsletter is a publication of West Adams Heritage Association. Members and supporters of WAHA are invited to submit articles by contacting news@westadamsheritage.org. Letters and articles will be subject to space restraints and may be cut for length. Articles will be published subject to the editors. Advertising is subject to the approval of the publishers. Although WAHA appreciates its advertisers, the Association does not accept responsibility for claims made by advertisers. Services and products are not tested and the appearance of advertising does not imply, nor does it constitute, endorsement by the West Adams Heritage Association. Rights to use photos are supplied by the author of the associated article. Copyright 2018. All rights for graphic and written material appearing in the newsletter are reserved. Contact the publisher for permission to reprint. IN Memorium WAHA's Halloween Party Newsletter Staff WAHA membership includes:  * A subscription to West Adams magazine  * Invitations to all WAHA programs, parties, Evening Strolls,   and other activities, mostly free  * Discount on WAHA tours and advance notice of tours  * Membership Directory  * Special publications  * Membership card for discounts on services and products. Join online at http://www.memberwaha.org/amember/signup/index Save trees! Opt for digital delivery only by emailing news@westadamsheritage.org Become a member (or renew) Join at any level: • Individual/Household $50 • Student/Senior $25 • Preservation Circle $100 • Heritage Circle $250 • Patron Circle $500 • Benefactor $1000 To pay by check, send the following information (Name(s), Address, Phone, and email along with your level of choice) with your check to: WAHA 2263 S. Harvard Boulevard Historic West Adams Los Angeles, CA 90018 Restaurants in and near west adams Laura Meyers,  Vice-President, Communications Reggie Jones,  Publisher & Editor Suzanne Cooper,  Layout & Design Don Lynch,  Writer Volunteer Thank You Party Fire IN AN HISTORIC CHURCH The WAHA newsletter has brought you a number of restaurant reviews so that our readers will know of places to eat (or not eat) here in West Adams, or just nearby. Downtown, of course, has a wealth of restaurants, as does Culver City but sometimes getting there is just too daunting. Our close-to-home standbys are always El Cholo on Western or Papa Cristo’s on Pico, Harold and Belle's on Jefferson, and for many Taylor’s on Eighth Street, but here are some more that should not be overlooked. Possibly the most heralded new restaurant in the area is Alta at 5359 West Adams. Restauranteur Daniel Patterson, who opened Locol in Watts with chef Roy Choi. A number of workers came from that restaurant including Chef Keith Corbin who was a line chef at Locol before transferring his skills to Alta. The menu focuses on California soul food, which includes fried chicken, oxtails and rice, and a BBQ cauliflower. It serves mostly small plates. Like many restaurants, it can be loud indoors at the hours of peak popularity but there is a quieter patio area. Ebaes on Union where it meets Hoover is an excellent noodle house. They are open from 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., with a Happy Hour for both food and drinks between two and six. They have noodle dishes, rice dishes, sashimi, hand rolls, and a selection of beer, wines and sake. Street parking can be tricky, but there’s a public lot just a few doors south on Hoover. As it’s close to USC it can get crowded and noisy during the months school is in session. Ebaes is so popular that another location has been opened on Wilshire. Another Asian restaurant is Trio House at 3031 South Figueroa. Although closer to USC, it’s a larger restaurant and doesn’t seem to get full even when students are in town. It also has parking behind it, and spaces are usually available as many students can simply walk to the restaurant. The menu features curry dishes, various rice entrees, fish, duck, Pad Thai, wontons, rolls, soups and an excellent mango chicken. It’s open until 9:30 p.m. Have a craving for yak? Himalayan House at 1277 West Jefferson can supply it, as well as tamer entrees that reflect the flavors of India and China. An excellent way to start the meal is with a plate of momos, dumplings filled with vegetables or chicken. The color scheme nods to USC crimson and gold but the atmosphere is less raucous than other places that are popular with students. Manas Indian Food has been at 2823 South Vermont for years now. What the restaurant lacks in charm it makes up for in flavor. Their lunch buffet, like their regular menu, features a nice selection of curries, rice and naan. All menu items can be ordered in various levels of heat and delivered to your door. If you’re looking for a burger, there is now a Wahlburger at 835 West Jefferson in the new USC Village. You can get a regular burger, a portobello mushroom or Impossible burger for vegetarians, and chicken and fish options, along with salads, sides and desserts up until 10:30 at night. If you like a greasy burger, you won’t be disappointed. They are served in baskets lined with paper, and by the time you’ve finished the grease will have soaked through the paper and left a puddle on the table. USC Village has a number of other restaurants that cater to students. Some, like Wahlburgers, may change their hours when