Preservationists Honor Church, Other Buildings

More than a dozen buildings in Lincoln Heights and Highland Park received a stamp of approval from neighborhood groups recently as examples of well-preserved and maintained historic structures.

The Highland Park Heritage Trust, a local preservation group, honored nine buildings, including a new Jack in the Box restaurant for being built in traditional Craftsman style, and Armando’s, a restaurant on Figueroa Street that was recently renovated.

The First Native American Church of Los Angeles, which was built in 1894, Griffin Avenue School and two 1920s-era homes on Pasadena Avenue received the annual Neighborhood Award from the Lincoln Heights Neighborhood and Preservation Assn.

Residents said the awards are given to highlight structures in the community that are being carefully taken care of.

“We’re looking to see how they’ve kept up the character of the building,” said Richard McCarthy, a Lincoln Heights resident. “We feel there’s quite a bit of historical significance in Lincoln Heights, and we want to recognize it before it’s lost.”