The city of West Hollywood’s lore is etched in its residents and places, and to preserve those historic and cultural resources, the Historic Preservation Commission is working to protect properties for the future.

However, on the agenda for an HPC meeting held on Jan. 27, one item had some local residents and the West Hollywood Preservation Alliance in shock. It involved a staff recommendation to deny a property located at 8001-8003 Santa Monica Blvd. and 1105 N. Laurel Ave. as a potential cultural resource.

Ultimately, the commission voted unanimously to deny the property from West Hollywood’s Commercial Historic Resource Survey’s list of potential cultural resources.

“WHPA is dismayed that restoring the building to its original state was not seriously considered by the Historic Preservation Commission,” WHPA President Victor Omel­czen­­ko wrote in a statement. “Restoration should have been on the table.”

The property owner of 8001-8003 Santa Monica Blvd. had obtained a city permit to replace its roof back in 2017, days before receiving notice that the building was potentially historic.

It had met criteria A3, which meant the property reflected significant geographical patterns, including those associated with different eras of growth and settlement, particular transportation modes or distinctive examples of community or park planning, said West Hollywood Senior Planner Doug Vu.

However, with alterations to its roof and architecture style, the building lost its criteria to be considered a cultural resource for the city.

The property, built in the 1920s, was designed in the Spanish Colonial Revival architecture style and served a variety of commercial uses, Omelczenko said. From its construction in 1922 until approximately 1934, it hosted a variety of occupants ranging from real estate agents and astrologers to clairvoyants and masseuses. From the 1930s to 1970s, it served as a medical clinic.

“That survey was formally reviewed by the City Council in 2017, but the city was sent out to investigate 10 additional buildings,” Vu said. The survey was sent back to the City Council in June 2018, which was the last time it was reviewed.”

Vu explained that the property owner applied for a permit in November 2017, and the property should have been flagged. However, it was not, and the city granted the permit.

“What was described at the HPC meeting as a ‘tiny mistake’ in the city’s permitting process seems to be much, much more than a simple oversight,” Omelczenko said. “WHPA is trying to get to the bottom of this murky situation.”

West Hollywood City Council­man John Heilman said that cities are always evolving and that West Hollywood is no different.     

“It’s important for us to preserve these buildings that are deemed historic,” Heilman said.

He added that listing properties on the survey does not mean they are declared historic. The surveys are conducted to narrow down potential buildings, and then a meeting ensures certain criteria are met.

“City staff, the HPC and the preservation community worked diligently to come up with a list of 68 potential resources – out of a total of 763 commercial properties surveyed by the outside consulting firm,” Omelczenko said in a statement. “That effort, however, appears to have been undermined by an ‘asleep at the switch/who’s minding the store?’ mentality that needs close examination before further travesties are allowed to occur like what’s beset 8001-8003 Santa Monica Blvd.”

“This item may come to the City Council in the way of an appeal,” Councilwoman Lauren Meister said. “I need to fully review all of the facts before coming to any conclusions, so I won’t comment at this time.”

Meister added that historical places tell a unique story.

“These stories are part of the charm and character of our city,” she said. “Historical places help define us – where we’ve been and where we are going as a city.”

An appeal was filed on Feb. 5 regarding HPC decision to remove the property from the survey. The appeal is pending and awaiting further instruction from the city. The West Hollywood City Council would have to hold a public hearing on such an appeal.

“WHPA is looking into solutions to prevent another occurrence like this travesty from happening to the city’s relatively small reservoir of historically significant buildings,” Omel­czenko said.