school isn’t in session. West Adams has no lack of Hispanic eateries, but one of the most popular is Taqueria Los Anaya at 4651 West Adams. They serve some of the best tacos, burritos, tostadas, enchiladas and even specialty items such as pasta. It’s a family-owned restaurant and the service is always friendly and swift. The salads are so good that WAHA chose to have them provide it for the Holiday Tour in 2016. We don’t have as many Soul Food restaurants, but if you’re looking for a good fried chicken, there’s no place like Gus’s at the corner of Pico and Crenshaw. Although a chain from out of the South, this particular one is locally owned and operated. Fried chicken dominates the menu, with a variety of tempting sides and desserts. Parking may be a challenge at that busy corner, but it’s open until 10:00 p.m. (9:00 on Sundays) so you can dine later if you like. Several places cater to the breakfast and lunch crowd. Jacks N Joe at 2498 South Figueroa advertises itself as a “Breakfast All Day Kinda Place” but their day runs from 7:00 a.m. 1:30 p.m., so night people may be out of luck. They serve a tempting variety of pancakes and omelets that may make it worth setting the alarm. Surfas at 3225 West Washington has a small but savory selection of sandwiches and salads. One signature pressed sandwich includes roasted tomato and marinated figs with cheese. Salads are always fresh with a light dressing. Seating consists of a few tables outside but it’s a great place to pick up lunch while shopping for specialty items for dinner. Highly Likely at 4310 West Jefferson has recently extended their hours to 8:00 p.m. Their varied menu includes sandwiches and salads, as well as an unusual Japanese oatmeal bowl and the ubiquitous avocado toast. “The Salty” Sando is one of the best vegetable sandwiches around, with a unique combination of roasted, pickled, marinated and raw vegetables and pickled egg. Bird’s Nest Café at the corner of 24th and Vermont offers upscale coffee shop food and drink that include burgers, sandwiches, salads and fries. A pastry case is filled with sweets to enhance a good cup of coffee. Two of the best places to get tacos are nontraditional. Taco Window at 2622 West Jefferson adds a French influence. They’re also distinguished by their always fresh ingredients. Tacos include carne asada, chicken and fish, as well as a vegan special that ranges from spicy cauliflower to fried avocado. Revolutionario serves North African tacos, burritos, quesadillas and sandwiches. It’s a hard place to make a decision because the choices all seem endlessly intriguing. Save enough room for dessert. The date newtons put commercial fig newtons to shame. Revolutionario has been fighting to stay at 1436 West Jefferson and could use the support of the community. Mel's Fish Shack at 4524 West Jefferson may not be fancy but it is highly recommended by all the artists in the neighborhood and was featured in the New York Times. How can you beat a pedigree like that when you're craving fresh fish? Pizza Rev at 4550 Pico has hosted fundraisers for WAHA in the past. They make individual pizzas to order with a buffet of toppings. Pepperoni is a standard but they’ve also offered brussels sprouts and capers. (OK, maybe not recommended together. A sprinkling of fennel can’t overcome everything.) Truffle Brother provided salads for last year's Holiday Tour and was a supporter of the Living History Tour. Check out their panini and salads at 4073 West Washington. Although currently open only for lunch, Truffle Brothers will be open in the evening for dinner in the near future. Pasta Sisters is another restaurant that has supported WAHA. Their original location at 3343 West Pico is small and probably more suited to take out. The newer location in the Helms Building in Culver City has a lovely outdoor seating area where one can admire the classic Art deco lines of the building. A firepit keeps it comfortable in colder weather. They serve fresh pasta with a variety of sauces at both locations, as well as sandwiches and other entrees. Do you have a favorite we've missed? Email us at news@westadamsheritage.org to tell us all about it.  We're always hungry for new adventures! Above: Alta. Photos by Reggie Jones Below: Himalayan House. Photo by Frank Cooper All other photos: Suzanne Cooper EATING OUT RESTAURANTS (Continued) WAHA volunteers are busy planning our 32nd Annual Holiday Tour & Progressive Dinner, Hearthside in Harvard Heights! This year’s tour opens the doors to a half dozen historic Craftsman style homes – including the Lucy Wheeler Residence – in the Harvard Heights neighborhood of the Historic West Adams District. Visitors will also tour Arts & Crafts style homes designed by architects Charles H. McGeorge and Frank M. Tyler. The Harvard Heights subdivision was announced in 1903. The Harvard Heights Tract comprised the blocks bounded by Pico to Washington, Western to what is now Hobart Boulevard. Soon the neighborhood was filled with the quintessential Craftsman homes that still attract residents today. The tour takes place on Saturday and Sunday, December 1 and 2, with the progressive dinner tours beginning at 3:00 p.m. each day and departing approximately every 30 minutes after that. If you are planning to take the tour, please be sure to arrive early enough to tour the first house where