Echo Park Preservation Watch

We love wood windows

2008-08-06T11:40:00.000-07:00

We must give credit to Angelus Temple as it renovates several of its properties near Echo Park Lake. This shingled apartment building on Glendale Boulevard near Park Avenue is not only getting a new paint job but new wood windows (at least in front) to duplicate the originals. We do have to take some credit here. Kevin Kuzma and Matt Pope of the EPHS met with the church's contractor to provide him with advice on preservation friendly remodeling as well as sources for materials and services. It also helps that this building is located in the area that is being studied for a potential historic district. As a result, any exterior changes need to receive much greater scrutiny. It helps that these changes keep and improve and building's historic character.

We provided similar advice as the church began remodeling two four-plex apartment buildings on Echo Park Avenue. Not only does the church get to improve and update its property but Echo Park retains its old look and feel.

Winemakers' old home gets a facelift

2008-06-21T10:09:00.000-07:00

The Angona residence (1889) on McDuff street recently underwent a thorough renovation that included new wood windows as well as a soothing coat of blue paint. A purple grape color might have been more appropriate (but not as tasteful) given the home's history. The house is named after Cono and Antonia Angona, who settled here north of Sunset Boulevard when the area was still primarily open fields or used for farming and ranching. The family made wine here from 1900 1910, importing grapes from the San FernandoValley. We are happy to see that the new owners were respectful of this home's historic character and charm.

McMansions march on Echo Park

2008-04-27T14:07:00.000-07:00

It's too late to stop them. McMansions are popping up all over Echo Park and Elysian Heights, despite the slow real estate market. After digging out a hillside, three giant houses are now being built on Parmer Avenue (top photo).

Meanwhile, neighbors on Cerro Gordo are on McMansion Watch after they learned that three lots on their street between Lake Shore and Alvarado have been purchased for development. Two of the hillside lots are empty, but one contains one of the few remaining cottages/cabins (second pic) that once dominated the hills of Elysian Heights.

If you want to see what kind of homes will rise on these lots, you only have walk about 2 blocks east on Cerro Gordo and take a peek at the Echo Park's original McMansion, (bottom pic) that was built in the 1980s. The same owner of this place built a similar structure on Avon Street last year .

Houses this big and out of scale with existing homes are currently allowed under the city's current zoning laws. Is this the future we want for Echo Park?

Save the Earth: Recycle an old home

2008-04-27T09:35:00.000-07:00

We let Earth Day pass by without reminding folks that the restoration of our old homes and storefronts not only preserves our past but preserves the environment. Why? Because the demolition and mindless remodeling of old structures add to the stream of debris that is choking our landfills. Construction debris makes up about 25% of the "waste stream" that is rapidly filling up our dumps.

There is nothing "green" about ripping out original, built-in cabinets, moldings, paneling, windows, plaster walls that can easily be restored and kept out of landfills. There's more to being green than just driving a hybrid car and asking for paper bags at the supermarket. Learn more about preserving the planet by preserving your old home.

Lots of Latches

2008-04-23T06:45:00.001-07:00

Preservation Tip: One of our members, Katrina Alexy, had a very difficult time finding latches for old metal casement windows. But she found just what she needed at www.VanDykes.com . "I just ordered a bunch of window latches from this site. They have great stuff for our old houses at good prices."

Echo Park's LAUSD Fight Covered By Los Angeles CityBeat

2008-03-17T23:03:00.000-07:00

"Is L.A. Unified's ruin of an Echo Park neighborhood really necessary?"

http://www.lacitybeat.com/cms/story/detail/degree_in_devastation/6808/

New restrictions will affect Echo Park's historic fireplaces

2008-03-17T22:58:00.000-07:00

"Curling up in front of a cozy wood fire on a nippy night will be banned in many parts of Southern California on bad air days under new regulations passed Friday by regional air regulators."

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-fireplace8mar08,0,4485269.story

Opportunities To Shape Los Angeles' Preservation Ordinance

2008-03-17T22:44:00.000-07:00

Two upcoming public hearings offer an opportunity to weigh in on
possible changes:

http://preservation.lacity.org/node/94

Don't cheap out on vinyl siding for your house

2008-03-17T21:42:00.001-07:00

What's can be worse than applying stucco over old wood siding? Try cheap vinyl or aluminum siding.

