Greystone Mansion

David Ferrell’s otherwise excellent piece on Beverly Hill’s Greystone Mansion (Part A, May 8) credits me with having saved the historic house from demolition by removing a file from City Hall.

While the quote used was accurate, I had also explained to Ferrell that a sympathetic staff obviously wanted me to make sure the file was misplaced so that demolition permits would be delayed.

I did “rush” to City Hall a few days before the council meeting, but not because I wanted to lose a file. I went at the request of then-Fire Chief Charles Benford and Mayor Leroy Watson to see if there were some means of preventing demolition. I did put the file in my brief case, but I then took it to the city attorney’s office. They simply failed to send it back immediately.

But the real credit for saving Greystone belongs to Benford. He took me on first tour of the grounds and the Doheny home and pleaded with me and others in the community to help prevent what would have been a tragic loss. All this happened in the early 1960s and even though no permanent use has yet been found, every City Council since then has continued the effort to prevent demolition. The Greystone Foundation, simply by existing, has also been responsible for preservation.

I needed to clear the record so that city staff doesn’t hide files when I walk in the door.

RUDY COLE, Vice President

Greystone Foundation