you will be checking in. A separate course of our festive holiday menu will be served throughout the tour, and will feature appetizers (and champagne!), soup, salad, entrée with sides, and dessert. There is also a self-guided Sunday Walking Tour from Noon to 3 p.m. Visitors will see the same historic houses, festively decorated for the holidays, but without the food. Early Bird Ticket (paid by November 15, 3 p.m.) WAHA Members, $65 (Two tickets only at this price) General Public, $80 After November 15, all tickets are $90. Sunday Walking Tour tickets are $30 Tickets are selling quickly, and several tours are already sold out. We do need many (many) volunteers! Anyone wishing to volunteer to help with the tour should email volunteer@westadamsheritage.org. We can always use docents, kitchen staff, servers, etc. If you are an architecture buff and particularly wish to docent in the Greene and Greene house, please do let us know! We look forward to seeing you Hearthside in Harvard Heights The area around Cambridge and Hobart streets in Harvard Heights was relatively undeveloped in April of 1905 when Miss Lucy Ewing Wheeler hired the firm of Greene and Greene to design a modest home for her, to be occupied by herself, her sister and her mother. The owner of a stenography firm, Miss Wheeler may have done work for the Greene brothers, and as a result hired their Pasadena firm to design the house. Henry Mather Greene was familiar with the neighborhood, having been a resident of West Adams on 24th Street until just prior to designing this home. The Greene brothers are today famous for their elaborate “bungalows,” primarily in the Pasadena area. Another Greene and Greene home was built about four blocks away from this one, but was later demolished. Today the Wheeler home is the only known Greene and Greene designed house in the City of Los Angeles. The house is sided entirely in shingles, in keeping with the Arts and Crafts ethic utilized by the Greene brothers. The slope of the roof is low, with a slatted wall at the attic to allow air flow to help keep the second floor temperature more comfortable in the summer. The eaves extend far out from the house, shading the windows on the upper floor. The roof beams and the rafter tails extend beyond the gabled roof, a marked contrast to the house next door which was built only a year earlier at greater cost. It does not look nearly so modern as the Wheeler house. Not overly large, the Wheeler home was designed with four bedrooms on the second floor, and a living room, dining room, kitchen and open porch on the ground floor. Miss Wheeler’s budget did not include a heating system, and in 1910, after Lucy’s marriage to John Murray, her sister Amy hired Charles McGeorge, a contractor who had worked extensively in the neighborhood, to excavate a cellar and add a furnace. More changes would follow. Seven years later, after Lucy and her husband had moved out of the house, Amy Wheeler hired the well-known firm of Train and Williams to add a larger front porch, with a pair of doors from the upstairs bedroom out onto its roof. In 1920 she turned the wood shed into a garage. The following year she split the home into a duplex, with an outside staircase to the second floor apartment. After the Wheelers sold the house, a subsequent owner added another kitchen and bathroom. In 1985 Restoration Architect Martin Weil (1940-2009) purchased the home, and began work to return it to a single family residence. The porch by Train and Williams was created with such sensitivity to the style of the home that he allowed it to remain. He painted the house to match the original stain of the shingles, and even stripped the interior walls down to the original plaster, where he found the plaster had been pigmented so that the walls, in theory, would not need to be painted. For many years, thanks to Martin’s restoration and conservatorship, the Lucy Wheeler house has been a showplace in West Adams. This year, with the 15th Street and Cambridge Street areas of Harvard Heights on the West Adams Heritage Association’s Holiday Tour, volunteers and tour-goers will have a chance to see the house both inside and out. We are particularly grateful to current owners, Addison Wright and Laurene Landon, for making their home available. GREENE AND GREENe IN WEST ADAMS Holiday Progressive Dinner Tour The Lucy Wheeler Home —Don Lynch December 1st and 2nd Photos: Barry Schwartz Living History TOUR Photos: Suzanne Cooper and Flo Selfman Photos: Suzanne Cooper Living History Tour Thank You to our volunteers In September we presented another compelling Living History Tour at the Angelus Rosedale Cemetery, focused this year on The Immigrant’s Story. As always, we had an important goal: To Bring History Alive via yet another group of surprising and unexpected personages who are buried at this landmark cemetery. This year, the tour explored the lives of the many immigrants who are among the permanent residents of the cemetery. Tears were shed, and there was some laughter, as we learned about their families, their successes as well as hardships, their hopes and dreams, and their contributions in business endeavors, to the city’s cultural heritage, and on the nation’s battlefields. “Almost every American has their own American story about how and why their ancestors left their homeland, their