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On Tuesday, October 25, following several hours of public testimony, the City Council's Planning and Land Use Management (PLUM) Committee voted in support of a proposed project to redevelop the southwest corner of Sunset and Crescent Heights boulevards.
The project includes demolition of the 1960 Modernist Lytton Savings (currently Chase Bank) building and the construction of 65,000 square feet of commercial space, 229 residential units with 26 affordable units, 12 workforce units, and 494 subterranean and semi-subterranean parking spaces. The project will likely head to the full City Council for a vote by early next week.
Last month, the City's Cultural Heritage Commission voted in strong support of the Historic-Cultural Monument (HCM) nomination of this significant Modern bank building. Rather than hear the pending nomination to designate Lytton Savings as an HCM, PLUM members decided to postpone any discussion about the landmark status, instead placing it on their November 22 meeting schedule, after the project will have been approved.
The Conservancy is deeply disappointed by PLUM's vote to approve the proposed project and continues to press for a preservation-based solution. As we stated in a recent WEHOville article, there are two preservation alternatives on the table that have been deemed viable and meet nearly all of the project objectives. Why is that not being discussed by the City, at either the City Planning Commission or PLUM? More importantly, why is the City choosing to ignore a path forward that allows both preservation and the development to occur at the same time?
This is not an either/or scenario: preservation, housing, density, and growth can all be part of this project. Unfortunately, preservation is being overshadowed and left out, in large part due to architect Frank Gehry and Townscape Partners not wanting to deal with Lytton Savings, leading to the unnecessary demolition of an historic building and loss to L.A.’s heritage. This is a problem, as the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) is clear and requires the City to seriously consider the preservation alternatives. The City is not fulfilling its responsibility.
The project will next go to the full City Council for approval. Email your councilmember today and ask them to support the preservation of the Lytton Savings building and follow CEQA.
Points you may mention include:
- Lytton Savings is historic and meets the HCM designation criteria.
- Two distinct preservation alternatives have been evaluated, but no substantial evidence or analysis has been provided by the City or applicant to demonstrate why adaptive reuse of Lytton Savings would be infeasible or inviable.
- The preservation alternatives would meet the majority of the proposed project’s objectives, as well as reduce environmental impacts.
- A win-win outcome that would retain the building is possible; it would allow a substantially similar project that would not violate the California Environmental Protection Act (CEQA) to move forward.
Find out which Councilmember represents your district >>
Also, please copy the Conservancy at afine@laconservancy.org so we can track progress.
Thank you for your support!
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