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Archive for the ‘Alhambra Historic Preservation Program’ Category

Action Alert! Help Us Save The Threatened Alhambra Health Center!

Posted in Advocacy, Alhambra Historic Preservation Program, tagged , , , on November 9, 2023| Leave a Comment »

Alhambra Preservation Group and Alhambra Historical Society are partnering to save Alhambra’s historic 1930 Alhambra Health Center located at 612 West Shorb Avenue, and we need your help!

You may be aware that the City of Alhambra is proposing the development of a community center at this site. While we enthusiastically support the creation of a community center at this location,  we ardently reject any design scheme that proposes the total demolition of this historic Alhambra Health Center building.

The Alhambra Health Center building was built in 1930 and boasts a classic Monterey Colonial Revival architectural style. Due to decades of neglect by the County of Los Angeles, the structure is in a state of disrepair. Despite its current condition, the Alhambra Health Center is listed in the California Register of Historical Resources as well as in the 2023 Alhambra Historic Resources Survey Report that was recently completed as one of four Alhambra structures formally determined as being eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. 

On March 8, 2021, many of you lobbied Alhambra City Council to reject community center designs that included the complete razing of the building. City Councilmembers listened and voiced their support for the creation of a hybrid design that included the adaptive reuse of this structure.  A month later on April 12, 2021, Alhambra City Council voted to pursue the community center design that included the saving the structure at an estimated cost of $20 million.

Earlier this year, the City of Alhambra received a $25 million grant from the state of California for the construction of a community center.  On October 25, the City of Alhambra hosted a community workshop at the site, inviting Alhambrans to provide input on two proposed designs; however,  neither one of them included retaining this historic structure. Both designs propose its demolition despite the City Council voting to save it.

This is unacceptable!  We need to hold the decision-makers  accountable for their promise to save this historic building. The destruction of the Alhambra Health Center  should NOT even be considered a viable option.

On Monday, November 13, 2023 at a 6:00 p.m. Alhambra City Council Meeting, the  Alhambra City Council will hear a presentation from City staff and KFA Architects and Environmental Science Associates that includes two community center design schemes. They will also present information compiled from an October 25 community workshop where they presented the two design schemes to the community and asked for input on design elements. Neither design scheme includes the adaptive reuse of the Alhambra Health Center. Both design schemes proposed its complete destruction.  City staff is recommending that City Council select one of two community center building design options to assist in the development of the Environmental Impact Report project description.

In light of the citywide Historic Resources Survey Report that was presented to City Council in September 2023, we find it unacceptable and incomprehensible that there is no mention of the historic significance of the Alhambra Health Center in the City Council meeting agenda report. 

Here’s how you can help us save the threatened Alhambra Health Center:

  1. Attend the November 13 Alhambra City Council meeting and voice your support for saving the Alhambra Health Center.  Encourage the City Council to direct staff to find a solution that creatively and sensitively reuses the current structure. Fill out a blue speaker card (Item #3) and submit it to the City Clerk prior to the start of the meeting.  

OR

  1. Attend the November 13 Alhambra City Council meeting via Zoom and voice your support for saving the Alhambra Health Center. The Zoom link may be found in the meeting’s agenda. Encourage the City Council to direct staff to find a solution for this site that creatively and sensitively reuses the current structure. Use the “Raise Hand” function during the public comments portion of the meeting. 

You will find sample speaking points for your consideration below our signatures at the end of this letter. Speakers will have five (5) minutes each to speak.

It is long overdue for the City of Alhambra to reverse its development-at-all-costs policy, which has destroyed too many of our city’s historic resources. The City needs to honor and respect Alhambra’s historically significant resources and preserve the homes, businesses, churches, schools and public facilities that tell our city’s story and make Alhambra unique. 

Please lend your voice to save the threatened Alhambra Health Center.

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SAMPLE SPEAKING POINTS – SAVE THE HISTORIC ALHAMBRA HEALTH CENTER

Date: November 13, 2023 

Time: 6:00 p.m.

Location: Alhambra City Hall, 111 South 1st Street, Alhambra, CA 91801

Item #3 – Council Direction on Alhambra Community Center Design

Good evening Mayor Maza and Alhambra City Council Members.

My name is __________________________ and I am a resident of Alhambra.

I am here this evening to voice my support for the plan to have a community center at this location and the rehabilitation and adaptive reuse of the historic Alhambra Health Center into a community center. I do not support the destruction of this historic structure.