motivations to leave the world they knew, as well as their family, friends, and culture. In addition, it is important to understand the sacrifices that were made to come to America and what motivated them to make these sacrifices.” So wrote Valerie Chew Geier, descendent of Henry Fook Chew, one of this year’s portrayals. Geier authored a Chew Family history, and the words in her introduction helped create the theme for this Living History Tour. As she noted: “We are all an indirect product of our ancestor’s decisions and lives, and I hope that this glimpse into the past may help to provide insights into yourself, your descendants, or perhaps your future.” —Laura Meyers and Rina Rubenstein,   co-coordinators Committee Laura Meyers Christie Webb Elizabeth Fenner Marius Stelly Rina Rubenstein Volunteers Allen Hamburger Andrew Gross Art Curtis Audrey Arlington Bennett Barnes Brian Feinzimer BT Timmerman Chris Barnes Chris Eisenberg Danny Miller David Saffer David Strong Denice Lewis Dieter Obeji Don Henderson Ed Saunders Ed Trosper Esther Flo Selfman Gail Peterson Helen Chaudhuri Ivette Silberman Jack Gross Jean Cade Jean Frost Jeff Theer John Kurtz Judy Reidel Julius Galacki Kim-Lai Jones Lana Soroko Lanna Pian Lauren Schlau Liz Cooper Marc Katz Margaret Koon-Strong Maria Ruiz Maura Feely Mel Embree Mel Hampton, Sr. Mike Nobrega Norma Davis Paul Brynen Paul King Paul Nielson Paula Brynen Robin Evangelista Roland Souza Rory Cunningham Sally Turner Stacy Lumbrezer Suzie Henderson Suzanne Cooper Terrence Butcher Terry Speth Cast Roy Vongtama as Henry Fook Chew Esther K. Chae as Kuang Do Song Bill Ratner as Rev. Samuel Haroutune Halladjian Paul Papanek as Jean-Louis Sainsevain Esai Vergara as Lance Cpl. Luis Alberto Figueroa David Chiu as Willy Fung Jean Crupper as Odama Family Neighbor Alyssa Marie Klein as Katharina Kafitz Demetrius Pohl as Joseph Maier And thank you to our Patrons: Angelus Rosedale Cemetery History for Hire, prop house extraordinaire United American Costume, resource for historically authentic costumes Omega Cinema Props Starbucks (Washington & Crenshaw) World Harvest And the advertisers and others who support our efforts:  Papa Cristo’s The Blu Elefant Café Lentini Design & Marketing Spaccio Salumeria/Truffle Brothers Photos: Suzanne Cooper WAHA's HAlloween October 20, 2018 Silverado Salvage and Design In Memorium —Courtesy, with edits and additions, The Neighborhood News Roy M. Cooper, Sr. 1928-2018 —Annmarie Dalton and Laura Meyers Rob Johnson at the holiday tour. Photo: Reggie Jones —Don Lynch Maureen Bailey, resident of the Angelus Vista neighborhood in West Adams and longtime WAHA member, passed away suddenly at her home on September 23. Born in London, Maureen graduated from Hammersmith Art College with a degree in fashion design, studied at the Sorbonne in Paris, worked at the famous Blake's Hotel in London and then for fashion icon Jeff Banks. After coming to Los Angeles in 1977, she worked in management at the Chateau Marmont and other hotels before opening her own clothing stores. After Maureen and her husband, David Gaber, moved to West Adams, she routinely volunteered for WAHA tours and other activities. For the past 15 years Maureen was a much-loved teacher in LAUSD schools. She had recently earned her master's degree in special education. “What I will always remember about Maureen is her compassion and love,” wrote one of her longtime friends, Linda Bustamante. In her classroom with her students, says Bustamante, “she was so accepting and loving.” Maureen was also passionate about protecting her neighborhood’s cat colonies. Bustamante adopted two of the felines, and recalls that “Maureen could tell me [their] pedigree down many generations. These feral cats to her were as precious and beautiful as the most expensive show cat. She was like that with her friends, too.” Maureen lived life with gusto and was always ready with a hearty laugh. She will be very sadly missed by her beloved husband David, their pets, many friends and neighbors, family in the UK, fellow teachers, and her students past and present. There will be an Afternoon Tea and Memorial to celebrate Maureen’s life on Saturday, November 10, at the Wilfandel Club, 3425 W. Adams Blvd. (at 5th Avenue), 2 to 5 p.m. For more information, please e-mail maureenbaileymemorial@gmail.com. The West Adams Heritage Association is extremely saddened to learn of the passing on October 21st of former neighbor and long-time WAHA volunteer Robert Reed Johnson. A victim of West Nile disease, he is survived by his husband of twenty-nine years, Scott Montgomery, and their two sons. Although it had been over twenty years since Robert and Scott lived on Bronson Avenue, every year Robert would return in December and work on the Holiday Tour, helping to set up the appetizer house and then serve champagne to tourgoers. Always cheerful and friendly, he was an ideal server for the tour and a welcome volunteer. Robert was a Los Angeles Public Defender, specializing in cases involving capital offences. A very capable attorney, he chose to forsake a potentially more lucrative private practice in order to help those who could not afford legal counsel. In addition to WAHA he volunteered with Best Friends Animal Sanctuary as well as Project Chicken Soup where he prepared kosher food to be delivered to people living