"Replacing historic wood siding with new wood, or aluminum or vinyl siding could severely diminish the unique aspects of historic materials and craftsmanship. The inappropriate use of substitute siding is especially dramatic where sufficient care is not taken by the owner or applicator and the width of the clapboards is altered, shadow reveals are reduced, and molding or trim is changed or removed at the corners, at cornices or around windows and doors."

You can avoid this by reading the National Park Service's advice on appropriate substitutes for wood siding on historic buildings. Here's the link:

http://www.nps.gov/history/hps/tps/briefs/brief08.htm

The Dusty Arches

2008-01-23T10:22:00.001-08:00

It maybe covered with decades of dirt and dust, but the brick wall and terra cotta arches on this Sunset Blvd storefront are in great shape after a sheet metal cover was removed as part of a renovation. Click here to see a vintage pic of this 1920s era building, courtesy of Mary Austin Klein and Scott Fajack, on the southside of Sunset between Lemoyne and Glendale blvd.

Brick Beneath

2007-11-20T21:53:00.000-08:00

Artist Peter Shire is renovating his studio at 1850 Echo Park Ave. and found the original brick exterior under a cheesy facade installed probably in the '80 'or 70s. Hope this becomes a permanent change.

Still More Stucco

2007-09-12T18:23:00.000-07:00

Despite our best efforts, property owners continue to smother wood sided bungalows with stucco in an illfated attempt to modernize. This bungalow court (top photo) on Echo Park Ave. At Scott Ave. is being covered up this week. Only two blocks away a similar property of tiny wood-sized bungalows was restored and painted without all the trouble and expense of a stucco jacket. Meanwhile, nearby on Fairbanks Place, a home (bottom photo) that has been under renovation for years is getting a new skin of wood siding. Go figure. A future owner of the Echo Park bungalows might want to consider removing the stucco (watch the video) to regain some of the character and lost value.

Is Brown the New Green?

2007-09-06T15:44:00.000-07:00

Sage green or olive green once seemed to be the color of choice when it came to renovated homes. Now, shades of chocolate are popping up across the neighborhood, including this apartment and storefront at Sunset and Laveta.

Double Trouble on Avon Street

2007-08-27T13:58:00.001-07:00

Avon has long been a pleasant stretch of mostly one-story bungalows in a variety of styles. But this pleasant mix has been upset by the recent arrival of some unwelcome neighbors. The bloated McMansion near Cerro Gordo would certainly be better suited to suburban Las Vegas than historic Echo Park. It may be historic...if you think cookie cutter houses from the 1980s are historic. Two blocks south, a worn-looking but charming Spanish-colonial style home was demolished to make way for this two-story box that will become a duplex. AvonStreet, and Echo Park, deserve far better than these two sad samples of Home Depot-design.

Grand Entrance for Jensen's

2007-08-26T22:26:00.000-07:00

It was worth the wait. After winning a final approval by the city, the main entrance to Jensen's Recreation Center now features a grand, iron gate fit for a landmark hotel. The building is a city landmark, and the gate design needed to be approved and reviewed by the city to make sure it fit into the style of the 1924 building. What made it tricky is that the original design did not include a gate. So, the owners had to come up with a design that provided security but also respected the building's historic character. As an added bonus, a couple of cage-like enclosures in the lobby area will be removed.

Building Fire

2007-07-24T13:03:00.001-07:00

Building Fire
Originally uploaded by ephs.

This classic brick building at Alvarado and Sunset caught fire on July 14, injuring one person. The fire started in an upstairs apartment but two businesses below sufferred heavy water damage. These kind of buildings play an important role in defining our commercial streets, creating a lively environment for pedestrians (as well as providing housing on upper floors). Many have been torn down for mini-malls and parking lots that are more friendly to motorists. We hope this building is repaired in a preservation-minded manner.

Restoration Workshops

2007-07-24T08:15:00.001-07:00

Restoration Workshops
Originally uploaded by ephs.

The last of our trio of Summer Restoration Workshops will be held on Sunday July 22. See the Preseevation page for details. The photo is from our Shopping for Salavage Workshop last weekend.

Elegant Density?

2007-07-11T13:17:00.001-07:00

Elegant Density?
Originally uploaded by ephs.

The mayor has used the phrase "elegant density" to describe well designed and perhaps even stylish big development needed to house a growing population. Well, instead of elegant density, Echo Park seems to get more "ugly urban" as this giant box rising on Cortez Street west of Glendale Boulevard show. The blob like building will serve as a sterile storage box for people and overwhelm the smaller Victorian-era homes now hidden from view. Nothing wrong with building apartments, and big buildings are not necessarily bad. But do they have to be this over bearing and sterile?

