Hey, remember this eyesore? We were pleasantly surprised when we passed by it earlier this week. One of LA's only black and gold terracotta buildings, (there's another one at 5029 Wilshire), the facade had been papered over with illegal signage and banners for years. The Art Deco Society, with the city's Office of Historic Resources, had been working to get the owners of the building, a company called Vermont Investments Group LLC, to remove the signage. While we're a bit late to report on this, can't we all use a little good news? At some point in the last couple of months, the owners actually removed the signage and replaced all of the plate glass, which had been painted black. Designed by Arthur E. Harvey in 1931 as the Selig Clothing Store, the building was declared a Historic Cultural Monument in 1985. When we saw it the other day, the space looked empty. We called several of the businesses listed at that address and most have been disconnected. However, an employee at FedEx (located nearby) said most of the building is now empty of tenants but there are a couple remaining. Victim of the recession or do the owners have new plans afoot? Know what's up? Drop us a line.
· Preservation Success - 269 Western Ave. [Art Deco Society of LA]
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