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October 2017

Vote for the Formosa Café’s Comeback!

We’re working to bring much-needed funding to the rehab of the beloved Formosa Café in West Hollywood, and we need your help! The Formosa is competing against 24 other projects across the country for funding through the Partners in Preservation program.

You can help fund the Formosa’s comeback by voting every day through October 31 – you can submit up to 5 votes per day.

The projects that receive the most votes will receive the most funding, so we need Angelenos to come together, show your local pride, and vote for the Formosa. The Formosa is currently in fourth place – help us get to first!

Vote for the Formosa now >

Sign up to receive daily email reminders to vote >

Formosa Café Open House October 7

Join 1933 Group and the Conservancy for a free open house at the Formosa Café this Saturday!

At this special open house, we’ll ask you to vote for the Formosa in the nationwide Partners in Preservation program (learn more about voting above). The first 200 guests will get a behind-the-scenes peek inside the currently closed café and learn more about its history. We’ll also have free food and swag for voters (while supplies last).

Learn more and RSVP for the Formosa Café Open House on Facebook >

L.A.’s K-Town: Culture and Community November 3-5

Explore the history, architecture, and culture of L.A.'s Koreatown neighborhood at our special fall event! Registration is available now for a full weekend of activities, including walking tours, a film screening, a special food tasting, and more.

Some events have already sold out – register now to ensure your spot!

See all L.A.’s K-Town: Culture and Community events  >

Volunteer for the Conservancy

Do you love L.A. history? Do you want to share your knowledge and enthusiasm with others? Become a Conservancy volunteer!

We need volunteers throughout the year to help with a range of tasks. Currently, we’re looking for volunteers to help with our special fall event in Koreatown.

If you’re interested in volunteering, please fill out our online volunteer application and we’ll be in touch very soon.

Learn more about volunteering >

San Gabriel Updates Historic Preservation Ordinance

Good news! After two-and-a-half years of work, and with technical assistance from the Conservancy, the City of San Gabriel has updated its historic preservation ordinance.

San Gabriel first established itself as a leader in historic preservation in 1965, when it became only the second city in the county, following Los Angeles, to adopt a historic preservation ordinance. This newly updated ordinance represents a major overhaul of San Gabriel’s pioneering, yet outdated, 1965 version.

Learn more about San Gabriel’s updated ordinance on our blog  >

Featured Location

Wiltern Theatre and Pellissier Building (1931)
3780 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90010

Located at the busy corner of Wilshire and Western Boulevards (hence its name), the Wiltern Theatre and its adjoining, twelve-story Pellissier Building are instantly recognizable and beloved by Angelenos.

Theatre historian and founding Conservancy board member John Miller described the Wiltern as a “dictionary of Art Deco style.” The distinctive, blue-green terra-cotta building was designed by Stiles O. Clements of Morgan, Walls & Clements.

The theatre interior (designed by G. Albert Lansburgh, who also designed the interiors of downtown’s Palace and Orpheum theatres) features opulent murals, gold leaf details, and a signature sunburst suspended from its 80-foot auditorium ceiling.

The theatre was originally Warner Brothers’ Western Theatre. On opening night in 1931, the theatre hosted the premier of Alexander Hamilton starring George Arliss.

In 1956, the Wiltern was sold to Franklin Life Insurance Company and thereafter faced a steady decline, eventually closing its doors in 1979. That same year, the building’s owner sought to demolish the Art Deco masterpiece, despite landmark status at the national and local levels.

The effort to save the Pellissier Building and Wiltern Theatre was the Conservancy’s first major preservation success. We worked with Rick Newberger’s Citizens’ Committee to Save the Wiltern to raise awareness of the issue and prevent demolition. Developer Wayne Ratkovitch came to the rescue in 1981, purchasing the property and working with architect Brenda Levin on a four-year restoration and renovation of the building.

Today, the Wiltern thrives as a live entertainment venue and a beloved Los Angeles landmark. The Conservancy holds a conservation easement on the Wiltern and Pellissier Building’s exterior, including the twin blade signs and the theatre marquee and entrance.

The Wiltern is the very first stop on our Exploring Wilshire Boulevard walking tour on Saturday, November 4 (part of our full weekend of events in Koreatown). We’ll hold an opening presentation and panel discussion inside this gorgeous theatre, after which you can explore twenty other nearby sites at your own pace. We hope you can join us!

Visit our website to learn about over 700 other historic places across L.A. County!

Images (top-bottom): Vote Your Main Street; Formosa Café (Sue Hwang); Koreatown tour (Alex Inshishian/L.A. Conservancy); Volunteer (Annie Laskey/L.A. Conservancy); San Gabriel Mission Playhouse (Michael Locke); Wiltern Theatre (Flora Chou/L.A. Conservancy).