HOLLYWOOD HERITAGE'S POSTITION ON MILLENNIUM PROJECT

Preservation Issue: Hollywood Heritage's Position on the Millennium Project (Capitol Records Building) proposed for Hollywood. Following a recent meeting, a Hollywood Heritage member contacted our office and asked if we could clarify our position on the proposed Millennium project for the Capitol Records property.  The Board of Hollywood Heritage and its Preservation Issues Committee are continuing to meet with Millennium regarding the project. Our only public position at this time is our response to a draft EIR which is as follows: February 16, 2013 Srimal Hewawitharana, Environmental Specialist II Los Angeles Department of City Planning 200 N. Spring Street, Room 750 Los Angeles, CA 90012 Dear Ms. Hewawitharana: Re: Millennium Hollywood Project, ENV-2011-675-EIR The Board of Directors of Hollywood Heritage, its Preservation Issues Committee and its members, thank you for the opportunity to review and comment on the Millennium Hollywood Project, and the accompanying Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR). For three decades Hollywood Heritage has been an advocate of the preservation and protection of Hollywood's historic resources. We support the goal of preserving what is most significant in Hollywood, while encouraging responsible new and infill development. Our organization has nominated many of the current Historic Cultural Monuments, listed the Hollywood Boulevard Commercial and Entertainment District in the National Register of Historic Places at the national level of significance, provided technical assistance to developers and owners of significant properties, and participated in public policy discussions through the formulation of the Community Redevelopment Plan of 1986 and subsequent urban design plans, specific plans and in property entitlement discussion involving historic resources. These efforts have resulted in the rehabilitation of significant landmarks and districts in Hollywood. Our expertise in this area has led us to the conclusion that the Millennium Hollywood project has significant and adverse impacts on a number of Hollywood's historic resources. CEQA guidelines define a project as having a significant environmental impact when the project causes a substantial adverse change in significance of a historical resource as defined in State CEQA Section 15064. The City of Los Angeles CEQA Thresholds Guide (2006, p. D.3-3) also maintains that a project would have a significant impact on historic resources if the project results in a substantial adverse change in the significance of a historic resource by construction that reduces the integrity or significance of important resources on the site or in the vicinity via alteration of the resource's immediate surroundings. While we appreciate some of the mitigation measures designed to preserve the historic Capitol Records and Gogerty Building, we believe that the proposed project would substantively alter the context in which these buildings gained their significance by compromising the immediate surroundings. Portions of the project are grossly out of proportion with the identified resources, thereby minimizing them and irretrievably altering their setting. Additionally, while we appreciate the inclusion of open space, the current design significantly changes the pedestrian environment of Hollywood. Like many previous developments, it draws pedestrians away from the street and irrevocably alters the historic street wall along Vine and Argyle. We also find the current version of the Millennium Hollywood Draft EIR to be deficient in its assessment that the project would not cause an adverse change in significance for the Hollywood Boulevard Commercial and Entertainment Historic District. The heart of Hollywood is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and functions as one of the City of Los Angeles' major tourist destinations and economic engines. The Hollywood Boulevard Commercial and Entertainment Historic District is a 12 block area of the commercial core. The district contains 103 of the most important buildings in Hollywood, listed at the national level of significance in the National Register of Historic Places. The development pattern of the 1920s and 1930s was characterized by the construction of buildings of generally 12 stories at major intersections, flanked by one and two-story retail structures. The District was formally designated by the National Park Service on behalf of the Secretary of the Interior in 1985. At the time, there were over 60 contributors and approximately 40 non-contributors which all dated from the 1905-1935 period of significance. Since its listing, the District has seen significant and positive restorations, now having the largest collection of restored historic theaters in use in the nation. The District can count the beneficial reuse of the Broadway and Equitable Buildings, the Hollywood Professional Building, and the Nash Building, and many restorations, spurring the renaissance of Hollywood. But the District has suffered the loss of several contributors, and has seen the addition of overly-large developments such as Hollywood and Highland, the W Hotel and Madame Tussaud's. The current Millennium Hollywood project fails to significantly address the negative impact created by the mass and height of the proposed development in regards to the existing structures in the vicinity. This will be the largest tower in the area. While creating opportunities to see landmarks such as the Hollywood Sign from areas within the development, the project fails to address the fact that these new view lines will alter views that have been publicly available since the inception of these landmarks. In the "Related Projects" section of the DEIR, which compares this project with other projects nearby, unapproved, proposed developments are used alongside existing structures, allowing the square footage increase that this project suggests to be seen as more reasonable. However, the structures included on the comparative chart are all less than one-third the size of the proposed Millennium tower. The only project that is as large is the proposed redevelopment of the Paramount Studios Lot. At 1,385,700 sq. ft., the Paramount Lot is a much larger property and does not have any single building of a comparative height as proposed by Millennium. The addition of the proposed tower will overwhelm contributing properties in the district and the proposed "separation" of new and old construction is simply not an adequate mitigation measure. Hollywood Heritages appreciates the efforts of the project's developers and will work diligently with them to ensure the preservation and protection of all of Hollywood's historic resources. Sincerely, Bryan Cooper President, Hollywood Heritage, Inc.

