Historic Resources Group

12/20/2024

Happy Holidays from Historic Resources Group! We wish you a warm, wonderful season filled with friends and family, old traditions and new. ⁠
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📷️Hollywood Boulevard at Christmas, 1945. Source: Los Angeles Public Library Legacy Collection⁠
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10/01/2024

Founded on October 1, 1989, Historic Resources Group celebrates its 35th year this month. This anniversary is not just a reflection of our achievements, but a tribute to our incredible colleagues, partners, and clients who have supported us along the way. Thank you all for being part of our history. We look forward to providing historic preservation services and continued collaboration for many years to come.

Photo: Apple Tower Theatre

08/06/2024

At last week’s State Historical Resources Commission meeting, the Commission voted to recommend the iconic Capitol Tower for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places. The NRHP nomination was authored on behalf of the property owner by HRG.
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The 12-story Mid-Century Modern office tower was built in 1956 as Capitol Records’ headquarters - the first major recording label on the West Coast, producing pioneering recordings by artists such as Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole. It was the first high-rise constructed in Hollywood after World War II and the innovative and unique circular form designed by architect Welton Becket and Associates is one of the most recognizable buildings in Hollywood to this day.

The circular office tower was not just distinctive and experimental but also cost-efficient. It required less outer wall, which saved on construction costs, and the reduced heat loss and gain through the windows made interior climate control easier and more affordable.

08/02/2024

At this morning’s State Historical Resources Commission meeting, the Commission voted to approve the National Register of Historic Places nomination for the Kenneth Newell Avery Studio in Pasadena, authored on behalf of the property owner by HRG’s Senior Historic Preservation Specialist, Adam Rajper.

The 1908 Craftsman style studio was built by noted local contractor August C. Brandt, known for constructing prominent resort hotel and residential buildings, for plein air painter Kenneth Newell Avery. Commanding picturesque views over the Arroyo Seco, the property is one of the earliest and best extant examples of an art studio associated with the Arroyo Culture, a Southern California expression of the Arts and Crafts movement.

06/25/2024

On yesterday’s AirTalk with Larry Mantle (LAist), Principal Architect Emeritus Peyton Hall, FAIA discusses the evolution of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Peyton and HRG have been “on the field” at two National Historic Landmarks, the Coliseum, since 1994 and the Rose Bowl since 1995. In 2028, the Coliseum becomes the only major venue in the world to host three Summer Olympic Games.

Click the link below to listen!

Today on AirTalk, Los Angeles has added two venues to the 2028 Summer Olympics games – we look into the new venues and the history behind LA’s oldest stadium. Also on the show, a new bill looks to utilize the DMV to automatically register California voters; how Inland Empire’s warehouse develo...

06/07/2024

HRG attended last week’s groundbreaking ceremony for the West Los Angeles VA North Campus, which commenced construction on 87 new supportive housing units for veterans. These units are part of the 500 currently under construction on the 80-acre campus.

Completed buildings on the campus won preservation awards from the California Preservation Foundation and Los Angeles Conservancy this year – including the Building 207 project, which HRG was proud to assist with!

For more details, see the Urbanize L.A. groundbreaking ceremony coverage here: https://la.urbanize.city/post/87-homes-break-aground-west-los-angeles-va-north-campus

05/03/2024

Congratulations to Peyton Hall, FAIA, HRG’s Principal Architect Emeritus, on receiving the Santa Monica Conservancy David Cameron Award! The award recognizes his outstanding achievements in historic preservation over a period of time, particularly in the City of Santa Monica.

Congratulations , the Conservancy's 2024 David Cameron Award winner!

This award is given in recognition of outstanding achievement in historic preservation over a period of time. As a historic preservation architect for over 40 years and as a principal with , Peyton Hall, FAIA has been engaged in some of Santa Monica’s major preservation projects. Peyton's dedication, experience and ability to find solutions have guided and strengthened the Santa Monica Conservancy for many years.

