19 Comments
Dec 29, 2022Liked by Esotouric's Secret Los Angeles

What an interesting and valuable contribution to Los Angeles history and corruption. Keep up son trying to save our precious and artistic older properties for generations to come. Happy New Year..

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Dec 28, 2022Liked by Esotouric's Secret Los Angeles

If the city was truly “green”, they would better incentivize owners to preserve what’s there. They are dishonest in their intentions.

How is this building a “designated historic resource” but they can still get a demo permit?

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How indeed. There appears to be a complete lack of triggers within the city's various departments that would flag the potential demolition of a historic resource, the disappearance of rent controlled tenants during the eviction moratorium, etc. Nobody would even know this bungalow court was threatened if we didn't regularly scan the city database of approved demolition permits, which is not easy to process. Los Angeles needs a lot of changes around land use, preservation and tenant protections. Here's hoping the new blood in City Hall will make these changes--and soon!

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Can’t someone report this then?

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We're talking with the city and seeking clarification and hopefully some help. Will update as we know anything!

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Apr 1, 2023Liked by Esotouric's Secret Los Angeles

I made a self-guided walking route of East Hollywood bungalow courts. Enjoy! https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=1yEFWRseF_hIGcxih4TPW21Th5TD8eI1w&usp=sharing

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P.S. If you'd like to share your walk in the comments to our newest newsletter, too, that's where the citywide map is linked: https://esotouric.substack.com/p/presenting-the-los-angeles-bungalow

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This is wonderful, thank you for sharing! Charles Bukowski, whose half-courtyard complex we helped landmark, would be happy to see the feral cats marked on this map. If you get hungry on this walk, we like sitting outside El Zarape at Fountain and Kingsley, with a great view of Ken Twitchell’s early mural Strother Martin Monument (https://streetartcities.com/cities/losangeles/markers/2027)

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Jan 4, 2023Liked by Esotouric's Secret Los Angeles

The bungalow courts were the first to go in Silver Lake. A lot of older duplexes, triplexes and small apartment buildings particularly are falling to small lot that are not necessarily historic but have "vernacular charm" and give the neighborhood character. When they revised the ordinance 2016-2018 they took notice of the problems with bungalow courts.

Thanks for your diligent work to keep us aware of how fast we're losing what makes Los Angeles interesting and historic.

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Jan 4, 2023Liked by Esotouric's Secret Los Angeles

When the City introduced the Small Lot Subdivision ordinance, they championed the Maltman Bungalow Court in Silver Lake as a way to preserve this type of uniquely historic LA housing - with their small bits of open space (and mature trees) and encourage affordable home ownership. They seemed to have forgotten that goal. It's how the City sold it to Neighborhood Councils to gain their support.

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author

That's very interesting. Do you have any links of documentation that was produced when they were selling this idea to the NCs?

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The bungalow court was demolished today.

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Damn it. Do you have photos?

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Possibly - I'll see what I can dig up - it will take some time. Let me know if you need it more immediately.

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Oh, it's just interesting, but not so much that you should put more than a few minutes into looking. What matters is how the new building type is being implemented, not how it was marketed. Mostly, we've been seeing historic houses on large parcels getting turned into small lot developments. How about you?

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Dec 29, 2022·edited Dec 29, 2022

I'm very familiar with the place. I stole the gardening tools that were left behind on the property. A few rakes and shovels, if I recall. As far as the demolition is concerned, it's no great loss. Old doesn't necessarily translate to valuable.

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At the bungalow court, or the Craftsman? The street view photos from the alley showed quite a wild garden space behind the house.

We don't think there's much more valuable on this earth than a century old bungalow court with four rent controlled units in it.

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The bungalow court. There used to be a very similar house on the next block, at 5838 Gregory. Same style, with a balcony on the second floor. It was demolished 10 years ago.

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My next door neighbors’ newer McMansion was ravaged by termites and she had to get it tented and repaired. Meanwhile, my old growth redwood-composed 1925 bungalow was left alone by the bugs. The value in an old property isn’t always easy to see on the surface.

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