The Los Angeles Historic Resource Survey Report: Survey Resource Historic Angeles Los The The Getty Conservation Institute www.getty.edu/conservation A Framework for a Citywide Historic Resource Survey Resource Historic Citywide a for Framework A The Los Angeles Historic Resource Survey Report A Framework for a Citywide Historic Resource Survey The Getty Conservation Institute The Los Angeles Historic Resource Survey Report A Framework for a Citywide Historic Resource Survey The Los Angeles Historic Resource Survey Report A Framework for a Citywide Historic Resource Survey Prepared by Kathryn Welch Howe The Getty Conservation Institute Los Angeles ©2008 J. Paul Getty Trust Every effort has been made to contact the copyright holders of the material in this book and to obtain permission to publish. Any omissions will be corrected in future volumes if the publisher is notified in writing. The Getty Conservation Institute 1200 Getty Center Drive, Suite 700 Los Angeles, CA 90049-1684 United States Telephone 310 440-7325 Fax 310 440-7702 E-mail [email protected] www.getty.edu/conservation Production editor: Angela Escobar Copy editor: Dianne Woo Designer: Joe Molloy, Mondo Typo, Inc. The Getty Conservation Institute works internationally to advance conservation practice in the visual arts— broadly interpreted to include objects, collections, architecture, and sites. The GCI serves the conservation community through scientific research, education and training, model field projects, and the dissemination of the results of both its own work and the work of others in the field. In all its endeavors, the GCI focuses on the creation and delivery of knowledge that will benefit the professionals and organizations responsible for the conservation of the world’s cultural heritage. Front cover: The former Eastern Star Home (HCM #440), now the Archer School for Girls, Brentwood (top); a home in the proposed Balboa Highlands HPOZ, Granada Hills (middle); the Griffith Observatory (HCM #168), Griffith Park (bottom). Photos: Emile Askey. Back cover: Airport Theme Building (HCM #570), Los Angeles International Airport. Photo: Gail Ostergren. Contents Foreword, Timothy P. Whalen vii Foreword, Ken Bernstein ix Introduction 1 CHAPTER 1 Survey Standards: Structuring the Citywide Survey 9 CHAPTER 2 The Historic Context Statement 19 CHAPTER 3 Historic Resource Criteria, Evaluation Methods, and Classification Standards 31 CHAPTER 4 Communication and Community Engagement: Explaining the Survey and Engaging the Public 41 CHAPTER 5 Uses of Historic Resource Information by Public Agencies 55 CHAPTER 6 Managing, Integrating, and Disseminating Survey Data 71 CHAPTER 7 Historic Preservation Incentives and the Survey 81 CHAPTER 8 The Citywide Historic Resource Survey: Funding Needs 89 APPENDIX A Summary of Historic Preservation Programs, Agencies, and Organizations 93 APPENDIX B California Historical Resource Status Codes 97 APPENDIX C Sample Citywide Survey Time Line 98 APPENDIX D Primary Record; Building, Structure, and Object Record; and District Record Forms, 100 California State Parks Office of Historic Preservation Bibliography 103 Foreword Information from a historic resource survey can form During this time, the GCI also published Incentives for the foundation for nearly every decision affecting a the Preservation and Rehabilitation of Historic Homes city’s historic buildings and neighborhoods. The com- in the City of Los Angeles: A Guide for Homeowners, pilation of information in a survey can help guide the which summarized the benefits available to owners of planning, maintenance, and investment decisions of the city’s historic homes. owners, city officials, neighborhood groups, and inves- Following endorsement of the research papers tors, and can have the more intangible benefit of raising by city managers, the Los Angeles City Council unani- civic awareness and pride. As has been recognized in mously passed a series of resolutions further advancing cities around the world, historic resource information the city’s commitment to pursuing a survey. In response is an essential component of effective historic preserva- to this expression of leadership, in 2005 the Getty tion, city planning, and community development. Foundation extended a matching grant commitment Since 2000, the Getty Conservation Institute has to the city of Los Angeles for the survey over a five- conducted and overseen research leading to the imple- year period. The city agreed to match this commitment mentation of a citywide historic resource survey by the and has since created the Office of Historic Resources city of Los Angeles. The Getty’s interest in assisting in and hired experienced professional staff, selected con- the development of a citywide survey has been