Appendix D: Cultural Resources Assessment
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APPENDIX D CULTURAL RESOURCES ASSESSMENT CULTURAL RESOURCES ASSESSMENT FOR THE CHANNEL 35 PROJECT, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA Prepared for: City of Los Angeles Bureau of Engineering Environmental Management Group 1149 S. Broadway, Suite 600, Mail Stop 939 Los Angeles, California 90015-2213 Prepared by: AECOM 515 South Flower Street, 8th Floor Los Angeles, CA 90071 Authors: Marc A. Beherec, Ph.D., R.P.A. Leesa Gratreak, M.S. Shoshana Jones, J.D., M.A. Jeremy Hollins, M.A. February 2016 Cultural Resources Assessment for The Channel 35 Project TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary ................................................................................................................ 1 Chapter 1 Introduction ............................................................................................................ 3 Report Organization ....................................................................................................... 3 Project Location .............................................................................................................. 3 Project Description ......................................................................................................... 3 Regulatory Setting ......................................................................................................... 6 Chapter 2 Project Setting ....................................................................................................... 12 Environmental Setting .................................................................................................. 12 Cultural Setting ............................................................................................................. 12 Chapter 3 Archival Research.................................................................................................... 23 Archaeological Records Search ..................................................................................... 23 Chapter 4 Archaeological and Built Environment Survey ........................................................... 30 Methods ........................................................................................................................ 30 Results .......................................................................................................................... 30 Summary ....................................................................................................................... 43 Chapter 5 Management Recommendations ................................................................................ 45 Archaeological Recommendations ................................................................................. 45 Built Environment Recommendations ........................................................................... 45 Project Personnel .................................................................................................................. 50 References Cited .................................................................................................................... 51 APPENDICES A Native American Contact (Confidential) B DPR Forms (Confidential) February 2016 i Cultural Resources Assessment for The Channel 35 Project Executive Summary This document is the Cultural Resources Assessment for the Channel 35 Studio Relocation Project (Project) proposed by the City of Los Angeles Bureau of Engineering (LABOE). This document reports a Phase I cultural resources assessment conducted in compliance with the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). LABOE proposes the design and construction of a new Digital Television Studio within the historic Masonic Hall and Merced Theater. In addition, LABOE proposes seismic retrofitting of the Pico House. The three buildings are adjacent to one another in an area bounded by the Los Angeles Plaza (Plaza), Sanchez Street to the east, North Main Street to the west, and Arcadia Street to the south. AECOM conducted archival research and completed surveys to identify cultural resources within the Project area. AECOM also conducted a cultural resources records search at the South Central Coastal Information Center housed at California State University, Fullerton. The records search revealed that the entirety of the Project area has been previously evaluated. All three buildings within the Project area are located within the Los Angeles Plaza Park Historic-Cultural Monument (LAHCM 64/2310) and are also contributing resources to the Los Angeles Plaza Historic District (also known as the El Pueblo de Los Angeles State Historic Park), which was listed in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) (NRIS 72000231) in 1972. In addition, one archaeological resource, P- 19-120014 is a historic refuse deposit in the Merced Theater building. Several other historical properties were also identified within 250 feet of the Project area. In compliance with Assembly Bill 52, AECOM contacted tribal parties interested about the Project. A letter was sent to the Native American Heritage Commission (NAHC) on April 14, 2015, to request a Sacred Lands File (SLF) search. The NAHC responded by fax on May 12, 2015. The NAHC identified nine Native American representatives who may have knowledge of the Project area. Each of these individuals was contacted by letter or email on April 20, 2015. Those who did not respond were contacted by phone on June 19, 2015. In the course of the follow-up calls, two individuals expressed concern about the Project. Both individuals recommended Native American monitors from their respective organizations. The Project is located in an area of high sensitivity for cultural resources. One archaeological resource, P- 19-120014, is located in the Merced Theater. Other, undocumented historic and prehistoric remains may exist within the Project area. The Project area is underlain by deep alluvial deposits dating to the last 10,000 years, and such deposits have the potential to contain significant archaeological resources. At the time of European contact, the Project area was occupied by the Gabrielino, who maintained a large village, Ya’angna, in the vicinity. The Gabrielino village was later the site of the historic Pueblo of Los Angeles, and the Project is within the boundaries of the original land grant for the pueblo. Under Spanish control, the Project vicinity grew into a thriving residential community and commercial center. Due to the long occupation of the Project vicinity from prehistoric to modern times, monitoring of ground-disturbing activities by a qualified archaeological monitor is recommended. An architectural history survey of the Merced Theater and Masonic Hall was completed by Mr. Jeremy Hollins on April 6, 2015, and the Pico House on September 24, 2015. Mr. Hollins meets the Secretary of Interior Professional Qualifications Standards (36 CFR Part 61) in the disciplines of Architectural History February 2016 1 Cultural Resources Assessment for The Channel 35 Project and History. The survey analyzed the current conditions, historic integrity, and retention of character- defining features, as well as compared the proposed Project plans with in-field observations and background information to complete the Project’s effects assessment. Within the Project area there are three previously recorded cultural resources: the Masonic Hall, Merced Theater, and Pico House. These properties are contributing resources to the NRHP-listed Los Angeles Plaza Historic District, and are listed as part of the Los Angeles Plaza Park Historic-Cultural Monument (LAHCM 64/2310). This assessment concludes the Project has been planned and designed consistent with the Secretary of Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation. The Project will retain, restore, repair, and appropriately replace portions of the property from its period of significance that contribute to its historic integrity, while making other slight compatible alterations in non-character-defining features and spaces that preserve the property’s historical and architectural value. Therefore, under CEQA, the Project will have a less than significant impact to the three built environment historical resources (Masonic Hall, Merced Theater, and Pico House) in the Project area, since the improvements will be consistent with the Secretary of Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation. February 2016 2 Cultural Resources Assessment for The Channel 35 Project Chapter 1 Introduction This document presents the results of a Phase I cultural resources assessment conducted for the Channel 35 Studio Relocation Project (Project) to be constructed by the City of Los Angeles Bureau of Engineering (LABOE). The Information Technology Agency has been working with LABOE to relocate the operations of Los Angeles City View Channel 35, the City’s public access television station. The Project will allow the City to relocate the public television station from its present private leased space to City- owned property, in conformance with the City’s asset management policy. This document was prepared in support of a Draft Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration prepared in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), Public Resources Code (PRC) Section 21000 et seq., and the State CEQA Guidelines, California Code of Regulations Section 15000 et seq. Report Organization This report is organized following the Archaeological Resource Management Reports (ARMR): Recommended Contents and Format guidelines, Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR),