L.A. Conservancy distinguishes nine historic projects in 2016 Preservation Awards

The Los Angeles Conservancy Preservation Awards highlight an array of historic gems in L.A. County as a yearly tribute to the area's unique architectural heritage and the timeless significance of architectural preservation. Established in 1982, the awards recognize individuals and groups for outstanding achievements in historic preservation, including sensitive restoration, rehabilitation, adaptive reuse, advocacy, and education efforts. In the past, winners have included the J. Paul Getty Trust, the Wilshire Boulevard Temple, Frank Lloyd Wright's Hollyhock House, the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, and architectural photographer Julius Shulman.

Nine projects were named as recipients in this year's program. The awards will be presented during a luncheon in downtown L.A.'s Millennium Biltmore Hotel on May 5.

Have a look at the projects below.

(cover image) Chairman's Award recipient (formerly called the President's Award): Clifton’s
"An icon of downtown Los Angeles, Clifton's is the last remaining of ten Clifton's Cafeterias, once the region's largest cafeteria chain. Welton Becket and then-partner Walter Wurdeman designed the forest-themed wonderland of dining, which became a destination for generations of Angelenos. It is considered the world's largest public cafeteria and the only one remaining from the Golden Age of cafeteria dining."

SurveyLA LGBT Historic Context Statement, City of Los Angeles: "Los Angeles has a rich – yet often overlooked – lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender heritage. As part of its multi-year survey of the city’s historic resources, the City of Los Angeles Office of Historic Resources (OHR) completed the country’s first historic context statement for places associated with this heritage...Amid the increasing national attention on LGBT civil rights issues, the SurveyLA LGBT Historic Context Statement sheds an important light on the pivotal role Los Angeles has played in LGBT culture and history."

Brand Library and Art Center, Glendale: "Its design was inspired by the East Indian Pavilion at the 1893 Columbian Exposition in Chicago. [Leslie Coombs Brand, a prominent figure in the development of Glendale,] completed the building in 1904 and named it El Miradero, Spanish for 'a high place overlooking an expansive view'. After more than 50 years serving the community, the library’s rehabilitation began in July 2012. Based on the extensive needs for renovation, deferred maintenance, and seismic retrofitting, the ambitious project far exceeded its available budget. Yet the City deemed the project imperative and reallocated resources to move forward."

Golden State Mutual Life Insurance Building, West Adams: "In 2009, Golden State Mutual closed, and its remaining assets (including two significant lobby murals) were prepared for sale by the State's Conservation and Liquidation Office, leaving the building and its future in question...[In 2011,] the restoration team researched archives and interviewed original occupants to gather information about the building’s original state. Designed by architect Paul R. Williams, the building is an extremely important structure to both Los Angeles and African American history."

Hollenbeck Terrace, Boyle Heights: "A designated City of Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument (HCM) that is also listed in the National Register of Historic Places, this significant Boyle Heights landmark overlooks historic Hollenbeck Park. Built in 1905 as the Santa Fe Coast Lines Hospital, the Mission Revival-style building once served Santa Fe Coast Lines railway employees and their families...Between 2012 and 2015, the project team worked diligently to restore the landmark to its former grandeur."

Homeless Veterans Transitional Housing, VA Campus/West Los Angeles: "The Homeless Veterans Transitional Housing building, formerly known as Building 209 (B209), stands in the Veterans Affairs West Los Angeles Campus, one of the largest campuses of its kind in the nation. B209 originally served as a neuropsychiatric hospital. Like most buildings in the campus, B209 is in the Mission Revival style. After years of vacancy, the Department of Veterans Affairs set out to adapt the site into safe housing for homeless veterans undergoing treatment for mental trauma — a critical need nationwide."

Hotel Normandie, Koreatown: "In the heart of Koreatown stands Hotel Normandie, a 1926 landmark in the Renaissance Revival style. Noted architects Albert R. Walker and Percy A. Eisen designed the building during the height of L.A.’s eclectic revival craze...Hotel Normandie operated continuously for ninety years, undergoing several alterations during its long history. Yet time took its toll and by 2011 the hotel was barely functioning. The rooms were littered with trash, and around thirty of them housed illegal activities. In May 2011, the building’s new owner began restoring the hotel."

Kronish House, Beverly Hills: "This Modern masterpiece designed by Richard Neutra was listed for sale as a $10+ million teardown in 2011. The owner began demolition proceedings, sparking a public outcry that included nearly 600 letters and emails to the City of Beverly Hills. The Kronish House was rescued from imminent demolition in late 2011, when an owner came forward to purchase the house — at the suggestion of the architects who ultimately renovated the home. Despite the rampant teardown trend sweeping the nation, the owner committed to keeping the original design intact."

Van Dekker House, Woodland Hills: "Master architect R. M. Schindler designed this Woodland Hills home for actor Albert Van Dekker and his family...Despite its significance, this home suffered many years of neglect and deferred maintenance that left it in deplorable condition...Fortunately, the Van Dekker house was purchased by two successive owners who started, and then completed, a remarkable restoration and rehabilitation."

The 2016 jury featured: Trudi Sandmeier, Chair Director of USC Graduate Programs in Heritage Conservation; Antonio Castillo, President of Highland Park Heritage Trust; Morgan Sykes Jaybush, LEED AP Project Manager of Omgivning Architects, Interior Designers, Urbanists; Eric Needleman, Principal of The Spirited Group, LLC; and Lisa Trifiletti, the Deputy Executive Director of Environmental Programs, Los Angeles World Airports.

Check out last year's winners in the link right below.