Appendix D Historic Resources Technical Report Sunset Bronson Studios Historic Resources Technical Report November 2012 HISTORIC RESOURCES GROUP TABLE OF CONTENTS 5 1.0 Introduction 7 2.0 Project Description 16 3.0 Existing Conditions 16 3.1 Site Description 23 4.0 Regulatory Review 23 4.1 Historic Resources under CEQA 24 4.2 Historic Designations 28 4.3 Hollywood Community Plan 28 4.4 Historic Significance and Integrity 29 4.5 Period of Significance 30 4.6 Historic Districts 31 5.0 Historic Context 31 5.1 The Motion Picture Industry 36 5.2 Warner Brothers Studios 45 6.0 Site Development History 45 Site Development 59 7.0 Previous Historic Evaluation 59 7.1 Designation and Listing 60 7.2 Other Evaluations 65 8.0 Identification of Potential Historic Resources 65 8.1 Historic District Assessment 70 8.2 Assessment of Individual Historic Resources Sunset Bronson Studios Historic Resources Technical Report November 2012 HISTORIC RESOURCES GROUP 74 9.0 Potential Impacts 74 9.1 Significance Threshold 75 9.2 Impact Analysis Using Los Angeles CEQA Thresholds 79 9.3 Summary of Potential Impacts on Historic Resources 80 10.0 Recommended Mitigation Measures 81 11.0 Conclusion 82 Bibliography 84 Appendix A: Existing Building Photographs Sunset Bronson Studios Historic Resources Technical Report November 2012 HISTORIC RESOURCES GROUP PREPARED FOR Hudson Pacific Properties 11601 Wilshire Boulevard Suite 1600 Los Angeles, CA 90025 Sunset Bronson Studios Historic Resources Technical Report November 2012 HISTORIC RESOURCES GROUP 5 1.0 INTRODUCTION inquiry: (1) a determination of whether The purpose of this technical report is the project site contains or is adjacent to to determine if historic resources as a historically significant resource or defined by the California Environmental resources, and if so, (2) a determination Quality Act (CEQA)1 are present in the of whether the proposed project will Sunset Bronson Project Site and, if so, result in a “substantial adverse change” to identify potential impacts to historic in the significance of the resource or resources caused by the proposed resources. This report investigates the Project. This report is intended to Sunset Bronson Studios property to inform environmental review of the determine if historic resources exist proposed Project. within its boundaries and analyzes project impacts for any adverse change Under CEQA the potential impacts of a in the significance of such resources. project on historic resources must be More specifically, the analysis contained considered. The purpose of CEQA is to in this report assesses the entire Sunset evaluate whether a proposed project Bronson Studios property, including may have a significant adverse effect on those portions of the site that are the environment and, if so, if that effect outside of the identified construction can be reduced or eliminated by areas associated with the Proposed pursuing an alternative course of action Project. or through mitigation measures. In doing so, this report provides a The impacts of a project on an historic comprehensive review of the historic resource may be considered an resources that could be directly environmental impact. CEQA states impacted by development activities that: within the Proposed Project footprint, A project that may cause a as well as a contextual assessment of substantial adverse change in the potential historic resources that are the significance of an historical located on the studio property, but resource is a project that may outside the Proposed Project footprint. have a significant effect on the This report contains: environment.2 A review of the existing Thus, an evaluation of project impacts properties located within the under CEQA requires a two-part Sunset Bronson Studios site. A review of previous 1 California PRC, Section 21084.1. evaluations of the site through 2 Ibid. historic survey, evaluation, or other official actions. REPORT Sunset Bronson Studios Historic Resources Technical Report November 2012 HISTORIC RESOURCES GROUP Analysis and evaluation of any Preservation Planner and Christy potential historic resources. Johnson McAvoy, Founding Principal. Both are qualified professionals who Review of the required meet or exceed the Secretary of the consideration of historic Interior’s Professional Qualification resources under the California Standards. Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). This report was prepared using primary and secondary sources related to the history of the motion picture industry in Los Angeles and the site’s development as a motion picture studio. The following documents were consulted: Historic permits for properties on the site Sanborn Fire Insurance maps Historic photographs, aerial photos and site plans Local histories Previous environmental evaluations of the site California State Historic Resources Inventory (HRI) for Los Angeles County 1989 Department of Parks and Recreation Historic Resources Inventory Forms Survey LA Draft Historic Context – Entertainment Industry 2010 Research, field inspection, and analysis were performed by Paul Travis, Senior Sunset Bronson Studios Historic Resources Technical Report November 2012 HISTORIC RESOURCES GROUP 3 2.0 PROJECT DESCRIPTION remove the existing surface parking lot 7 Sunset Bronson Entertainment and studio-related ancillary buildings Properties, LLC, the Project Applicant, and construct in their place a 13-story is proposing the Sunset Bronson Studios office building and a five-story Entertainment Center Project (Proposed production office building, both of Project) located at 5800 Sunset which would be supported by a seven- Boulevard in the Hollywood story parking structure with two levels Community of the City of Los Angeles of subterranean parking. The Proposed (City). The Proposed Project would Project would also include a provide new media and entertainment- replacement guard station along Van related office and office production uses Ness Avenue, an outdoor seating area within a 4.36-acre portion of the and café adjacent to the proposed existing approximately 10.55-acre production office building, and Sunset Bronson Studios (SBS) campus landscaping. These improvements (the Project Site). The approximately would include approximately 391,018 10.55-acre media and entertainment square feet of net new building area. campus serves as a multi-use property, including production, post-production, The Proposed Project would also create office space for media and a landscaped area at the Van Ness Gate entertainment-related tenants, and to enhance the arrival area of the SBS support facilities. campus and another 60-foot long landscaped setback area along Sunset As shown below in Figure 1: Existing Boulevard, in front of the proposed 13- Site Plan, The 4.36-acre Project Site is story office building, which would be currently developed with an asphalt- designed to enhance the pedestrian paved surface parking lot providing environment of the Project Site. In approximately 466 parking spaces, addition, the Proposed Project would three studio-related ancillary buildings, provide an outdoor seating area with two structural additions to the landscaping immediately adjacent to the Executive Office Building (EOB), and proposed five-story production office several additional studio-related building. ancillary structures (i.e., satellite dishes and emergency generators), occupying a 2.2 Project Location and Setting total of 14,499 square feet of building Project Location area. The the Proposed Project would The Proposed Project encompasses approximately 4.36 acres at the 3 Description of existing conditions and the proposed intersection of Sunset Boulevard and project as provided by the Applicant. Van Ness Avenue, in the northeast portion of the approximately 10.55-acre Sunset Bronson Studios Historic Resources Technical Report November 2012 HISTORIC RESOURCES GROUP SBS campus, as well as one non- uses with associated parking. As 8 contiguous area at the southeast corner mentioned above, the Project Site is a of Sunset Boulevard and Bronson part of the overall SBS campus, and Avenue. studio facilities are located immediately adjacent to the south and west side of As shown below in Figure 2: Regional the Project Site. Land uses to the north, Project Location Map, the Project Site is across Sunset Boulevard, are located within the Hollywood commercial in nature and include Community Plan (the Community Plan) surface parking lots, a Mobil gas station, Area of the City of Los Angeles, and the Metropolitan apartments. Land approximately five miles northwest of uses to the east, across Van Ness downtown Los Angeles and Avenue, consist of the Los Angeles approximately 12 miles east of the Unified School District (LAUSD) Pacific Ocean. The Project Site is Bernstein High School campus, with the irregular in shape and is generally US-101 Freeway located further to the bounded by Sunset Boulevard to the east. Land uses to the south, across north, Van Ness Avenue to the east, Fernwood Avenue, consist of the and the SBS campus to the south and LAUSD Joseph Le Conte Middle west. The overall SBS campus is School campus, followed by residential bounded by Sunset Boulevard to the development. Land uses to the west, north, Van Ness Avenue to the east, across Bronson Avenue, include single- Fernwood Avenue to the south, and and multi-family residential Bronson Avenue to the west. developments, with commercial land Surrounding Uses uses located adjacent to the south side of Sunset Boulevard. Properties directly The Project