I REMEMBER JAMES STONE

this photo was taken by me~ rick castro~ the first time i met james stone. 

at the time his name was jimmy smith and he was "straight!."
 i met him thru friends ray hamby & jeff gardner. 

we were all so young.. actually i was approx. 10 years older than everyone.

as you can see the date is~ saturday~ march 14th~ 1897 @ 7:30pm... that is when i took this photo of james.. it has been in this datebook ever since and will stay there for now on.

this is an update i've received on facebook etc... 

James Stone Remembered - Memorial for James Stone to be held~

 TODAY~Saturday, Feb. 16th, 5 to 8 pm with service starting at 6pm. The Village 1125 N. McCadden Place L.A. 90038. 

Please spread the word. — with James Stone.

i am not involved with this event, in fact i cannot attend as i'm at antebellum tonight, so  i am posting for all that want to say good~bye to james. 

i am saying good bye ~here

RIP MY LONGTIME FETISH BUDDY~RIP

RODNEY KING IS DEAD

 Rodney King, whose beating by Los Angeles police in 1991 was caught on camera and sparked riots after the acquittal of the four officers involved, was found dead in his swimming pool Sunday, authorities and his fiancee confirmed. He was 47.

Police in Rialto, California, received a 911 call from King's fiancee, Cynthia Kelly, about 5:25 a.m., said Capt. Randy DeAnda. Responding officers found King at the bottom of the pool, removed him and attempted to revive him. He was pronounced dead at a local hospital, DeAnda said.

There were no preliminary signs of foul play, he said, and no obvious injuries on King's body. Police are conducting a drowning investigation, DeAnda said, and King's body would be autopsied.

"His fiancee heard him in the rear yard," he said, and found King in the pool when she went outside.

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SUNSET JUNCTION- THE END OF AN ERA

as we've all heard by now- THE SUNSET JUNCTION STREET FESTIVAL-
was denied permits by the city of LA, so this weekend's festival is off...
you can read all the gory details- HERE-

what most people don't know (or remember) is the origins of this community street festival and its humble beginnings...

since i'm a lifelong resident of los angeles, i remember the circumstances that led to the creation of sunset junction.

i will tell you them now.....

silverlake & echo park were the original locations for filmmaking @ the turn of the century...
productions of laurel & hardy, the keystone cops and numerous silent films were created in the vicinity.



("the music box steps,"- Vendome Street (at the base of the hill) with Descanso Drive (at the top of the hill), silverlake)

during the early 1920s film productions shifted west to hollywood, culver city and studio city.
silverlake lost its luster and the housing market began to decline. because of the reasonable housing rates & rentals, by the 1960s & 70s, silverlake was now predominately latino and immigrants.
the first generation of children gravitated to gangs and gang activity...
perhaps as a way to fit in, or reaction to ostracism.

at the same time, the late 1960s and early 70s saw a huge influx of gay men ( in particular leathermen) into the area.
gay guys and gals would buy houses for next to nothing, fix them up and create beautiful gems to be proud of ...
numerous gay leather/fetish clubs began to open-

THE ONE WAY, THE GAUNTLET, CUFFS, BASIC PLUMBING, GRIFFS, THE DETOUR, BASCOS, THE MEATRACK, WOODYS and numerous other gay kinky spots began to emerge.



sunset junction was also the location of the original DIFFERENT LIGHT BOOKSHOP, LA's first gay bookshop.
(this was also the location of my first public photo exhibit in 1989)

the mexican gangs reacted very negatively to what they saw as "overt sex" something they were definitely not used to with their catholic upbringings.