The Alhambra Health Center has been a part of the Alhambra community since 1930 and while it has fallen into disrepair, this building has the potential to be given new life and purpose as a vibrant community center. It is listed on the California Register of Historical Resources and is eligible for National Register of Historic Places designation and deserves recognition and to be saved.

This City Council  voted in 2021 to save the Alhambra Health Center and to pursue a design that sensitively reuses this structure. Alhambra City Council accepted a draft citywide historic resources survey report in September 2023, which identified this structure as a historically significant structure. I am respectfully requesting that you honor your 2021 vote and the statements you all made regarding the desire of the Council to save this structure. I’m also asking that you respect the historic significance of the Alhambra Health Center and its value to Alhambra. Please instruct City staff to move forward with a design that includes the adaptive reuse of the current Alhambra Health Center and reject any design scheme that proposes the demolition of this historic building.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

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Don’t Miss Alhambra’s October 13 Historic Preservation Community Meeting

Posted in Advocacy, Alhambra Historic Preservation Program, tagged , on October 6, 2021| Leave a Comment »

Things are happening fast on the historic preservation front here in Alhambra! Let’s get everyone up to date!

As you know, Alhambra Preservation Group has been advocating for more than 18 years for the creation of a comprehensive historic preservation program. We’ve advocated for three key elements to be included: (1) establish an historic preservation commission, (2) adopt a historic preservation ordinance, and (3) conduct a citywide inventory of historically, architecturally and culturally significant homes, businesses, churches and schools. 

On Monday, September 27, 2021, Alhambra’s City Council voted to create an Historic Preservation Commission – one of three new commissions established by City Council. Then, in their October e-newsletter, the City of Alhambra announced, “City of Alhambra to Establish Historic Preservation Program” stating that, “plans are well underway for the establishment of a Historic Preservation Program in Alhambra to recognize and protect important properties in the city’s history.” The City goes on to describe that Alhambra’s Historic Preservation Program will be developed in three phases: 

Phase 1: Develop a Historic Context Statement

Phase 2: Conduct a Historic Resources Survey and Seat a Historic Preservation Commission

Phase 3: Adopt a Historic Preservation Ordinance 

The City is currently in Phase 1 – the development of Alhambra’s first comprehensive, citywide historic context statement. For those who aren’t familiar with the term, a historic context statement is a written document that provides the framework for evaluating properties for their historic significance. In other words, this document will help residents understand what makes Alhambra homes, businesses, schools and churches historic, or not. 

In order to write Alhambra’s historic context statement, the City is asking for EVERYONE’S help to tell Alhambra’s story. They want to hear about the people, places and stories in Alhambra’s history that matter the most to us. 

To begin the process of gathering stories and information to write Alhambra’s first comprehensive historic context statement, the City of Alhambra is having a virtual community outreach meeting on October 13. Please plan on attending. Here’s the information:

Historic PreservationCommunity Outreach Virtual Meeting

Date: Wednesday, October 13, 2021

Time: 6:00 p.m.

Via Zoom link to be shared on www.historicalhambra.com 

We also encourage you to visit the City of Alhambra’s new historic preservation website to learn more, share your stories for Alhambra’s historic context statement, get involved in building Alhambra’s historic preservation program and join the program’s mailing list. 

“APG is very pleased to share these announcements outlining the next steps in the creation of Alhambra’s historic preservation program,” stated Oscar Amaro, Alhambra Preservation Group’s founder and president. “We urge everyone to get involved and help tell Alhambra’s story. APG has already contacted the project team to share the myriad stories we’ve discovered over the years, and we strongly urge you to do the same,” continued Amaro.

If you should have any questions, feel free to contact us at info@alhambrapreservation.org.

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Voice Your Support For A Historic Preservation Commission

Posted in Advocacy, Alhambra Historic Preservation Program, tagged , , , , on June 12, 2021| Leave a Comment »

It’s hard to believe that we’re almost half way through 2021. Like all of you, here at Alhambra Preservation Group, we’ve been trying to adapt to life post-COVID and figure out what the “next normal” will look like for our organization. We hope to have more information to share later this year.

For now, we’re writing because there are two items of interest on Alhambra City Council’s online meeting this coming Monday, June 14 at 6 p.m. We encourage you to review the agenda and provide comments.

The first item of interest is Item #8: Discussion Regarding the Establishment of New Boards and Commissions

City Council will be discussing the establishment of new boards, committee and commissions and included in this, the establishment of a Historic Preservation Committee.

