CITY WATCH : Minding the Store

Although Los Angeles has a rich cultural past, our surviving architectural legacy is pretty meager. That’s why it’s important that Macy’s restore to the former Bullocks Wilshire store, which it now owns, many of the antique chandeliers, sconces and other one-of-a-kind furnishings that have been removed. And the retailing giant should not delay in fulfilling its promise to return some of those pieces. So fine an example of Art Deco architecture is the 1929 building that it is on the National Register of Historic Places. But that protection does not apply to furnishings. Macy’s is enhancing some of its other stores with the prized objects; Bullocks Wilshire chandeliers recently were spotted hanging in an I. Magnin store in San Francisco.

Preservationists and Bullocks Wilshire loyalists worry that this city landmark has been mistreated in an effort to attract shoppers elsewhere.

After pressure was applied by Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan--who described the building as “one of the most significant historic-cultural monuments in the city”--Macy’s promised to return 12 of the nearly 100 contested items and to discuss disposition of the rest. That was before Christmas.

Southwestern University, which plans to convert the now-empty building to a law library, hopes to reinstall the original design elements and furniture, and the L.A. Conservancy seeks to reinstitute public tours of the building.

Representatives of the city, preservation groups and Macy’s will meet Wednesday. The company can do itself and this city proud by producing the goods.