C of C Makes Beautification Awards : Pacific Design Center, Reserve Bank Among Top Winners

Sixteen awards, signifying excellence in commercial and residential architecture and landscaping, were presented at the 18th annual Beautification Awards Luncheon last week by the Los Angeles West Chamber of Commerce.

While most recipients of the citations and trophies were informed in advance, the big surprise at the Hotel Bel-Air event was an announcement that the chamber would be changing its name to the Los Angeles Business Council.

Because of the chamber’s long active role in community affairs, it decided to rename itself, as the new name better describes its areawide activities, according to Dori Pye, president, who made the announcement. The chamber’s membership already includes firms and organizations ranging from Orange County to the West San Fernando Valley.

Mayor Tom Bradley lauded the chamber’s leadership role and aggressive participation in area affairs and good-naturedly predicted that its influence would spread “statewide.”

Landmark Award Winner

Two prominent structures, the Pacific Design Center and the recently completed Federal Reserve Bank Building, were among the top award winners.

The center, popularly known as the “Blue Whale” since its opening in 1976 at San Vicente Boulevard and Melrose Avenue, received the chamber’s Landmark Award, emblematic of its status and prominence, while the Fed structure, at 950 S. Grand Ave., was cited as the best new large-scale institutional building.

The Jeffrey H. Tamkin Award, for outstanding new commercial construction completed during the past year, went to Westwood Place, a high-rise at 10866 Wilshire Blvd., developed by Harold Held, which was also cited as the best among new commercial buildings.

The Alan Casden Award, for outstanding new multifamily residential development, was presented to the West Palm, at 7077 Alvern St. in the Westchester area, developed by Homestead Group Associates. The large-scale project also won top honors as the best in its class among such residential developments.

Accepts Award

Richard Norfolk, president and executive director of the Pacific Design Center, accepted the Landmark Award. Recently, a new, green-colored structure has joined the original, blue 725,000-square-foot structure and a third building, burgundy in color, is to be added to the complex designed by Cesar Pelli of Gruen Associates. The showroom and exhibit mart also holds an “Award of Honor” from the American Institute of Architects.

Kambiz Hekmat, chairman of the chamber board, Pye and Carl Terzian, master of ceremonies, hosted the luncheon, and City Council President John Ferraro, Robert Allen Reed, president of the Los Angeles chapter of the American Assn. of Architects, and Bradley were special guests.

Robert Herrick Carter, landscape architect; Held, president of Held Properties; Fred Johnson, president of Fred Johnson Investments; Richard Magee and James Porter, architectural firm executives; and architect Tibor Kisvarday and Gale Campbell, who co-chair the chamber’s urban beautification and improvement committee, all received commendations from the mayor.

Winners and their categories:

COMMERCIAL New Commercial High-Rise Westwood Place, 10866 Wilshire Blvd.

Owner: Westwood Place.

Architect: Maxwell Starkman Associates.

Contractor: Peck/Jones Construction.

New Commercial Mid-Rise

St. John’s Medical Plaza, 20th Street and Arizona Avenue, Santa Monica.

Owner: 20th Street Partnership.

Architect: Rochlin, Baran &Balbona; Inc.

Contractor: Dillingham Construction.

New Low-Rise One Rodeo, 201 N. Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills.

Owner: The Stitzel Co.

Architect: Johannes Van Tilburg & Partners.

Contractor: Peck/Jones Construction.

New Large-Scale Institutional

Federal Reserve Bank, 950 S. Grand Ave.

Owner: Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco.

Architect: Dan Dworsky Associates.

Contractor: Swinerton & Walberg Co.

New Small-Scale Institutional L. Beerman Early Childhood Center, 1300 N. Sepulveda Blvd.

Owner: Leo Baeck Temple.

Architect: Leroy Miller Associates.

Contractor: Armo Construction Co.

RESIDENTIAL New Large-Scale Residence, Multifamily The West Palm, 7077 Alvern St., Westchester.

Owner: The Homestead Group Associates.

Architect: Johannes Van Tilburg & Partners.

Contractor: Homestead Building Co.

New Small-Scale Residence, Multifamily Lefcoe-Whitebread Residence, Santa Monica.

Owner: George Lefcoe/Charles Whitebread.

Contractor: Martin Project Management.

New Single-Family Levine Residence.

Owner: Lloyd and Sally Levine.

Architect: Richard Magee & Associates.

Contractor: Forte West.

LANDSCAPING New Commercial Wilshire Courtyard, 5700 Wilshire Blvd.

Owner: J.H. Snyder Co. and California Federal.

Architect: McLarand, Vasquez & Partners.

Contractor: M.H. Golden Co.

Landscape Architect: Fong & Associates Inc.

New Residential 15500 Sunset Blvd., Pacific Palisades.

Owner: J & B Home Venture.

Landscape Architect: The L.A. Group Inc.

REMODELED DEVELOPMENTS Commercial Brighton Way Building, 9675 Brighton Way, Beverly Hills.

Owner: DMG Ltd.

Architect: Richard Magee & Associates and the Jerde Partnership.

Contractor: Illig Construction Co.

Residential Hyman Residence, Brentwood.

Owner: Mr & Mrs. David Hyman.

Architect: Galper/Baldon Associates.

Contest judges were Robert Herrick Carter, president, Carter, Romanek Landscape Architects Inc.; Harold Held, president, Held Properties; Fred Johnson, president, Fred Johnson Investments; Richard Magee, Richard Magee & Associates, and James Porter, Alton & Porter.