Los Angeles Conservancy

The Los Angeles Conservancy works through advocacy and education to recognize, preserve, and revitalize historic architecture and cultural resources throughout LA County. It is the only historic preservation organization in Southern California whose work spans the entire county (which encompasses 4,000 square miles).

With a mandate of awareness, assistance and action, the Conservancy works to preserve historic resources by developing preservation and reuse strategies, as well as raising awareness of their value in strengthening communities, conserving resources, fostering economic development, and enriching lives.

The Conservancy is nationally recognized as a driving force in historic presentation in LA. Its impact lies in preventing the demolition of significant historic resources and fostering their revitalization, helping to strengthen local preservation laws and incentives, and raising awareness of the county’s historic resources and the need to preserve them.

The Conservancy was instrumental in preventing the demolition of iconic landmarks including the Los Angeles Central Library (1926), former Cathedral of St. Vibiana (1876), Century Plaza Hotel (1966) Wiltern Theatre (1931), Wilshire May Company (1939), the world’s oldest remaining McDonald’s (1953), and the Kronish House designed by Richard Neutra (1955).

The Conservancy has also helped to establish the City of Los Angeles’ program for preserving historic districts (known as Historic Preservation Overlay Zones) and undertaking a targeted Broadway Initiative to help fuel downtown L.A.’s ongoing revitalization.

Among the Conservancy’s signature initiatives is the Preservation Report Card. Every five years, the Conservancy issues a countywide Preservation Report Card “grading” the preservation policies (or lack thereof) of each of the county’s 88 cities plus the unincorporated County government.

More than 8,000 people a year take Conservancy walking tours, discovering or rediscovering the history and heart of the city. Tour attendance increases steadily every year, broadening the organization’s impact.

In addition, the Conservancy’s wildly popular Last Remaining Seats series has drawn more than 200,000 people into the often-underused historic theatres of Los Angeles, demonstrating the value and viability of these architectural gems while building a constituency for their preservation. Through its annual Preservation Awards, the Conservancy educates and inspires hundreds of businesses and community leaders about the power of historic preservation.

The Conservancy has 400 active volunteers -- many of whom have served for decades-- illustrating the organization’s success in attracting, engaging, and retaining volunteers.

Selected Awards:
Downtowners of Distinction (for Last Remaining Seats)
Los Angeles Downtown News, 2009