City to debate whether Civic Center auditorium is historic
City officials want to make the Santa Monica Civic Center Auditorium an historic landmark for its unique architecture and for hosting significant cultural events throughout its 55-year history.
But City Councilman Herb Katz says the auditorium is an antiquated theater badly in need of a complete renovation, lacking in both architectural significance and character.
He has appealed the November decision by the Landmarks Commission to save the exterior and portions of the building’s interior.
On Feb. 5, Katz plans to ask the city council to reconsider preserving a building that could potentially be central in unfinished plans to redevelop the Civic Center area, which is a $120 million project scheduled to be discussed next week.
“We can do much better today. We know a lot more about acoustics and sound than we did in the 1950s and we could drastically improve the building,” Katz said. this building except for the pylons and parts of the exterior. But so what. Put them in a pond and remember them that way, and get over it,” he added.
Landmark officials say the building has a unique architectural style, designed by a well-known local architect, with acoustics designed by a famous UCLA dean.
“It’s an icon. It’s a building that by anyone’s definition is a landmark,” said Ruthann Lehrer, chair The auditorium once hosted the Academy Awards and over the years, many famous musical acts played to cheering fans, but recently the auditorium has been out of commission.
“Either by its design or by the events that have occurred there, this is a very special building.” — pro tem of the landmarks commission
“Parts of the front of the building are impressive, but the rest of the building is really just a box. “There is nothing historic about “There is nothing historic about this building except for the pylons and parts of the exterior. But so what. Put them in a pond and remember them that way, and get over it.” — — HERB KATZ Santa Monica City Councilman
“I once saw Bruce Springsteen there, and that was a great show” said Mayor Pro Tem Kevin McKeown. “But I don’t know if the place deserves landmark status because the Boss played there. I’m going to have to really study the staff’s report and think about this.”
Senior staff, after studying the building’s history and getting an independent analysis of the building, are recommending the city preserve the building’s exterior as well as the lobbies, the wood paneling, and the main hall.
And staff members say the designation as a landmark would not interfere with plans to re-invent the Civic Center area.
“Changes would have to be analyzed on a case by case basis. The city is looking to the future and enhancing the functionality of the auditorium as well as the economic stability of the building,” said city senior planner Kimberly Christensen. “Yes, in some instances there would be a higher threshold in design sensitivity, but that doesn’t mean long term plans for the area are impossible.”
Officials say assigning landmark status to the auditorium would still allow the building to be renovated, and there would be little in the way of additional costs.
“It does not prevent changes. It only manages how they are done,” said Lehrer. “They need to be respectfully done and consistent with existing architectural features, but certainly change is a dynamic in an urban environment and landmark status would take that into account.”
Lehrer said the building qualifies for the federal list of historic places and, depending on how the council votes, the commission could move forward with those plans too — though city officials say they would like to take one step at a time.
“We’ve heard them talk about getting it on the federal registry,” said Christensen, “But right now the city’s staff is concentrating on what’s before us now.”
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on February 1, 2002. Read the original PDF.