Historic Designation for Apartments Stalled
A city panel deadlocked Wednesday over whether to declare the Chase Knolls Apartments a historic monument and help save tenants from eviction.
After more than two hours of public testimony, City Cultural Heritage Commissioners Catherine Schick and Kaye Beckham supported the designation, which would block, at least temporarily, plans by a developer to raze the Riverside Drive complex.
“I do feel that Chase Knolls is notable and does embody the modern architecture of its kind,” Beckham said.
But with two members absent, the commission was unable to muster the third vote. Commissioner Holly Wyman objected, saying the building is not culturally or historically significant.
With the owner of the complex, Legacy Partners, wanting to demolish the buildings to make way for luxury apartments, tenants in the mostly rent-controlled facility said they will press their case to the City Council.
City Councilman Mike Feuer told the commission that the 260 apartments built in 1949 are part of the Garden City Movement of design, which provided working-class families with affordable housing that included courtyards with lawns and trees. To date, 670 structures in Los Angeles have been declared monuments.
“Chase Knolls is one of the best examples of this movement,” Feuer told the panel.
Among the residents seeking historic status was actress Penny Singleton, who starred in the “Blondie” movies.
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