San Francisco Firm Wins Downtown Grant

A San Francisco-based architectural firm won a $65,000 grant Monday to design new guidelines aimed at redeveloping the city’s historic downtown area.

The Architectural Research Group won the grant, which was funded by the J. Paul Getty Trust as part of its “Preserve L.A.” initiative. The firm was selected by the Los Angeles Conservancy and three downtown business improvement districts, which administered the money for the Getty.

The firm has worked closely with property owners in the city’s historic core to produce a proposal to update storefront appearances and encourage new construction, while maintaining original architecture.

The historic core--a 24-block area bound by Hill, Main, 3rd and 9th streets--also encompasses part of the downtown center and fashion district. Representatives from each area will participate in the design ideas, to be completed by spring 2001.

Two areas included in the revitalization effort are listed in the National Historic Register: the Broadway Historic Theater District and Spring Street Historic Financial District. The Broadway district contains 12 original movie palaces, and Spring Street offers a group of financial and commercial structures, said Ken Bernstein of the Conservancy.

The architectural firm also produced design guidelines for Old Pasadena, Presidio of San Francisco and downtown San Jose.