with HIV and AIDS. For these and other activities he received the Los Angeles County Volunteer of the Year award in 2017. Active within his own profession, Robert campaigned for and was instrumental in achieving spousal benefits for domestic and same sex partners of Los Angeles County employees. On October 21st a Celebration of Life was held at the Colony Theater in Burbank. There was standing room only, a testament to how much Robert was loved and will be missed. WAHA member Roy Cooper, who died recently, was born in New Orleans, Louisiana to Arthur George Cooper and Edna Neovia Cooper. The Cooper residence on Conti Street in New Orleans was a place known to many as having a revolving door for family, food, friends, and fun. Like the rest of his seven siblings, Roy graduated from McDonough Number 35 High School in New Orleans. Roy married his childhood friend and lifelong love, Shirley Fontenette. As did many other Louisianans, Roy and Shirley and their children moved Out West to Los Angeles. The Coopers purchased their longtime home in Kinney Heights more than 50 years ago. Roy started off working in the carpentry trades, and soon became an advocate for unionizing the shop where he worked. Roy refined his skills by taking classes at Trade Tech, and by making furniture for his home, including the kitchen table that is still used. Ultimately he retired as the head Carpenter from Beverly Hills School District. Roy's carpentry and upholstery continued as his hobby long after his days of punching a clock. Roy developed a special kind of relationship with all of those he came in contact with. He loved family, food, gardening and Saturday evenings at neighbor (good friend) Wally Matsuura’s weekly neighborhood porch gatherings on 24th Street, drinking wine and contributing to conversation and stories with his neighbors. He joined WAHA more than three decades ago. Roy was dedicated to family: he taught all of his grandkids how to whistle, yo-yo, play Pitty Pat, and make and fly a kite. He enjoyed being taught by his great-granddaughter how to play Go Fish correctly. Roy is survived by his wife Shirley, his children and their spouses, grandchildren, great grandchild and nieces and nephews. Roy will truly be missed. As his wife said, “My husband loved life to the fullest and lived it happily.” Maureen Bailey 1951- 2018 Robert Reed Johnson 1965-2018 Los Angeles Firefighters Battle Stubborn Flames at a Vacant Historic House of Worship Photo Credits: Creative Commons licensed for your use | LAFD Photo by Erik Scott Historic photos taken at the time of actress Jean Harlow's death are courtesy of the Darrell Rooney Collection A stubborn predawn blaze on Thursday, October 4, consumed a vacant historic mortuary in University Park, in the Historic West Adams District. The Los Angeles Fire Department was summoned at 6:23 a.m. to the landmark Pierce Bros. Mortuary, located at 720 West Washington Blvd. on Mortuary Row. Firefighters found heavy fire showing from the front and sides of the vacant 19,811-square-foot building. Though firefighting handlines were swiftly brought to bear on the flames in the hope of an offensive fire attack, a rapid assessment of fire conditions, including structural compromise of the building, led to a swift transition to defensive operations, including the application of large diameter hose streams from the exterior of the well-involved premises. The large Spanish Colonial Revival building was built in 1924 as the Pierce Brothers Mortuary, serving as their firm's flagship facility, noteworthy as being the first full-service mortuary in Los Angeles, as the building's discrete design allowed both undertaking and memorial services at the single establishment. Prior to its vacancy, the site served for decades as a house of worship for different congregations, and in 1993 was named a City of Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument. It is an important anchor to the Washington Boulevard historic grouping known as “Mortuary Row.” At the peak of the firefight, 133 Los Angeles Firefighters, under the command of Assistant Chief Timothy Ernst relentlessly battled stubborn flames, fueled repeatedly by the sequential collapse of flammable building elements into the voluminous burning chapel. Though the bulk of visible flames were quenched before noon, two dozen LAFD personnel maintained hoselines against the tons of still-smoldering debris into Friday morning to assure complete extinguishment. They were successful in preventing fire damage beyond the structure of fire origin. Because the facility had most recently served as a church, member agencies of the House of Worship Arson Task Force were notified pursuant to protocol. The investigation however, is being formally managed by the Los Angeles Fire Department's Arson/Counter-Terrorism Section. Structural loss to the vacant building has yet to be determined. The cause of the major emergency fire remains under active investigation. Editor’s Note: WAHA, the Los Angeles Conservancy, the City’s Office of Historic Resources and the current owners are working together in an attempt to save the Pierce Bros. Mortuary Building. Although a Building & Safety inspector arrived shortly after dawn, while the firefight continued, and quickly “red-tagged” the still-burning structure, WAHA and other preservation advocates