LA Cultural Commission Recommends Monument Designation For LA Times Building
Citing its historic leadership and the architects that first designed the buildings, the Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission last week unanimously voted for the city to designate the former Los Angeles Times building in downtown Los Angeles as a historic cultural monument.
“The public sees this as an institution, a business where their favorite writers worked,” LA Cultural Heritage Commissioner Diane Kanner said. “To me there is no question the block is worthy of designation.”
“When we were touring through there, I felt the ghosts of all the people that were there,"" Cultural Heritage Commissioner Gail Kennard said. "I fully support the designation.”
The historic monument designation, which needs to eventually be approved by the Los Angeles City Council, could dampen plans by the Vancouver-based owner, Onni Group, to redevelop the collection of buildings built between 1935 and 1973 known as Times Mirror Square.
Onni purchased the 750K SF, four-building site at First and Spring streets in 2016 from former Times publisher Tribune Media Co.
Onni has planned to redevelop the site into a modern mixed-use residential, office and retail complex. The LA Times, now owned by billionaire Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, moved the staff to a new headquarters in El Segundo. Soon-Shiong cited Onni's rent increase as the reason for moving out of the iconic headquarters.
Preservationists filed for the historic designation in July just as the LA Times staff was moving out of the buildings.
City staff found that the buildings met two criteria for monument status: historic personage and master architects. The staff report cites the Chandler family’s contribution to turning the local publication into an acclaimed national newspaper.
The report recognized the Times’ second publisher, Harry Chandler; the Times’ third publisher, Norman Chandler; Norman's wife, Dorothy Buffum Chandler, a well-known supporter of the performing arts; and their son, another former Times publisher, Otis Chandler “each of whom played a significant role in the evolution of the Los Angeles Times from a local publication to a newspaper of national acclaim, and were influential in real estate development in Los Angeles.”
Additionally, city staff found the Times Mirror Square buildings were significant works of architects Gordon Kaufmann and Rowland Crawford and are an example of the Art Deco moderne and late moderne architectural styles.
The commissioners included preserving the buildings and designs from architect William Pereira, who contributed to the style of the buildings in 1973.
If the site is deemed a city cultural monument, it could delay Onni's plans to redevelop the area, according to the LA Times.
Onni Group told the LA Times that it is reviewing the recommendation from the commission.
"We look forward to continuing to work with the city and the downtown L.A. community to bring this project to fruition,” Onni Vice President Mark Spector told the Times after the vote.
