Scarlette Poling's Blog: In Beverly Hills It’s Easier To Raze Historic Buildings, Just Call It Progress: LAist

In Beverly Hills It’s Easier To Raze Historic Buildings, Just Call It Progress

BY MATT TINOCO IN NEWS ON JAN 19, 2016 10:25 AM

The Harwell Hamilton Harris House, in Beverly Hills. (Courtesy of Benny Chan)

Last July, the Beverly Hills City Council voted to modify the city’s historic preservation ordinance, thereby making it easier to demolish buildings that were at one point deemed “historic.” While the City Council understands this a mark of progress—allowing more real estate money, and therefore more revenue, to flow into the city—historically minded citizens believe the modification places architecturally and historically relevant buildings onto a very slippery slope, making it easier to replace them with something newer, and probably significantly less tasteful.

Before the rollback on historical preservation in Beverly Hills, the city had some of the finest preservation rules in Southern California. The Los Angeles Conservancy had issued the city a resounding grade of “A+” on its own preservation report card.

However, after the July vote, the Conservancy modified its tone, arguing plainly that Beverly Hills had made a mistake:

The massive changes to the ordinance will have a chilling effect on local preservation and run counter to Beverly Hills’ commitment to protecting its architectural and cultural heritage. We strongly believe that this is a step backwards and, by design, will severely limit preservation in the city.

Take for example the gorgeous and award-winning Harwell Hamilton Harris house, perched high in Franklin Canyon. In the late 1940s, landscape architect Harold English commissioned the renowned Hamilton Harris to build a home for him and his wife. The home was completed in 1950, and was featured in both Sunset magazine and Architectural Forum in 1951, according to Curbed LA.

In 2001, the home was restored by the architecture firm Chu + Gooding and interior designerKay Kollar. Kollar and the firm were awarded a national award from the American Institute of Architects for their work.

A closer view of the Harwell Hamilton Harris House (via Google Maps)

The home is a beautiful example of early mid-century modern architecture, the style that would blossom throughout Southern California throughout the ‘50s and ‘60s. A quick glance at the home on Google Maps reveals a roof plastered with environmentally sound solar panels.

Now, however, the house’s future sits in jeopardy.

Last October, an LLC titled Sagebrook Investments listed the property for about $8 million(after purchasing it for just under $6 million in March). The real estate listing shows how “this property now comes with permission from the city of Beverly Hills to tear down the original structure. Plans by renowned architect Noah Walker will be delivered with the sale. The possibilities are endless for developing this promontory property.”

The possibilities are endless, but only insofar the possibilities include destroying a piece of architectural history and replacing it with shinier building with a bigger price tag. The real estate listing does not include any pictures of the house itself, instead focusing property’s views.

This sort of thing has been happening a lot recently, as investors begin to capitalize on the oodles of money to be made by razing comparatively modest mansions in the hills, and replacing them with $100 million dollar extravagances complete with personal IMAX theaters.

The buyers line up, as the international wealthy realize their money is probably safer invested in the Los Angeles real estate market than anywhere else. While yes, this does make for some hefty local revenue in the form of sale and property taxes, it ultimately leads to the destruction of L.A.’s rich architectural past property by property.

Is that a worthwhile tradeoff?

Source: In Beverly Hills It’s Easier To Raze Historic Buildings, Just Call It Progress: LAist