believe the building can be saved and restored (albeit with hard work). It does need to be stabilized and evaluated, but since it is an important designated historic resource these efforts should be supported. As many WAHA members know, there have been past examples where, after a major fire, buildings thought to be beyond hope have actually risen from the proverbial ashes to be restored and put back into use. Fire Consumes Vacant Historic Mortuary in University Park WHO CARES ABOUT A HISTORIC DISTRICT? Photos: Jim Childs Jean Frost is the current Preservation Committee Chair. Contact her at preservation@westadamsheritage.org. Preservation Report By the time of this publishing, WAHA will have attended the public hearing on the Final Environmental impact Report on “The Fig” project at 3900- 3972 South Figueroa Street, 3901-3969 South Flower Street, and 450 West 39th Street. You may remember that this project destroys eight (out of 18) multi-family buildings in the Flower Drive Historic District. We will continue to keep you posted as the FEIR goes through the City’s processing. The Preservation community at times is confronted with the question “IS THIS HISTORIC?” That is not the case here. It is a designated historic resource. Many years ago (then) Councilwoman Gloria Molina told us that to have her support, we needed to be pro-active and not wait until the last minute when a development was actively pending to identify a historic resource. We have, to a great degree, done so, undertaking and underwriting surveys and nominations and supporting surveys done by CRA and others. This District was identified in the official survey by the CRA Hoover Redevelopment Project and WAHA brought it to the State Historic Resources Commission to follow up on what the Redevelopment Agency had concluded so that any developer would be aware that the historic district was a significant resource. It is disappointing, to say the least, that all of these decades of preservation efforts by WAHA, the City, the CRA and others now is entirely dismissed by ambitious developers from Orange County who are receiving subsidies from the City for economic development and do not have a “by right” project. The hearing notice and project description now says is that it involves demolition (or removal) of 8 of the multi-family RSO housing within the Flower Drive Historic Register District. This small change from the original project description, which ignored the historic standing, is a minor improvement. Unfortunately the same cannot be said of the rest of the Final EIR which is largely unresponsive and dismissive of the issues WAHA, the Los Angeles Conservancy, SAJE the California Preservation Foundation and others raised. Like a necklace, removing 8 buildings, critically affects the remaining 11 buildings, and District as a whole. The FEIR offers to mitigate this impact on the historic district by proposing that at least three of the buildings will be relocated and others will be offered for relocation (with no relocation monies.) This is not a REAL mitigation as it entirely ignores that a district is at its core a grouping of interrelated historic buildings and each building supports the other. The FEIR acknowledges “the project would not maintain, enhance or preserve the integrity of historic resources.” (App. 3, p. 10, IV.G). The FEIR confirms that the project is not consistent with the preservation objectives of the redevelopment plan nor the community plan, but concludes, arbitrarily, that doesn’t matter because it complies with other objectives of the Plans. The manner in which the FEIR cherry picks what Plan elements it should comply with isn’t justified in the FEIR nor factually analyzed. This is particularly disturbing when a project alternative that retained the Historic District in its entirety yet met the goals of the developer was reviewed and discussed at two community meetings in November 2016. There is an alternative solution but it is ignored. Why was such an alternative not evaluated alongside the other project alternatives nor discussed in the rejected alternatives section? The FEIR response is that since this alternative was not in the official record, it needs no consideration. This alternative (which we could call the “Page & Turnbull alternative) meets all of the Plan objectives, the Preservation objectives and the project objectives. It is NOT in the FEIR. The only preservation alternative in the FEIR (alternative 2) is a scaled down project that is dismissed because it does not meet the project’s development objectives. The FEIR also fails to understand that the Flower Drive is not an isolated island but connects to our very community’s history as one of the parcels of the original Zobelein Tract, as it is relational to the Zobelein historic cultural monument (HCM), and the other historic elements which include Exposition Park. As commenter Jim Childs expressed: “When traveling west along 39th Street from the east of the I-110 freeway a viewer emerges from the viaduct at Flower Drive and is confronted with the striking view of the LA Memorial Coliseum dead ahead with its’ Peristyle, the Olympic-Torch, the headless statues and the historic formal landscaped entrance of Christmas Tree Lane. To the north and to the south the two flanking block faces of the Flower Drive Historic