Photo: Circa 1950. (Water and Power Associates). The building is located at 5217-5231 West Wilshire Boulevard, and 672-682 South La Brea Avenue in the Miracle Mile area of Los Angeles. The property is located at the northeast corner of La Brea Ave. and Wilshire Blvd. Built from 1929 to 1930. The building is located in Council District 5 (Katy Yaroslavsky). Area Planning Commission: Central Neighborhood Council: Greater Wilshire.
It is the tower that marks the gateway to Miracle Mile at Wilshire Blvd and La Brea, but it has never been landmarked! The number of historic buildings in Miracle Mile is dwindling due to development and the historic district designation is in jeopardy.
The Art Deco Society of Los Angeles has submitted a nomination to the City of Los Angeles in an effort to gain Historic Cultural Monument designation for the E. Clem Wilson Building, a 12-story Art Deco-style office tower with setbacks, designed and constructed by the acclaimed Master design-build firm of Meyer & Holler.
The hearing at Cultural Heritage is set for Thursday, November 7 at 10:00 AM at City Hall. These meetings can be attended in person or virtually by.
The Art Deco Society of Los Angeles goes through a nomination process for buildings that we identify as being “historically significant.” We are now in phase one of this process with the Art Deco E. Clem Wilshire Building in Miracle Mile. We need YOUR PARTICIPATION to achieve a preservation victory. Please read on.
To be effective, we need the public to get behind our nomination, by writing letters of support to key decision-makers and advisors in this process and/or appearing to express encouragement to the city to landmark the building.
Below is a sample letter to use to write to voice your support of our nomination.
While it would be glorious to get that faded blue cap off the building, this campaign is about designating a building that has been a landmark of the Miracle Mile for nearly a century. First things first...
If you are unable to appear at this meeting, you may submit your comments in writing at least 24 hours prior to the hearing (earlier is better). Written comments may be submitted through the Public Comment Portal:
You will need to put this number in the subject line: CHC-2024-6625-HCM | ENV-2024-6626-CE
The Council File Number will eventually appear on the webpage linked to the green button.
SAMPLE LETTER:
SEND A NOTE TO THE CITY TO LET THEM KNOW YOU SUPPORT THIS NOMINATION!
Dear Cultural Heritage Commission:
As a member of the Art Deco Society of Los Angeles, I support the organization's nomination of the 1930 Art Deco E. Clem Wilson building (217-5231 West Wilshire Boulevard, and 672-682 South La Brea Avenue) for Historic Cultural Monument designation. The population of historic resources in the Miracle Mile area is dangerously low. This is one of the three towers that defined the district prior to World War II. Designed and constructed by the acclaimed Master design-build firm of Meyer & Holler, it is a wonderful example of Art Deco architecture with its use of setbacks.
Thank you for your consideration.
YOUR NAME (Mention if you live in Council District 5)
Use this number in your subject line #:CHC-2024-6625-HCM
Send your note to these contacts.
email: chc@lacity.org
cc: Councilmember.Yaroslavsky@lacity.org; dylan.sittig@lacity.org;
asalimian@laconservancy.org; ken.bernstein@lacity.org; preservation@artdecola.org; lambert.giessinger@lacity.org; sergio.ibarra@lacity.org; jenny.torres@lacity.org
Include the case #CHC-2023-7508-HCM & ENV-2023-7509-CE
The agenda is published a week prior to the meeting. It will appear on the webpage linked to the green button above.
TO SPEAK
Members of the public who wish to participate in the meeting and offer public comment to the Cultural Heritage Commission must appear in person at 10:00 AM at City Hall, in the room number on the meeting agenda.
If you have never attended a meeting, they are quite interesting and ADSLA is happy to give you information about how it works. Just email us via our website.
TO ATTEND VIRTUALLY:
Information will also be included on the agenda.