Six Projects Honored by Conservancy

Two 1920s theaters, a Craftsman bungalow, a six-acre museum site, a native plant garden and a historic neighborhood were projects honored at the 11th annual Los Angeles Conservancy Preservation Awards as tributes to the reuse and restoration of historic landmarks.

The ceremony, held in the Biltmore Hotel, singled out the historic El Capitan Theater in Hollywood, owned by Buena Vista Pictures and Pacific Theaters, as a symbol of a revitalized Hollywood Boulevard; the 1908 Garibaldi residence of James and Paula McHargue in Angelino Heights for reconstruction after being damaged by fire.

The landmark Mayan theater was recognized for adaptive reuse as a dance club by owner/developer Sammy Chao; another winning project was the publication of a 75th anniversary commemorative booklet on the history of the Los Feliz neighborhood by the historic preservation committee of Los Feliz Improvement Assn.

The Royce Neuschatz Memorial Award for preservation and planning of parklands and open spaces was given to two projects: El Alisal Native Garden, Lummis House in Los Angeles.

The second winner in this category was the Workman and Temple Family Homestead Museum, a six-acre public museum and cultural facility in the City of Industry.

John H. Welborne was the recipient of the President’s Award for his “spirit of civic leadership in preserving major downtown architectural and historic landmarks,” among them the Angels Flight restoration and workshop project.

The awards jury included Frederick Fisher, architect and chair of the Otis Parsons School of Environmental Design; Michael Alexander, Metropolitan Structures West; Aaron Betsky, Architectural Record; Michael Diaz, Lincoln Heights Neighborhood and Preservation Assn.; Mimi Perloff, Los Angeles Conservancy Advisory Council; Marion Spencer, Los Angeles Conservancy Cultural Resources Committee and Volunteer Council, and Jamie West, West Hollywood Urban Conservation League.