THE ONE WAY was king of the leather bars, a totally hot spot- watering hole on hoover st. & melrose ave.

this was absolutely my favorite dive and the first leather bar i ever stepped foot in.

a young, handsome black photographer named
DWIGHT HARRIS was making a name for himself in the early fashion industry.
i had both the pleasure of working with dwight and having a brief affair with him. he was the sweetest man.
kind, creative, shy and very sexy.

in late 1979 dwight harris went to the one way and met someone.. which was pretty much always the way it worked @
the one way.. it was by far the best pick up bar... you were pretty much guaranteed to connect with someone..
it just had that vibe.

dwight and his "pick-up" decided to walk to the local park located one block away.

they had found themselves some bushes and were having a little mutual blowing when a group of gang members came upon them.
the gang members yelled gay slurs and threatened them.
the boys tried to get away... one was able to, one was not. dwight was chased down by the gang, overpowered,
beaten up and shot.
dwight was 21 years old when he was murdered.
there was a blip of a mention in the LA weekly.

i attended dwight's service in inglewood... i had never been to a black funeral before..
his mother, sisters and family just wailed out-of-control over his casket. their sorrow and pain cut thru my soul...
it was intense.

soon after a local group of gays, straights, Latinos and immigrants had a public meeting and tried to address the problem that was now a crisis in their neighborhood.
one year later on august 27th, 1980, the FIRST ANNUAL SUNSET JUNCTION COMMUNITY STREET FESTIVAL was realized.


i attended this 1st street fair and was amazed to see latinos with baby strollers, gang members, leather guys wearing black leather chaps with the butts cut out,senior gays & lesbians, and numerous punk/new wave kids co-mingling with smiles on their faces.

it was a first for the area... los angelenos were not used to large public groups walking on the streets... remember this was the era of "NO ONE WALKS IN LA."



(sunset junction- circa 1982- photos courtesy- carol citrone)

i find it sad that the organizers of sunset junction have become so greedy and bloated charging $20 cover for an event that was supposed to be a community outreach... that was the roots of the festival.
not the "lalapalooza/PR get me a signed record deal /look how alternative i am," farce it has now become.

I HOPE THAT SUNSET JUNCTION will re-discover itself and go back to its roots.

rick castro- antebellum

GRAFFITI ARCHIVES

the old subway station, (it is now an ugly apartment complex) and surrounding graffiti art
photos courtesy- Eriberto Oriol- forbbidenartLA.com

LOST HOLLYWOOD

Utopia in Hollywood

The 1916 Grace Duff Shaw house in Hollywood was by architect Arthur S. Heineman. It was part of a utopian community called Krotona and still stands today, albeit in altered form as an apartment building. (From the collection of Sam Watters)

By Sam Watters- February 6, 2010

In 1875, as industrial America rose and avarice trounced charity, mystic Helena Blavatsky and fellow occultists in New York established the Theosophical Society. Its rituals were a healing blend of clairvoyance, science and Freemasonry, dedicated to charitable works and brotherly love. Twenty-five years later, at Theosophy's international headquarters in Adyar, a town in southern India, activist Annie Besant formed a sect that promoted meditation as a unifying force for human good. Albert P. Warrington, a lawyer in Virginia, dedicated his life to the Adyar branch and became its American leader in 1912.

California, with its cheap land for private paradises, was home to more utopian colonies than any other state. Warrington picked up 11 acres west of Beachwood Canyon and north of Franklin Avenue, below where the Hollywood sign stands today, to create an Adyar settlement. He called it Krotona after the Greek school founded by Pythagoras, who applied musical theory to harmonize the body, mind and spirit.

