Readers React: Righting a wrong on historic preservation in L.A.

To the editor: As a historic preservation planner, I find it distressing that Los Angeles would let a protected building be demolished without punishing the offender. Still, there are reasonable solutions to the fight over a new Hollywood residential tower. (“Judge’s ruling on Sunset/Gordon tower puts tenants in limbo,” Oct. 17)

As City Councilman Mitch O’Farrell stated, the tenants already living there have done nothing wrong and should not suffer. Their rent should be placed in an escrow account established by the court until this issue is resolved. Vacant apartments should not be rented until then.

The building facade that was demolished without approval cannot be replaced. There is no way now to rebuild it. A reasonable punishment would be a $5-million fine levied by the court payable to the Los Angeles Conservancy or the city to be used to restore historic buildings.

Sadly, the historic facade will never return, but a sufficient penalty can prevent future audacious demolitions.

Darrell Cozen, Pasadena

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To the editor: L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti’s spokesman is quoted as saying that the mayor “will continue to support projects … that help bring our neighborhoods back to life and create jobs.”

Leron Gubler, president of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, says it makes sense to put office towers and residential high-rises on transit corridors such as Sunset and Hollywood boulevards.

Transit corridors? That’s a joke. Gridlocked streets is the true description.

I invite Garcetti and other officials to take a trip to Santa Monica or from Hollywood to City Hall in downtown L.A. on any of our “transit corridors,” including Olympic, Pico, Wilshire or our freeways on any day. Our city is gridlocked.

How does sitting in traffic bring our neighborhoods back to life?

Jeff Greenberg, Beverly Hills

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