Team Set to Restore Mayoral Mansion

Mayor Richard Riordan won’t live there, but Getty House in Hancock Park, the official residence of the Los Angeles mayor, will be restored for city entertaining and as a home for future mayors.

At a quiet tea Nov. 2 in her Bel-Air home, Nancy Daly called together a coterie to announce the restoration, which will be financed with private funds. The mayor named Daly, a close friend, to chair the project and Susi McConaghy has been hired as executive director.

McConaghy is former president of the Pasadena Junior Philharmonic Committee and benefit chair of the 1988 Pasadena Showcase House of Design, which produced $437,000 for the Los Angeles Philharmonic that year.

“Los Angeles’ place in the Pacific Rim has been amplified,” McConaghy says. “Consequently, we need to compete in the international diplomacy market, whether bringing new industry to Los Angeles or entertaining heads of state. Refurbished, the mayor’s mansion will definitely help to achieve that and ultimately contribute to a better business climate.

“When finished, we hope the house will be something the city will be proud of, something like Blair House.”

Basically, she says, the integrity of Getty House, built in 1921 at a cost of $83,000, will be kept. It has English manor characteristics with half timbers.

The Paul Paulsons built the house, then 11 rooms and four bathrooms (today there are 19 rooms, six of them bathrooms). Four years later, Lynne and Leslie Lockhart acquired it, and in 1929, Lockhart built the basement game room by excavating the dirt from under the house one bucket at a time. In 1930, the house was leased to Dolores Costello and John Barrymore. The Getty Oil Co. purchased it in 1957 and leased it at one point to acting coach Lee Strasberg. Getty donated the house and its one-acre property to the city in 1976.

Tuesday afternoon, newly appointed sub-chairmen met at Getty House to arrange plans for the restoration.

With chairmen in place, McConaghy will begin to solicit funds to meet a $500,000 budget. Organizers anticipate that furnishings--antiques, paintings, Oriental rugs, carpets and fabrics--will be donated.

Mayor Riordan’s daughter, Mary Beth Ferrel, is chairman of the art committee. On Wednesday, McConaghy announced that David Hockney has agreed to be honorary chairman and Don Barcardy will join the committee.

Professionals are contributing their services pro bono. Among them are architect Grant Taylor, accountant Marshall Gerber and attorney Jeff Glassman.

Lil Chain, president of the American Society of Interior Designers of Los Angeles, and interior designer Barbara Barry co-chair the interior committee. Antique dealer Vanya Rohner will join the acquisitions committee. More involved are Daly friends Shirlee Fonda and Joanna Agoglia, art collector Edie Broad, prominent volunteers Jeanie Cushman and Janet Karatz (who head the hospitality committee), attorney Stan Sanders, architect Ki Suh Park, historian Joe Ryan and engineer Richard Newman.

Anna Murdoch and Marge Scherick will head the long-range plan for fund raising. Music Center volunteer Joy Fein will head the program committee. Nancy Lennartz and Anita Garnier will co-chair the preview “empty house party” June 17 before the redecorating begins. More involved are Cynthia Coulter, Suzanne Marx, Beth Lowe, Loretta Morgenstern and Georgia Rosenberry.

Eva Elkins will be treasurer. And Julia Sanchez and Julie Hutner will co-chair the premiere opening night, a benefit for 800 set for Jan. 21, 1995.

At least two other major fund-raisers are planned. David Houk, owner of the Pasadena Playhouse, has offered the committee the premiere of “The Fourth Wall,” H. R. Gurney’s play, on March 10. On Oct. 31, Lori Newman, McConaghy’s daughter, will chair “A Day of Golf with the Mayor” at MountainGate Country Club. The two events are designed to net $150,000.