“Alhambra Preservation Group (APG) strongly supports and encourages the City to establish a historic preservation commission/committee,” stated Alhambra Preservation Group President, Oscar Amaro. “This proposed historic preservation commission/committee’s responsibilities could include the identification of Alhambra’s historic resources as well as assessing properties for any potential historic significance and providing desperately needed oversight,” continued Amaro.

APG recommends that the City establish a five-member Historic Preservation Commission with each City Council member appointing one resident member. Each member’s qualifications should be based on interest or experience in Alhambra’s history, architecture, archeology or related fields. The creation of a historic preservation commission could also assist the City of Alhambra in qualifying for future state preservation-related grant funds and incentives.

How You Can Help: Send an e-mail to Alhambra City Clerk Lauren Myles at lmyles@cityofalhambra.org by 5 p.m. on Monday, June 14, identifying your comments for Item 8. Please voice your support for and urge the City Council to establish a Historic Preservation Commission/Committee.

The second item of interest is Item #23: Council Action to Accept Properties and Assets From The Alhambra Historical Society, Inc.

Unfortunately, the Alhambra Historical Society has decided to dissolve. They will be returning the Alhambra Historical Society building and associated funds to the City of Alhambra on June 30, 2021. While we are saddened to learn of the dissolution of the Alhambra Historical Society, we understand the necessity to return the building and assets to the City of Alhambra. We thank the Alhambra Historical Society board members for their decades of dedication and service.

APG supports the City of Alhambra’s creation of an account to receive any remaining funds and property as a result of the Alhambra Historical Society’s dissolution. We look forward to hearing recommendations on the future use of the building as well as remaining funds.

APG encourages the Alhambra City Council to earmark funds from the Alhambra Historical Society for historic-preservation related needs as was intended when the historical society was formed in 1966 and to consider utilizing these funds for a long overdue citywide inventory of historic resources. 

How You Can Help: Send an e-mail to Alhambra City Clerk Lauren Myles at lmyles@cityofalhambra.org by 5 p.m. on Monday, June 14, identifying your comments for Item 23. Urge our City Council to earmark funds from the Alhambra Historical Society for historic preservation-related needs and request that they consider utilizing these funds for a citywide inventory of historic resources.

We recommend that you e-mail your comments; however, if you should choose to speak on any of the items, the June 14 City Council agenda provides instructions on how to do that.

As always, thank you for your ongoing support of historic preservation in Alhambra. If you should have any questions, please feel free to contact us at info@alhambrapreservation.org.

Photo of Alhambra City Hall circa 1960s courtesy of Alhambra Preservation Group.

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Alhambra Takes First Step Towards Historic Preservation

Posted in Alhambra Historic Preservation Program, Uncategorized, tagged , , , on January 28, 2018| Leave a Comment »

Marcello.LA.ConservancyClose to 100 people were in attendance at the City of Alhambra’s kick-off community meeting on December 12, 2017 regarding the development of a historic preservation program. Dozens of members of the Alhambra Preservation Group, as well as a representative with the Los Angeles Conservancy, were in attendance to provide input and feedback to the City of Alhambra regarding which elements need to be included in the City’s historic preservation program.

“We are pleased that the City of Alhambra is finally recognizing the value of preserving and protecting its cultural, historical and architectural resources,” stated Joyce Amaro, President of the Alhambra Preservation Group. “APG is excited to be an active partner in developing a preservation program that fits our unique community,” continued Amaro.

During this kick-off meeting, City of Alhambra Director of Development Services, Marc Castagnola provided a presentation on the development of a historic preservation program and the input being solicited by the City of Alhambra. After the presentation,  attendees were separated into four different working groups to provide input into what elements need to be included and what issues needed to be addressed in the development of a historic preservation program for Alhambra.

“After so many years of talking with Alhambrans about the benefits of historic preservation, it was gratifying to me to witness the very positive response of our citizens to this issue in the General Planning process,” said Christine Olson, Alhambra Preservation Group’s immediate past President. “I was pleased that the City responded with the December public meeting and I look forward to more substantive meetings in the near future,” continued Olson.

The City of Alhambra welcomes additional input regarding this program. Alhambra Preservation Group is in the process of drafting a position letter on the development of Alhambra’s historic preservation program. If you were not able to attend the December 12 meeting, but would like to provide input, please visit the City’s historic preservation program web page.

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