Proving that faith can move mountains, or at least truck loads of dirt, the Krotona colony was up by 1919. It was a veritable Vegas CityCenter-style oasis for the faithful, conceived in an unrealized plan by Pasadena architects Arthur S. and Alfred Heineman, with buildings by San Diego's Mead & Requa, Harold Dunn, Elmer C. Andrus and amateur designer and theosophist Marie R. Hotchener. It included the Krotona Court for educational programs; the Moorish-style Grand Temple of the Rosy Cross for ritual performance; the curious Science Building for experiments to verify theosophical mysteries; and bungalows and villas of the true believers, who included New Yorker Grace Shaw Duff.

Duff came to her characteristically Victorian eccentricity with star credentials as the daughter of author and entertainer Henry Wheeler Shaw, known as Josh Billings. After Mark Twain, he was America's most renowned humorist, credited for popularizing "a squeaky wheel gets the grease" and "the one thing money can't buy is the wag of dog's tail," a homily in Disney's "Lady and the Tramp." Duff wrote too, along serious, theosophical lines, and she republished 18th century tracts on early Christian mystics.

Duff's house was the Ternary, designed by Arthur Heineman on land acquired in 1914 adjacent to Warrington's original purchase. Its three wings around a garden court were in a modern Moorish style that blended California Spanish traditions with eastern motifs, just as Theosophy synthesized Asian and western beliefs. Its name, meaning three, reflected Theosophy's way to an enlightened world: Build a community without discrimination; study religion, philosophy and science; explore the inexplicable.

Fundamental to utopian colonies was living with nature. The Ternary was on a landscaped plateau just below Krotona's Italian gardens. From a stadium in this terraced Saranath, an audience watched as the Buddha came to life in theatrical performance that used Duff's house as a mystical set.

The hills were alive with prayer and faith until L.A. sprawl crowded Warrington's idyllic retreat. In 1924, he moved his community to Ojai, where the Krotona School of Theosophy continues today. In Hollywood, original Krotona buildings remain, altered for mundane, contemporary life. The Ternary is an apartment house, and the Italian gardens are subdivided.

Oscar Wilde, no stranger to misery, wrote: "A map of the modern world that does not include Utopia is not worth glancing at, for it leaves out the one country at which humanity is always landing."
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HOLLYWOOD SIGN COVER-UP

February 9, 2010 | 7:22 am

A nonprofit group plans to cover the Hollywood sign with a banner urging "Save the Peak" this week, announcing its effort to purchase nearby Cahuenga Peak from private developers for $11.7 million.


The leaders of Public Trust for Lands intend to disclose their acquisition effort publicly for the first time Thursday morning in Hollywood. They say they have raised about half of the asking price for the 138-acre mountaintop parcel from a Chicago investment group.


They have an April 14 deadline to seal the deal. The investors purchased the mountain site west of the Hollywood sign from the estate of Howard Hughes in 2002 for about $1.7 million.

The aircraft and filmmaker tycoon bought the mountaintop in the 1930s and planned to build a love nest there for actress Ginger Rogers.


Investors had hoped to sell the land for as much as $40 million for home sites. Their plans prompted Hollywood-area City Councilman Tom LaBonge to ask for the San Francisco-based land trust to help preserve the mountaintop.

But police took the edge off the trust's planned surprised by announcing that the Hollywood sign would be covered Thursday as part of “an international campaign” and would remain draped “until further notice.”


The e-mailed “community alert notification” to Hollywood residents urged that they “not be alarmed” because the 450-foot-long landmark “will remain in place and there will be no changes done to the sign.” Police said the notification was issued “so we do not receive phone calls from worried citizens.”


A spokesman for the San Francisco trust, Tim Ahern, said Monday afternoon his group was still awaiting permission to cover the sign from Los Angeles officials and the Hollywood Sign Trust, which maintains the sign. “The police department jumped the gun,” he said. Monday night, Ahern released details of the proposed acquisition.
-- Bob Pool in Hollywood
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