The Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) will hold a consolidated public hearing to discuss the nomination of two prominent buildings for local cultural resource status. The Plummer Park Community Clubhouse, now known as Great Hall/Long Hall, located at 1200 Vista Street, and Fiesta Hall, located at 1150 Vista Street, are the focus of City Council-initiated applications being reviewed by the HPC.
Staff members have recommended that the Historic Preservation Commission convene a consolidated public hearing and carefully consider all relevant testimonies before making their decisions.
The City of West Hollywood has long recognized the significance of preserving its cultural resources. Since its incorporation as a city in 1984, the city has implemented a Historic Preservation Ordinance in 1989, designating over 100 cultural resources, including six historic districts and thematic groupings. Preserving these resources is deemed crucial by citizens and governments at all levels, as they contribute to the city’s unique character and cultural richness.
To initiate the local cultural resource designation process, the City Council passed Resolution No. 22-5502 on May 2, 2022, for the Plummer Park Community Clubhouse, currently referred to as Great Hall/Long Hall, and Fiesta Hall. On March 28, 2023, the Historic Preservation Commission reviewed the nominations for both buildings.
While the Commission recommended the designation of the Community Clubhouse in line with Resolution No. 22-5502, they also requested further research to determine if the building holds historical significance based on additional criteria. Staff members were directed to return with an amended resolution in the future. As for Fiesta Hall, the Commission deemed the supporting materials incomplete and instructed staff to prepare a more comprehensive application package. Consequently, the discussion on Fiesta Hall was postponed to a later date. Chattel, the city’s preservation consultant, conducted additional research with the assistance of the staff, and the findings are included in the provided packet.
The consolidated public hearing held by the Historic Preservation Commission will serve as a crucial step in the determination of whether the Plummer Park Community Clubhouse and Fiesta Hall will be designated as local cultural resources. The HPC’s recommendations will be forwarded to the City Council for a final decision.
Staff has determined that the Plummer Park Community Clubhouse located at 1200 Vista Street qualifies for designation as a cultural resource under Criteria A1, A3, B, and C of the Cultural Heritage Preservation Ordinance. The building embodies the distinctive characteristics of its 1938-era date of construction as a community building designed in the Spanish Colonial Revival style, reflects a distinctive example of community or park planning as an excellent example of the regional impact of WPA funding in Los Angeles County through an initiative by the County Board of Supervisors to create a recreational facility within the local community, and possesses a significant association with ACT/UP LA and its LGBTQ activism. Additionally, staff has determined that Fiesta Hall located at 1150 Vista Street qualifies for designation as a cultural resource under Criteria A1, B, C, and D of the Cultural Heritage Preservation Ordinance. The building embodies the distinctive characteristics of its original 1949-era date of construction as a community building designed in the Spanish Colonial Revival style, is the only publicly commissioned and funded auditorium in the City, was the location of the first City Council meeting after West Hollywood incorporated, and was designed by the distinguished architect Henry L. Gogerty, FAIA. Therefore, staff recommends approval of these nominations and recommendation to the City Council to designate these buildings as local cultural resources.
1938 is most definitely historical.
1938 is considered historical? Seriously? Tear them down, put up modern practical buildings that have low maintainence costs. The nearby Russians, illegally gambling, could care less. And most people that use it don’t live in the city of weho. We’re paying so l.a. residents that surround it on 3 sides, have free adult day care. How about sell it and put up condos for millionaires.
@WehoQueen, And YET…somehow, it must have been a MIRACLE that the Plummer Park Community Club house (aka Great Hall/ Long Hall) found its way onto the California State List of Historic Places passing the OHP Commission’s hearing with a 9-0 to designate it and THEN was sent on to Washington D. C. and the U. S. Office of the Interior…and Lo and Behold! it passed scrutiny there and was placed in the National Register of Historic Places!
I don’t dispute what you said. Do you think anyone has ever gone there, looked at it, and felt any sense of history or importance? You are aware we’re talking 1938, not 1638?
Yes. Just ask the people who founded ACT UP LA. they actually feel it is sacred ground.
Watch this short video about the LGBTQ connect:
https://youtu.be/bgVwRQ41bfY
WeHo Queen. To answer your question: yes, I have, my family, friends and neighbors. Furthermore, are you an expert on this? Architect? Historian? I didn’t think so.
However I do strongly agree with your point that the buildings should be properly repurposed and used.
These buildings in Plummer Park are the singular connection to the history of Community efforts in what was to become known as West Hollywood. The timing of their roots is incidental, the fact is that they are legitimate roots recognized by knowledgable individuals at the National Trust and California Register. Rather than having been sparkling landmarks, they have endured years of willful negligence by many City leaders. Granted 1938 is not 1638 but neither is 1776.
The people who actually use the buildings to get their free handouts from the city council, in exchange for voting for them for decades, could care less about any perceived “history”. Ask an actual user of the buildings what they think about that. They will respond, “just give me my free food, free rent, and free stuff”. If the city had any foresight, I would have Preferred they use the Holloway homeless shelter motel site combined with a purchase of. The adjacent ihop and the adjacent CVS. And there would be one giant lot where a huge architecturally significant building… Read more »
Regrettably you appear so closed minded. Firstly many of the folks that you presumably speak of are immigrants from the Soviet Union. What have you personally done to welcome these people or introduce them to our culture. The JWS Jewish Family Services uses the John Chase building as a venue for distributing food and other resources to this less fortunate than you. You may have felt the same way in the day about many of the buildings at Historic Williamsburg and other important venues.
The HPC Meeting will be held on Tuesday Evening at Plummer Park, rescheduled from Monday as denoted in this article.