The Future of Lincoln Center


The Land Use and Planning Committee of the Grass Roots Venice Neighborhood Council is inviting all Venetians to come to and deliberate on the future of Lincoln Place.

The 795-unit Post-World War II modernist complex was bought last summer by the large real estate investment trust AIMCO. Although an 850-unit condo project had been approved--over great protest from tenant and historic preservationists--by the City Council in November of 2002, nothing has been done on the project thus far. 

The project was to include demolition of all 52 apartment buildings to be replaced by 708 condos and 144 affordable rentals. AIMCO has given no indication that it intends to pursue that project. At a conference call with its stockholders in the fall, AIMCO representatives discussed Lincoln Place as having the potential for 1300 newly built units, but also said it might consider selling the 32-acre property. Building 1300 new units would require a zone change, which would require a lengthy public review process.

Rather than wait to see what the new owners have in store for Venetians, the Land Use and Planning Committee hopes to start a dialog between the community and the new owner and thus afford AIMCO the possibly of incorporating the community’s desires into its planning process.

“Too often a developer spends a lot of time and money developing plans which then meet with tremendous community opposition. Part of the empowerment of neighborhood councils is to give stakeholders a voice and genuine input on how developments shape their future,” said Laura Burns, who represents District 1, which includes Lincoln Place, on the committee.

“Since it appears the condo project is dead and some other project will shape the future of Lincoln Place, we’d like to give the community the opportunity to speak out before, rather than after, a submission to the planning department.” Lincoln Place comprises 10 percent of all rental units in Venice. It has traditionally been the largest source of affordable housing in Venice as well.

AIMCO has been invited to participate in the forum to share the range of plans it's exploring, but has declined. With or without the participation of AIMCO, the LUPC, in holding the forum, will be able to provide the GRVNC board with community sentiment and desires regarding Lincoln Place, to provide to the GRVNC board, which advises the City on issues affecting Venice, said Burns.

The forum is designed to be both informative and deliberative. Amanda Seward, Chair of the Residential Council of the LA Conservancy's Modern Committee, will provide an overview of the 56-year history of Lincoln Place, which was designed by African-American Ralph Vaughn and his white partner, Heth Wharton. Seward is currently revising her 2002 nomination of the complex to the National Register of Historic Places, which, although unanimously endorsed by the State Historical Resources Commission, was returned by the National Register Office with the request for additional documentation following intense lobbying by the previous owner.

The forum will also provide a report on how Lincoln Place fits into Venice’s housing and income statistics. Experts in affordable housing, a major issue in Venice, will also speak.  Lisa Bialac, granddaughter of the project’s developer Sam Bialac, will speak briefly as will a representative of the National Organization of Minority Architects. Ron Vaughn, son of the designer and himself and architect, and Edmund Gonzalez, Director of Housing of the Volunteers of America will also attend.

During the second half of the evening, the forum will open the discussion up to questions and comments from the public.

Simultaneous translation of the forum will be provided to Spanish speakers.

Also in attendance will be Viet Tran of the Mayor’ office and a representative of Congresswoman Jane Harman's office. Senators Barbara Boxer and Diane Feinstein, and State Senator Debra Bowen, all of whom, like Congresswoman Harman, supported the recent nomination of Lincoln Place to the National Register, have been invited to send representatives. Representatives of Councilwoman Cindy Miscikowski’s office and of Assemblyman George Nakano have also been invited to attend.

The Lincoln Place Tenants Association will host “strolling buffet tours” of the complex just before the 7 pm meeting, leaving every 15 minutes between 5:30 and 6:30 pm from the corner of Lake Street and Penmar.
“People in Venice have been hearing about Lincoln Place for years, but many have never really walked through it to discover all the unique gardens and courtyard spaces, the fabulous modernist architecture and the exceptional floor plans. We want to give the community the opportunity to experience that before the meeting,” said Sheila Bernard, president of the tenants association, who is also the president of Grass Roots Venice Neighborhood Council.

Shortly before the property was sold to AIMCO, former owner Bob Bisno demolished seven of the 52 apartment buildings, In a conversion with Burns, Emily Gabel-Luddy of the city planning department said that, as the owner had said he did not intend to proceed with the condo project, the City had issued the demolition permits without the extra conditions the condo project approval would have imposed.

Although there are rumors that another round of demolitions and evictions are imminent, an AIMCO representative Friday assured LUPC co-chair Laura Burns, that, at the moment, none are “in the works.”

Posted: Mon - March 1, 2004 at 05:38 PM          

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