District.” The Flower Drive Historic District is NOT an island into itself but is deeply rooted in the historic development of the area. The City should not permit its annihilation. What is further egregious is the loss of family, rent-stabilized housing in buildings that have the amenities that our vintage apartment buildings provide, with yards and green space and large rooms. Many of the units have families that have been there for decades. While the new project provides for affordable units, the residents of Flower Drive will not meet the County standards of “affordable;” the current families will not be eligible for the new housing units. As commenter Maria Partida stated: “I have lived at Flower Drive for 37 years. I am currently retired. The reasons I do not want to relocate are the following: home is downtown Los Angeles, my clinics are close by, bus and train transportation are all around me, my children grew up here, the area is evolving and the neighborhood is much nicer and safer.” The FEIR dismisses this statement as not an environmental argument subject to EIR analysis. We disagree. It is at the heart of the matter. It underscores the root issue that a neighborhood along with its residents in a historic district, is being destroyed with no real mitigations and for no reason. An alternative exists. That alternative needs to be embraced by our City officials and departments. P.O. Box 5619, Whittier, CA, 90607-5619 Clawed tub - 4 - 5 feet long, as is. Needs cleaning and reglazing. Come and pick up. $300 obo. Call Phoebe - 323-733-9091 To have your classified ad placed in this newsletter, please send your proposed ad to news@westadamsheritage.org no later than the first of the month prior to the month of publication of the ad. Illustration: Suzanne Cooper EVENTS Volunteer Thank You Party Saturday, January 5, 2019 Time and place to be determined WAHA couldn’t get anything done without all our dedicated volunteers, so we’re doing what we do best: throwing a party to celebrate all of you! Those who help with the enormous task of the Holiday Tour (yes, all 160+ of you - you know who you are) deserve special praise. If you volunteer for WAHA, this party is all about you! If you don’t, come celebrate anyway (and consider volunteering next year). Watch your email for more info on when and where the party will be held. Please contact events@westadamsheritage.org to volunteer and/or to bring food. Cookies are always welcome! CLASSIFIED ADS Benefactor Circle  Lore Hilburg and Reggie Jones Patron Circle   John Arnold & Curt Bouton Ellen Farwell Katie Larkin & Brian Jett Blake McCormick Ivy Pochoda & Justin Nowell Ed Trosper & David Raposa Heritage Circle Edy & George Alva Anna & Mason Bendewald David Bottjer & Sarah Bottjer Jean Cade Lisa Ellzey & Jeff (Ulrik) Theer Amanda & Tomas Jegeus John Kurtz Hilary & A.J. Lentini Marina Moevs & Steven Peckman Jim & Janice Robinson David Saffer Yale Scott & Bobby Pourziaee Elvie Tuttle Preservation Circle Board of Directors Officers Roland Souza, President 323-804-6070 Jean Frost  Vice-President, Preservation Suzanne Henderson 323-731-3900  Vice-President, Events Laura Meyers 323-868-0854  Vice-President, Communications Jean Cade, Treasurer 323-737-5034 Paula Brynen, Secretary 323-936-7285   Board Members SeElcy Caldwell 323-292-8566 Jim Childs 213-747-2526 Kim Calvert 310-633-4117 Robin Evangelista 310-430-4319 Lore Hilburg 323-934-4443 Ed Saunders Candy Wynne 323-735-3749  President Emeritus John Kurtz 323-481-1753  Advisor Harold Greenberg Legal Advisor 323-732-9536 Christopher Brown & Olivia Karina Esther Chae Patricia Davenport Colleen Friend Prisca Gloor & Iqbal Maung Jane Holcomb & John Seventon Sandra Holden & Clay White Alyssa Klein Courtenay Knerem Allyson Knight & Zack Cantor Gayle Love Patricia Mace Marshall Pumphrey & Roxanne Pumphrey Stephanie Shadowens Stephen Simon Esai Vergara Roy Vongtama Susan Adler & Bill Wolff Harry Anderson & Terry Bible Audrey Arlington Albert Aubin Jeffrey & Patricia Baum Barbara Bestor & Tom Stern Robert Brkich, Jr. & Ben Pratt Clare & Michael Chu Rory Cunningham & David Pacheco Art Curtis & Shelley Adler Nicholas Daum Joyce Davis Suzanne Dickson & Steven Stautzenbach Andrea Dunlop & Max Miceli Nazelie Elmassian Robin Evangelista & Dieter Obeji Sarah and Charles Evans Craig Fajnor Jean Frost & Jim Childs Sharon Hartmann Donald & Suzanne Henderson Sophie Jefferies Patricia Karasick &  Christopher McKinnon Kevin Keller & Marc Choueiti Paul King & Paul Nielsen David Kirkwood & Kristin Riddick Daniel Lockwood & Barrett Crake Los Angeles Conservancy Linda Dishman Cassandra Malry & Thom Washington Joseph McManus  & Lara Elin Soderstrom JoAnn Meepos & Steven Edwards Marianne Muellerleile & Tom Norris Sharon Oxborough Gail D. Peterson Mary Power & Librada Hernandez Judy Reidel Walter Rivers, Jr. Donna & Mark Robertson, Sr. Amy Ronnebeck & Alan Hall Lisa Schoening Mary Shaifer & Chris Murphy Ellen & Robert Swarts Willie Thomas Lindsay Wiggins Ned Wilson & Carrie Yutzy Grace & Seung Yoo New Members Transitioning from Paper to Digital As you know, one of our major goals this calendar year is to transition the WAHA Newsletter from the printed document you’ve received in the mail to one you are able to read online. By now, most if not all of you have had a chance to review the digital version of the newsletter. This