For decades, Angelenos have been able to dance the night away on Sunset Boulevard, and city hall wants to keep it that way. The Hollywood Palladium was named a historic-cultural monument last week with a unanimous vote by the Los Angeles City Council.

(photo by Gregory Cornfield)

According to a motion by Councilman Mitch O’Farrell, 13th District, the Palladium opened its doors at 6215 Sunset Blvd. to thousands of Angelenos on Oct. 31, 1940. Patrons filled the theatre’s dance floor to hear Tommy Dorsey and his orchestra, with vocalist Frank Sinatra.

The Palladium was built by producer Maurice M. Cohen. It was designed in a Streamline Modern style by architect Gordon B. Kaufman, who is also responsible for designing the Hoover Dam, Greystone Mansion, Santa Anita Park and the Los Angeles Times building. Rock ‘n’ Roll hall-of-famers Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Wonder, MC5, Jay Z, Megadeath, Bad Religion and many others have performed there. In 2008, the Palladium was restored to its original 1940s appearance.

“I am proud to support the historic-cultural monument designation for the Hollywood Palladium. The status will protect and preserve one of the city’s iconic music venues for the future enjoyment of generations of Angelenos,” O’Farrell said.

The councilman explained that the designation means that any future plans for the site will have to comply with strict guidelines.

In addition to recognizing the landmark, the Palladium will be enhanced with a project planned on the adjacent surface parking lot, called the Palladium Residences, O’Farrell said.

Developers Crescent Heights plan to build two 30-story towers on parking lots around the music venue. The two towers will be approximately 350 feet tall with 731 market-rate residential units and 24,000 square feet of retail space.

A Palladium Preservation and Enhancement Plan will also include improvements to key features such as the lobby doors, ballroom ceiling, ballroom floor, lobby and ballroom chandeliers. Also, the Historic Interpretive Exhibit will be incorporated at key locations to increase awareness and appreciation of the history and significance of Hollywood and the Palladium.

“These improvements will ensure that one of our historic gems will not only be preserved, but enhanced, so that the Palladium may continue to thrive as an operable and competitive theater in the years to come,” O’Farrell said in a statement. “This investment will continue to establish Hollywood as a world-class, transit-oriented community, while protecting and preserving our unique historical resources.”

The city council approved the Palladium Residences in March. AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), which has its headquarters next door to the Palladium, sued the city and the developer because the project will be bigger, taller and denser than city code allows.

AHF is the key sponsor of the Coalition to Preserve L.A. and the Neighborhood Integrity Initiative, and AHF alleges that the city followed an “illegal and rigged process” to approve the the Palladium Residences.

The pending lawsuit asserts that the mayor, city attorney, city planning department, city planning commission and city council defied the Los Angeles City Charter to give exemptions to developers.

AHF seeks to hold the city accountable by overturning its approval of the Palladium project, said Michael Weinstein, AHF president, in a statement this year.

The Coalition to Preserve L.A., the movement fighting to reform L.A.’s development and planning system through its measure on the March 2017 ballot, applauded efforts to save L.A.’s character and the Palladium with the historic designation.

“We appreciate the city council’s approval of historic status for the Palladium, but it was due solely to tremendous public outcry,” said Jill Stewart, campaign director for the Coalition to Preserve L.A. “The city council is in a catastrophic rush to green light demolitions that destroy irreplaceable historic treasures across L.A., while nearby cities such as Culver City create sustainable and livable communities by honoring their history. Hollywood is the poster child for historic destruction west of the Mississippi. … Hollywood is being systematically destroyed by our sadly foolhardy Los Angeles City Council.”

She blamed the council’s “obsession with approving massive – and increasingly vacant – luxury housing projects” like the Palladium Residences in exchange for campaign money.

The coalition claims the city’s elected officials will soon wipe out the pockets of surviving history in Hollywood, create more gridlock and displace thousands of additional working-class and middle class residents. Stewart said the city council played a direct role in driving more than 13,000 mostly Latino working-class residents out of Hollywood, by allowing widespread destruction of affordable housing.

For information on historic-cultural monument status, visit preservation.lacity.org.