Please Help Save 1920 Whitley Ave.!

Dear Neighbors,

Please contact CD4 to support Hollywood Heritage 'Alternative to Demolition Plan', explained in their letters below, a Plan that other developers on 'HPOZ Adjacent' Whitley Ave. and other Whitley Heights 'HPOZ Adjacent' Avenues have done, that  will allow the 1920 Whitley Ave. project to be built , without demolishing the original 1922 building, which may be the last  remaining building that was  part of the original Whitley Heights Hollywood Ocean View Tract development, now housing three 2 bedroom RSO units, on a Whitley Heights  'HPOZ  Adjacent' Avenue, and the main entryway to the  Whitley Heights HPOZ Nationally Designated Historic District.

Dept. of Planning's  'Preservation Goals and Policies' in the *Draft Hollywood Community Plan state 'HPOZ Adjacent' areas should be developed with respect to the 'Adjacent HPOZ', promote 'Preservation' and 'Adaptive Reuse' of existing building stock, and respect mass, height, scale, character, etc. of the 'Adjacent HPOZ' Historic District .

From Hollywood Heritage:

Councilmember Ryu established his support, respect and appreciation for the retention of the Historic fabric of our National level of significance District of Whitley Heights.

He has personally focused attention on the 'quality of life' issues we endure.

We are sincerely grateful.

In support of the Whitley Heights Civic Association and in application of the LA Conservancy's Best Practices for Neighborhood Conservation, Hollywood Heritage has drafted the **attached request for a project 'Alternative to Demolition'.

SUMMARY: A SMALL LOT SUBDIVISION IN THE REAR OF THE PARCEL WITH RETENTION OF THE ORIGINAL STRUCTURE AS THE MOST COMPATIBLE ALTERNATIVE TO BE CONGRUENT WITH THE HIGH LEVEL OF HISTORIC INTEGRITY THAT REMAINS ON THE STREET.

Best Regards, Hollywood Heritage, Inc.

**To: Hollywood Hills West Neighborhood Council PLUM Committee:

-Require CEQA  EIR review for ‘1920 Whitley Ave’ project to Identify Alternatives to demolition

-The proposed project is Adjacent to National Register Historic District Whitley Heights.

-The proposed project is Adjacent to Historic Preservation Overlay Zone Whitley Heights.

-Neighborhood Conservation: the historic streetscape remains intact. Streetscape retains strong integrity.

-Allowing project demolition without providing Alternatives, sets a negative precedent for this streetscape with strong integrity.

-Traffic, Parking, Intersection rated F;  SAFETY (Whitley Ave/Franklin only 1 of 2 points of emergency exit for Whitley Heights)

-Historic development patterns direct new construction to the rear of parcels.

-HHWNC success with 1905 Grace project – new construction S.L.S. (small lot subdivision) on rear of parcel.

-Properties Adjacent to 1920 Whitley Ave developed the rear of their parcels.

A Small Lot Subdivision in the rear of the 1920 Whitley Ave. parcel is most compatible to the surrounding environs.

(1905 Grace Ave. - recently designated Historic Cultural Monument ..Stokes Mansion)

Hollywood Heritage

Hollywood Heritage is concerned that if project moves forward as proposed, it will set precedents, and other remaining original buildings on Whitley Ave. will be threatened with demolition, replaced with out of scale and character projects that compromise, rather than compliment the historic integrity of the Whitley Heights 'HPOZ Adjacent' and HPOZ Historic District.

Hollywood Heritage's points are a strong case to require an EIR..

To make it a Safer Project...proposed project is in: A Very High Fire Severity Zone  An Alquist Priolo EQ Zone  A Hillside Zone  A Special Grading Zone  A Freeway Sensitive Zone (Zimas)  and

To Disallow:

Request for Height Increase of 11 ft... possibly more

Request for More Than Allowed Units

Request for Density Bonus

Request for Unsafe Rear and Side Yard Reductions (no Emergency Access in a Very High Fire Severity Zone)

Request for a Roof Top Deck (intrusion to other close proximity residential buildings)

Please contact Councilmember Ryu's office (CD4) and Cc the others on the list below and express support for Hollywood Heritage's 'Alternative to Demolition' Plan and their CEQA - EIR review recommendation..

CD4 is aware of Hollywood Heritage's 'Alternative to Demolition' Plan and community input and support is important to help make a strong case for preservation of this charming, original 1922 building. 

There's no good reason to destroy 1920 Whitley Ave. with HH's reasonable 'Alternative to Demo' proposal. 1920-22 N. Whitley Ave. is coming up on it's 100th birthday. Hopefully, with community support, it will make it.

Please e-mail, call:

Councilmember David Ryu

councilmember.ryu@lacity.org

323-957-6415..Hollywood office 213-473-7004...City Hall office

Julia Duncan Senior Planning Deputy julia.duncan@lacity.org Direct: 213.473.7004

Alice Roth Senior Field Deputy alice.roth@lacity.org 323-851-2121

Cc... Nuri Cho, City Planning Associate Nuri.Cho@lacity.org 213-978-1177

Include: 1920-22 N. Whitley Ave.  Case No. CC-2017-1073-DB CEQA No. ENV-2017-1074-CE

36 photos interior and exterior of building and low rise (mostly four stories ) streetscape east and west, north and south on Whitley Ave: 

https://www.redfin.com/…/1920-Whitley-Ave-90068/home/7127134

https://m.trulia.com/…/4061406-1920-Whitley-Ave-Los-Angeles…

*Draft Hollywood Community Plan http://www.hhwnc.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/draft_hollywood_community_plan_may_2017.pdf Chap. 5..p.15-16

Jim & Annie Geoghan Questions..call 323-466-1084