terra non firma: lautner's goldstein office saved

Monday, December 12, 2005

lautner's goldstein office saved

jess forwarded me this email, that I would like to link to on the lautner site, but alas, I can't find it. so instead, here is the info, redacted for length:

The John Lautner Foundation received wonderful news just prior to Thanksgiving. The Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission voted unanimously to extend Historic-Cultural Monument status to the Goldstein Office, effectively saving it from imminent destruction. In the final hearing, with considerable time devoted to the pros and cons of preserving this rare office space in a high-rise, the Commission‹after voting‹requested James Goldstein to stand and be acknowledged for commissioning John Lautner and building the office.

Our efforts to preserve the Goldstein Office, though quite involved and complex, were fruitful. The Lautner Foundation involved the Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission by submitting for Monument status, which will protect a threatened cultural monument for up to one year, after which the owner of the building can have the issue re-addressed. While this approach to preserving buildings or space buys time, it needs support not only from the Commission but finally from the City Council, especially the Councilmember who¹s district it is in.

The building owner at 10100 Santa Monica Boulevard ultimately proposed sponsoring the careful dismantling of the 850 square foot office suite and storing it safely until next May. We have begun the process of finding a new location for the office, hopefully where the public can readily visit this unique office environment and be exposed to John Lautner¹s genius.

The disassembly and restoration concept was embodied in the Commission¹s decision, which now moves on for final adoption by the Los Angeles City Council.

Although we do not foresee any problems with the Council¹s adoption of Historic-Cultural status, we encourage your attendance and support.

Here are the times and locations for the final hearings next week:

1. Hearing at PLUM (Planning Land Use Management committee.)
December 13th, Tuesday 1:00pm
Room 350, City Hall, 200 N. Spring Street, Los Angeles.

2. Hearing at Los Angeles City Council
December 14th,
Wednesday 10:00am
Room 340, City Hall, 200 N. Spring Street, Los Angeles.