Commission Rejects Demolition of Historic Bakery

The Los Angeles City Planning Commission unanimously rejected a plan Thursday to demolish the historic Van de Kamp’s bakery and replace it with a home-improvement store and a Burger King, delighting preservationists who fought to save the so-called Taj Mahal of L.A. bakeries.

The 7-0 vote is a major blow to developers Larry and Ralph Cimmarusti of Glendale, who plan to appeal to the City Council.

Demolition foes cheered and applauded the decision. Some had expected to lose the fight to preserve the bakery, which has a 16th century-style Dutch townhouse facade. It is located at San Fernando Road and Fletcher Drive in Glassell Park.

“Frankly, we’re very pleasantly surprised,” said Kenneth Bernstein, director of preservation for the Los Angeles Conservancy.

At a public hearing in May, two busloads of Glassell Park residents argued that the bakery, which closed in 1990, should be torn down because the abandoned building had become home to vagrants, rats and gangs. Project supporters also said the $4.24-million home improvement store and the fast-food restaurant would create 250 jobs.

Those arguments persuaded hearing officer Robert Z. Duenas to recommend approval of the Cimmarusti brothers’ plan. The city Cultural Heritage Commission, which in 1992 declared the bakery historic, had agreed in 1997 not to oppose the bakery’s demolition.

On Thursday, about 40 people supporting the new development rode chartered buses to the commission hearing. An additional 21 people spoke against demolition.

Huell Howser, the preservation-minded TV personality who appears on KCET-TV Channel 28, said it would be a mistake to destroy the “grand old building” because it “gives this area a sense of place, a sense of pride.”

He added, “There are so few places that instill pride” in this part of Los Angeles, which is about three miles north of downtown.

Howser said the bakery is the kind of historic attraction that Democratic convention visitors can enjoy and that there is not a single historic home improvement store in L.A.

His comments--as well as those of Silver Lake resident Kathryn Moyers, who asked, “Does preservation have a place in this town?”--drew applause.

Project supporters reiterated their support for the Cimmarustis’ plan, saying it was the only viable plan to redevelop the site.

Demolition “is a difficult decision,” said attorney Jerold B. Neuman, representing the developers. “Have we tried enough to save it? We’re at the point where we’ve done enough.”

Former Los Angeles school board member Richard E. Ferraro, a Glassell Park resident, said the condition of the Van de Kamp’s bakery “really disturbs me,” adding that it was time to build something else there.

But after two hours of testimony, the seven planning commissioners weren’t ready to support demolition. Questions were raised about suggestions that the historic facade could not be incorporated into the new project and whether the $2.4-million preservation estimate was accurate.