CHINATOWN : Part of L.A. History May Find a Home

A Chinese historical group plans to purchase and restore two Victorian houses as part of a nearly $2-million project to develop what could become Chinatown’s first heritage and visitors center.

“This can be seen as one part of the overall concept of developing cultural resources in Chinatown,” said Eugene Moy, building committee chairman for the Chinese Historical Society of Southern California. “There’s a need for smaller and quality (cultural) facilities.”

The nearly 20-year-old historical society recently opened escrow on the houses at 411 and 415 Bernard St., at the northern end of Chinatown near the Pasadena Freeway.

To finalize the $375,000 purchase, the group needs to raise $18,750 by November to make the first payment on the 10,000-square-foot property, Moy said. The houses are on adjoining lots; one is vacant and the other is leased by a property management firm.

The society has developed a three- to five-year plan for the project, estimated to cost between $1.5 million and $1.9 million. After restoring and seismically upgrading the two wood-framed buildings, society members want to open the house at 411 Bernard St. as a heritage and visitors center, he said.

Built in 1886 by French immigrant Philipp Fritz, the house would reflect Chinese history in Los Angeles as well as the Latino, Italian, French, Croatian and African American ethnic mix that once populated Chinatown, Moy said. One room would be dedicated to the Fritz family; the immigrant’s daughter Louise M. Whiting lived in the home from 1892 until her death in 1992, and the family still owns the property.

That building would also become the permanent site for the Chinese Historical Society, which now leases space in the Phoenix Bakery building in Chinatown, Moy said.

Once open, the center could establish a renewed interest in Chinatown and boost its economy, society members said.

“This is going to be an information center for our educational purposes,” society President Irvin Lai said.

The society plans to lease the second house, built in 1892, and would like to see it turned into a bookstore and coffee shop. The final phase of the project would entail construction behind both houses of a three-story, 6,000-square-foot building for cultural education classes, Moy and Lai said.

A courtyard between the new structure and the two Victorian houses would include some kind of artwork to recognize early Chinatown pioneers, they said.

The society hopes to help finance the project by expanding its fund-raising efforts beyond the Chinese community.

“The significance of this location goes beyond Chinese history,” Moy said. “It really goes into Los Angeles history. So we hope to bring in the general public of Los Angeles.”