Douglas Modern

2007-06-19T13:04:00.001-07:00

Douglas Modern
Originally uploaded by ephs.

The southern most block of Douglas Street near Glendale Boulevard looks like a gritty spot at first glance. But a closer look reveals some promising renovations, including this stylish re-do on the eastside of the block. The materials are new but they complement the building's simple, boxy form.

De-Stucco on Video!

2007-06-03T14:16:00.001-07:00

The EPHS has created "Take It Off: How to De-Stucco Your Home," a video tape of a de-stucco seminar held in Highland Park. We wish to thank Rob Hanson and Robin Gutman for organizing the seminar and inviting the public. Watch and learn how you can remove the stucco to reveal the original wood siding and shingles covered underneath. Click here to View

Preservationists Head South

2007-05-31T10:15:00.001-07:00

Preservationists Head South
Originally uploaded by ephs.

The south end of Echo Park south of the 101 Freeway often gets overlooked. Many don't even consider it Echo Park. But it is and includes some of our oldest homes, some of which are being renovated. If you take the Court Street Stairway up from Glendale Blvd you will find a tidy row of Victorian homes on Council St. It's quite a pleasant surprise in an area that could-and has- been redeveloped with big boxes.

Preservationists Head South

2007-05-31T10:12:00.001-07:00

Preservationists Head South
Originally uploaded by ephs.

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions

2007-05-10T10:22:00.000-07:00

Picking colors is probably among the most difficult decisons to make but the result are perhaps among the most dramatic in a renovation. These colors are being tested on an apartment-retail building at the corner of Sunset Blvd. And Laveta Terrace. Given the samples shown, these owners are not shy of a bold color makeover. This corner building is among the last on this stretch of Laveta to have been renovated and restored in recent years.

Morton Terrace Makeover

2007-03-30T09:06:00.000-07:00

Morton Terrace, a narrow lane that branches west off Morton Avenue, has for decades been lined with tiny, box-like, Spanish-colonial style bungalows. How small, well as you can see by one photo, they are not much bigger than a luxury SUV. But, like the rest of Echo Park, this alleyway has been changing quickly—and not all for the better. Several of the homes, notably on the south side, have undergone dramatic renovations—including near tear downs that have morphed into two-story homes. In many ways look development in Venice, where tiny houses and narrow lots have been replaced by larger and much more expensive two-story “modernist” style homes.

Three of the projects have retained the one story profile and original characteristics. The wood-sided bungalow (the one hidden by the SUV) was one of the first to be renovated in a way that updated the exterior but kept its historical charm. The one-story Spanish-colonial style cottage is OK but the replacement of wood windows and other architectural features that had been stripped away over the years would have given it more character. Right now it looks rather bland.

The two-story homes (one under construction) have taken far different approaches. The Spanish-style home actually uses some high grade wood windows, beams and terra cotta tile that soften the contemporary style. The second looks like a straightforward, modernist project you would find in Dwell magazine.

While these projects are certainly a cut above what has been built in the rest of the neighborhood, the projects certainly could have been more preservation friendly. The new “vertical” bungalows will also certainly change the feel of this part of the neighborhood that has long been dominated by one-story homes.

Without design guidelines or a historic district protections in place, most of Echo Park’s historic character remains at the mercy of individuals who may or may not value our neighborhood’s history and character

A Tale of Two Projects

2007-03-03T15:59:00.001-08:00

A Tale of Two Projects
Originally uploaded by ephs.

These two afforable housing projects are almost across the street from each other on Temple Street but were built about 20 years apart. The designs are certainly different but the most recent addition may not be that much of an improvement over the older project. Casa Gloria was built in the mid-1980s in a suburban- Spanish style. It's a huge complex that resemble a giant Acapulco restaurant. The newcomer, which is nearing completion across fom the Echo Park Library, does not pretend to be old and features clean lines and a good mix of textures. But it has a strange, fenced front yard that will never get used. There is also a grand entrance that is a nice way to connect to the street but it resembles a big hole. Both projects are taller than 45 feet, dwarfing the neighboring bungalows, and appear to be squeezed into the site. We hope but not optomistic that future subsidized and private housing pay as much attention to scale and size as they do design.