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Coronado Designation Upheld
May/June 2017
By Ann Jarmusch
 Take heart and take note, preservationists! A recent California Fourth District Court of Appeal ruling upheld Coronado's designation of a 1924 Spanish Bungalow-style cottage at 706 Glorietta Boulevard. "The owner wanted to demolish [it], sued, and lost," Susan Brandt-Hawley, SOHO's attorney, writes, noting this was not a CEQA case.
The Coronado Historic Resource Commission designated the home in 2014 using Criterion C (exhibits distinctive characteristics of an architectural style and has not been substantially altered) and D (built by Hakes Investment Company, which constructed at least 27 early 20th-century Coronado homes). Three other Hakes-built homes were already listed on the city's register.
Interestingly, when the owners appealed, the City Council met in closed session, during which a councilmember reported his discussion about the property with Ledge Hakes, a part owner in the Hakes Investment Company. Hakes had said "that he did not feel this house was representative of his work and… that he did not feel that his work was more notable than any other developers at that time." Still, the City Council upheld the designation by a vote of 3-1 with one abstention. The owners again appealed the decision to the California Court of Appeal.
The ruling states, "Thus, contrary to appellants' contention, the City did more than simply 'recite' the language of the Coronado Municipal Code criteria in making its findings. The City provided its findings regarding this specific property, and why, in the City's estimation, the property met two of the five criteria for designating a resource as a historic resource."
Writing for the court, Associate Justice Cynthia Aaron continued, "The staff report… clearly contains substantial evidence to support the City's ultimate decision to designate the property as a historic resource." Administrative Presiding Justice Judith McConnell and Associate Justice Richard D. Huffman concurred.
Read the ruling.
Preservation Victory in LA!
By Ann Jarmusch
 An L.A. County Superior Court judge ruled in favor of the L.A. Conservancy in its lawsuit over the planned demolition of Lytton Savings, a 1960 bank building known for its zigzag roof. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)
On April 25, a historic Mid-Century, West Hollywood bank building was saved from demolition when a judge ruled for the Los Angeles Conservancy. The 1960 former Lytton Savings (now a Chase bank) on Sunset Boulevard will now be incorporated into a mixed-use Frank Gehry-designed development. Susan Brandt-Hawley (also SOHO's attorney) was the victorious attorney for this important case.
"We've worked with many architects and developers to successfully integrate historic places into new development, and now that can happen here," Adrian Scott Fine, the L.A. Conservancy's director of advocacy, said.
The Conservancy did not challenge the adequacy of the project EIR. Brandt-Hawley explained the significance of the court's ruling: "The City Council abused its discretion and violated state law by approving this demolition of a historic resource. The loss of Lytton Savings would be a significant environmental impact, and it is feasible to instead avoid demolition and move ahead with the project."
Read more.
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