digital format is now the primary newsletter version and will be the source material for the printed version AND it includes FULL-COLOR photographs and many bonus features that the printed version will not have. The bonus content in the digital version includes: The ability to link directly to other online content such as photographs, articles and websites for more content, including the WAHA website. Click and enlarge FULL COLOR photographs for easy viewing or to see additional photographic content. Download the newsletter to any device and take it with you wherever you go. Allows printing of multiple copies of specific articles or the whole newsletter if you desire in FULL COLOR. An interactive document that will allow members to participate and share information, events and resources. This new digital format is much less expensive to produce and deliver to WAHA to members, both from a financial and manpower perspective. Every print copy of the newsletter costs roughly $1.70 to produce and about $1.50 to mail. Sending the newsletter in digital format saves the organization between $1,000 to $1,500 each month or approximately $13,000 per year. In terms of the total budget for the organization, printing the newsletter consumes approximately 70% or more of most members’ annual dues. In addition to the financial cost, a considerable amount of volunteer labor and time are required to prepare, label, seal, stamp and mail each newsletter to members. The financial and man-hour savings by not printing the newsletter can be reinvested in preservation efforts, additional web site improvements, tours or events. The Communications Committee is now consistently producing and sending the newsletter electronically to every member with an email address. If for some reason you’re not receiving the electronic format (Do we have your current correct email address?) or if you’d like to only receive the digital edition and opt out of receiving the paper edition, please contact me at news@westadamsheritage.org. As a reminder, you will receive the electronic format through a download email. Thanks Reggie Jones Last month I had the pleasure of attending, along with board members Jim Childs and Jean Frost, the 2018 California Preservation Foundation (CPF) annual Preservation Awards at the Biltmore Hotel in Downtown L.A. CPF, a statewide preservation organization that promotes statewide education and advocacy programs, honors projects that are exceptionally worthy of recognition. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that most of the awards went to projects here in Southern California and doubly proud to discover that West Adams and its residents were to win some recognition. One of CPF’s rehabilitation awards was given to West Adam’s 1926 William Andrews Clark Memorial Library. The Seismic Retrofit was constructed to not be visible, yet significantly strengthened the original building. The newly constructed entry pavilion was carefully designed to be compatible with, and also subservient to, the original brick building. WAHA made a small donation to the restoration to the original building which contributes so much to the history and story of Adams Boulevard. I was pleased to be present for the award of one of the three CPF president’s awards to “KFA” -- Killefer Flammang Architects. This firm has played a huge role in the resurgence of Downtown’s historic core. Our own WAHA member and Jefferson Park resident, John Arnold, AIA, Partner at KFA, accepted the award for the firm. KFA was also given a contextual infill award for the Evanston Court in Pasadena and rehabilitation award for the Commercial Exchange building in Downtown Los Angeles. The historic built environment of the West Adams district and its residents (past and present) continue to attract attention and recognition statewide. I hope you can join us in our annual Holiday Historic Homes Tour & Progressive Dinner in North Harvard Heights this December 1st and 2nd. We will be featuring many Frank Tyler designed homes and of course our very own Greene and Greene! The progressive dinner tour requires many volunteers to put it together. Hopefully you can find time to volunteer, to become part of this group effort, enjoying the companionship of your fellow Wahonians in celebrating the holidays together. Hope to see you in the dinner house the first weekend in December! Roland Roland Souza President's Message WAHA (and Friends) Calendar Holiday Progressive Dinner Tour Saturday, December 1 and Sunday, December 2 Please join WAHA Hearthside in Harvard Heights at our 32nd Annual Holiday Tour and Progressive Dinner! This year’s tour opens the doors to a half dozen historic Craftsman style homes – including the Lucy Wheeler Residence - with appetizers, soup, salad, entree and dessert served in different houses. There is also a self-guided Sunday Walking Tour from Noon to 3:00 p.m. Visitors will see the same historic houses, festively decorated for the holidays, but without the food. Early Bird Ticket (paid by November 15, 3 p.m.) WAHA Members, $65 (Two tickets only at this price) General Public, $80 After November 15, all tickets are $90. Sunday Walking Tour tickets are $30.  Please check westadamsheritage.org for times and to purchase tickets. Volunteer Thank You Party Saturday, January 5, 2019 Time and place to be determined