• A Heavyweight Battle is Brewing in Beverly Hills, CA Over 1001 North Roxbury Drive | To Save or Not to Save Iconic Architecture and The Cultural Meaning Behind Both Sides of the Issue

  • Jun 20 2022
  • Length: 1 hr and 5 mins
  • Podcast

A Heavyweight Battle is Brewing in Beverly Hills, CA Over 1001 North Roxbury Drive | To Save or Not to Save Iconic Architecture and The Cultural Meaning Behind Both Sides of the Issue

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  • I’m Josh Cooperman and this is Convo By Design with a conversation unlike any we have had on the show before. And after 9 years doing this podcast, that’s saying something. DISCLOSURE… opinions voiced by guests appearing on this episode are their own and not necessarily the views of Convo By Design or the host of this podcast. I was reading an article recently about another Los Angeles mansion on the potentially slow march to its demise. This one is in Beverly Hills, as many of them are and it’s the same story. Someone with more money than almost everyone else comes in and buys a property for which he possibly has other intentions than living in it, as is. I read this article on dirt.com, and this property sits on North Roxbury Drive and Lexington Road. The Hollywood Regency-style residence was designed by, Carleton L. Burgess. Let’s stop here for a moment. What makes “significant”, or “special or, more to the point, worth saving? Serious question and one that is really hard to answer for a number of reasons, not the least of which is the rights of a property owner. They worked for the money, or inherited it, whatever, it’s their money. Can they not buy and do with it what they wish. Well, yes, unless there are regulations that prohibit it. This Burgess residence lies within the city of Beverly Hills and unfortunately, Beverly Hills was extremely late to the preservation party and because of that, many architectural gems have been wiped clean, again… being honest here, is an LA tradition and every architect since the 1940’s knew that going in. Now, in 2012, the City of Beverly Hills discussed ideas around architectural preservation at a city council meeting. In that meeting, they reviewed a list of significant Beverly Hills architects, calling it “A list of local master architects” and the list included 150 such designers. This list was part of a recent requirement to an ordinance that the city adopted to begin preserving properties it deemed “significant”. It’s important to note that at the time, the city was also compiling a list of original architects for more than 2,900 structures. Using their own mathematical formula, they determined that there would be under 500 structures that would be awarded with a historically significant designation. Interestingly enough, the time for significant architecture in the city was crafted by those working in Beverly Hills prior to 1970. Fair enough. The city had a pretty solid plan. The list would be used as criteria for preservation designation and designation as a “local historical landmark.” An interesting note, the criteria verbiage states, “Represents a notable work a person included on the city’s list of Master Architects or possesses high artistic or aesthetic value.” Now, that last part is tricky. “Aesthetic value” to whom? And then it get’s even MORE fascinating with some very specific criteria that includes according to BHMC 10-3-3212:(1) A. The property meets two of the following criteria: B. The property retains integrity from its Period of Significance. C. The property has historic value. 1. Is identified with important events in the main currents of national, state, or local history, or directly exemplifies or manifests significant contributions to the broad social, political, cultural, economic, recreational, or architectural history of the nation, state, city or community; 2. Is directly associated with the lives of significant persons important to the national, state, city or local history; 3. Embodies the distinct characteristics of a style, type, period, or method of construction; 4. Represents a notable work of a person included on the City’s List of Master Architects or possesses high artistic or aesthetic value; 5. Has yielded or has the potential to yield, information in the prehistory or history of the nation, state, city or community; 6. Is listed or has been formally determined eligible by th...
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