Submitted by email
Mr. Sergio Ibarra
City of Los Angeles, Major Projects
200 North Spring Street, City Hall, Room 750
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Email: Sergio.Ibarra@lacity.org

To Mr. Ibarra,

As preservationists, architectural historians and residents of the east side, we are writing to express our grave concern over the proposed demolition and redevelopment of the historic Wyvernwood Garden Apartments in Boyle Heights. This is one of the best designed and most significant examples of modern architecture on the east side of town, and it ought to be preserved and maintained and not demolished. Similar properties on the west side have waiting lists to live in them, because they are recognized as the best sort of urban residential design.

15 Group has been a neglectful landlord of Wyvernwood for many years, and now wants to evict hundreds of families and build a massive development that is unsuitable for the community and which many people do not believe will welcome the longtime residents back. This is the same out-of-state developer that recently purchased and demolished a beloved Silver Lake coffee shop, The Coffee Table, demolished it for residential redevelopment, abandoned the project and left a vacant lot.

Why should Los Angeles trust 15 Group to do what’s right for Boyle Heights when they have such a poor track record in our communities?

In a part of town which has so many vacant lots and derelict industrial structures, there are simply thousands of better choices for redevelopment than is the Wyvernwood Garden Apartments, and we urge you to consider a plan that will preserve this gem of Boyle Heights.

best regards,
Kim Cooper and Richard Schave
PO Box 31227
Los Angeles, CA 90031