RSVP today to honor Peyton and our other Award Winners during the Conservancy's 2024 Annual Meeting & Preservation Awards on May 19th!

This year we will convene in the heart of Downtown Santa Monica in the theatre of Illusion Magic Lounge at 1418 4th Street. The theatre is inside the landmark Central Tower Building, an intact art deco ecosystem unto itself, built in 1929 by the owner/architect team Arthur Creel and Eugene Durfee.

Enjoy light refreshments during a reception from 2-3 p.m., followed by the Annual Meeting and Awards Presentation from 3-4:30 p.m.

Registration link in bio.

05/01/2024

To kick off National Preservation Month, next Thursday, May 9th, join HRG’s Principal Architect Emeritus, Peyton Hall, FAIA, in a panel discussion with Donna Williams and Amy Green, all of whom have completed assessments and conservation at Gordon Kaufmann’s Greystone Mansion, the Doheny Estate.

The event will be at the Greystone Mansion & Gardens – 905 Loma Vista Drive, Beverly Hills – from 6-8 PM.

Click the link below for details and to reserve a spot!

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/preserving-greystone-a-conversation-with-preservation-professionals-tickets-884421096307?aff=oddtdtcreator

04/23/2024

HRG’s Associate Architectural Historian Ye Hong is featured on this week’s episode of the Save As: NextGen Heritage Conservation podcast, produced by the USC Heritage Conservation program! She discusses her thesis about testing the potential/limitations of mobile apps to scan Reunion House, designed by Richard and Dion Neutra. ⁠
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Listen to "There’s an App for That: 3D Scanning with a Smartphone" using the link below!⁠
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https://sites.usc.edu/saveas/2024/04/18/season-4-episode-9/
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03/20/2024

HRG staff was out and about in Hollywood last weekend to experience the beautiful result of the Netflix Egyptian Theatre’s recent comprehensive rehabilitation. Peyton Hall, Historic Architect on the project, provided some details ahead of the movie showing, notably pairing the 1998 American Cinematheque rehab as it makes for a “case study in reversibility”.

02/26/2024

Two award-winning HRG projects were featured this month as FORT: LA’s Awesome Building(s) of the Month – the 28th Street YMCA and the Paul R. Williams Apartments (former Angelus Funeral Home).

These outstanding rehabilitation projects provided affordable housing by adaptively reusing historic centers of the community. Click the link below to read more!

https://www.fortla.org/awesome-and-affordable/building-of-the-month/a-vintage-trio/

02/26/2024

HRG’s Principal Architect, John LoCascio, will be one of the speakers for the California Preservation Foundation’s upcoming webinar, “SOI 360: A Refreshed Look at the Secretary of Interior’s Standards” this Thursday, February 29th, from 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM.

This three-hour seminar will start with an introduction to the four treatment approaches and the implications and benefits of applying the Standards. There will also be a focused overview of the ten Standards for Rehabilitation.

See the post below for more information and to register!

The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties is among the most frequently consulted historic preservation guidelines. Financial incentives such as tax credits, as well as some CEQA compliance projects, call for a standard-by-standard analysis of a proposed project.

Join CPF this THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 29th for a 3-hour seminar: "SOI 360: A Refreshed Look at the Secretary of Interior’s Standards" that includes an introduction to the four treatment approaches and a review of the Standards for Rehabilitation; advice on interpreting the guidelines and understanding their inherent flexibility, as well as a look at recent guidance documents from the NPS; and case studies that illustrate creative and innovative approaches.starting with an introduction to the four treatment approaches, the implications and benefits of applying the Standards, and a focused overview of the ten Standards for Rehabilitation.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 29th
9AM - 12PM

Members & Partners: $0-$80 (depending on level)
Non-Members: $100

Learn more and Register here: https://californiapreservation.org/events/soi-360/

Photography by: (c) Stephen Schaefer Photography www.HABSPHOTO.com; William Andrews Clark Memorial Library, Architectural Resources Group (ARG)