twofold. sultants, and taken significant steps to implement the First, the work continues the trust’s wide-ranging sup- survey. The citywide historic resource survey will be port for organizations and projects representing the conducted over the next five years; the GCI will con- diverse heritage of our hometown. Second, the survey tinue to provide research, technical, and advisory assis- presents an opportunity for the Getty Conservation tance throughout the course of the project. Institute to contribute its professional expertise to a field in which many cities worldwide are active. This report is largely based on the 2004 research papers The Los Angeles Historic Resource Survey Report mentioned above and reflects further research as well is another milestone in this collaboration between as new initiatives and resources now available to the the GCI and the city of Los Angeles. In 2001, the GCI survey. It describes key elements of the comprehensive published its assessment of the purpose and value of a survey and how these elements will work together. Los Angeles historic resource survey, the Los Angeles These include clear survey standards and historic Historic Resource Survey Assessment Project: Summary resource criteria, the role of the citywide historic context Report. A year later, based on that assessment, the Los statement, the importance of centrally managing survey Angeles City Council adopted a resolution requesting information and integrating it with other municipal the Getty’s assistance in developing the goals of a city- property data, and the adoption of appropriate technol- wide survey. The Getty offered to contribute research ogy and means of communication to ensure effective use and advisory assistance on historic resource survey by public agencies as well as access to the data by the methods and on the function of a survey as part of general public. broader community and historic preservation planning This report is perhaps best viewed as a road map efforts. through the often challenging procedural requirements In 2004, the GCI presented eight research papers and technical components of a survey undertaken on an to senior city staff representing thirteen municipal enormous scale. The material is presented with the goal departments to help determine the potential value of of explaining the process and providing information and the survey to their work. Using a best practices model, research that the city of Los Angeles might use to help the research papers addressed survey standards and guide the process. This report is both a reference for the historic resource criteria, the role of a historic context survey process and an indicator of the tools and best statement, community engagement, the uses of survey practices for accomplishing a survey. It is our hope that data by public agencies, geographic information sys- this framework, and the explanations and suggestions tems and databases, the role of incentives, and funding. presented here, will be of value both in Los Angeles as Foreword vii the city implements its survey, and to others around the We especially want to thank our partners in the country who may wish to undertake comparable work. city of Los Angeles, including the Office of the Mayor, I would like to acknowledge the achievements the members of the City Council, the Office of the of Kathryn Welch Howe, who has led the GCI’s efforts Chief Legislative Analyst, and the Department of City in the Los Angeles Historic Resource Survey Project, Planning and its Office of Historic Resources, as well balancing her research and publication responsibilities as state and federal agencies. All recognized the impor- concurrently with advising the city on survey methods tance and magnitude of this effort and provided con- and implementation. Kathryn prepared this report and sistent, unwavering support. Special thanks also go to continues to advise the survey project as a consultant members of the professional peer group who reviewed to the Getty. We are grateful for her dedication to both the initial research papers and this report, offering the project and the care with which she undertook it. insightful and timely comments. In the preparation of The Los Angeles Historic Resource In 1962, the city of Los Angeles enacted one of Survey Report and in all aspects of the project, she the country’s first citywide preservation ordinances, was assisted by Frank Gilbert, senior project adviser, which called for the maintenance and survey of the city’s National Trust for Historic Preservation. Richard historic assets. Since that time, the city has grown and Starzak, a principal at Jones and Stokes, provided developed enormously in terms of both population and valuable technical expertise as well as many of the