A federal grant has been awarded to continue restoration work at Residence A, a Frank Lloyd Wright-designed building in Barnsdall Art park. (photo by Edwin Folven)

The U.S. National Park Service has awarded a $500,000 grant to the nonprofit Project Restore to preserve and repair Residence A, a Frank Lloyd Wright-designed building near Hollyhock House in Barnsdall Art Park.

Also known as the Director’s House, the building is part of a National Historic Landmark property at the park in East Hollywood. The award, one of five in California and the largest in terms of funding, was made possible through the Save America’s Treasures grant program funded by the Historic Preservation Fund and administered by the National Park Service. The city of Los Angeles’ investment of millions of dollars to make improvements at Residence A helped leverage the additional funding.

“Over the last three years, I have championed a major restoration project of Residence A by allocating and identifying close to $4 million in funds,” said Los Angeles City Councilman Mitch O’Farrell, 13th District. “The rehabilitation work on this long-neglected Frank Lloyd Wright-designed structure at Barnsdall Park will enable the city to return the space to the benefit of the public. I commend Project Restore on continuing to look for the remaining funds needed to complete the project and make this important cultural resource worthy of the title ‘world-class.’”

Originally meant as an auxiliary residence for a theater director, Residence A is part of a larger cultural arts complex comprised of the restored Hollyhock House, which was recently included in a UNESCO World Heritage Site designation, as well as an art gallery, theater and children’s art center.

“We are very excited about this award because it will enable us to complete repairs and preserve this historically and culturally important space so that today’s Angelenos, as well as future generations, can experience Barnsdall Art Park in its totality, the way it was meant to be experienced,” said Ed Avila, president of Project Restore.

Project Restore is a nonprofit committed to historic restoration and preservation in Los Angeles. The organization is comprised of a coalition of community, labor and industry representatives and preservationists.

For information, visit barnsdall.org/projects.