Appendix D

91 Pages·2012·8.81 MB·English

Appendix D

Historic Resources Technical Report
Sunset Bronson Studios
Historic Resources Technical Report
November 2012
HISTORIC RESOURCES GROUP
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.0 Introduction
5
2.0 Project Description
7
3.0 Existing Conditions
16
3.1 Site Description
16
4.0 Regulatory Review
23
4.1 Historic Resources under CEQA
23
4.2 Historic Designations
24
4.3 Hollywood Community Plan
28
4.4 Historic Significance and Integrity
28
4.5 Period of Significance
29
4.6 Historic Districts
30
5.0 Historic Context
31
5.1 The Motion Picture Industry
31
5.2 Warner Brothers Studios
36
6.0 Site Development History
45
Site Development
45
7.0 Previous Historic Evaluation
59
7.1 Designation and Listing
59
7.2 Other Evaluations
60
8.0 Identification of Potential Historic
65
Resources
8.1 Historic District Assessment
65
8.2 Assessment of Individual Historic Resources
70

Sunset Bronson Studios
Historic Resources Technical Report
November 2012
HISTORIC RESOURCES GROUP
9.0 Potential Impacts
74
9.1 Significance Threshold
74
9.2 Impact Analysis Using Los Angeles CEQA Thresholds
75
9.3 Summary of Potential Impacts on Historic Resources
79
10.0 Recommended Mitigation Measures
80
11.0 Conclusion
81
Bibliography
82
Appendix A: Existing Building Photographs
84

Sunset Bronson Studios
Historic Resources Technical Report
November 2012
HISTORIC RESOURCES GROUP
PREPARED FOR
Hudson Pacific Properties
11601 Wilshire Boulevard
Suite 1600
Los Angeles, CA 90025

Sunset Bronson Studios
Historic Resources Technical Report
November 2012
HISTORIC RESOURCES GROUP
5
1.0 INTRODUCTION inquiry: (1) a determination of whether
The purpose of this technical report is the project site contains or is adjacent to
to determine if historic resources as a historically significant resource or
defined by the California Environmental resources, and if so, (2) a determination
Quality Act (CEQA)1 are present in the of whether the proposed project will
Sunset Bronson Project Site and, if so, result in a “substantial adverse change”
to identify potential impacts to historic in the significance of the resource or
resources caused by the proposed resources. This report investigates the
Project. This report is intended to Sunset Bronson Studios property to
inform environmental review of the determine if historic resources exist
proposed Project. within its boundaries and analyzes
project impacts for any adverse change
Under CEQA the potential impacts of a
in the significance of such resources.
project on historic resources must be
More specifically, the analysis contained
considered. The purpose of CEQA is to
in this report assesses the entire Sunset
evaluate whether a proposed project
Bronson Studios property, including
may have a significant adverse effect on
those portions of the site that are
the environment and, if so, if that effect
outside of the identified construction
can be reduced or eliminated by
areas associated with the Proposed
pursuing an alternative course of action
Project.
or through mitigation measures.
In doing so, this report provides a
The impacts of a project on an historic
comprehensive review of the historic
resource may be considered an
resources that could be directly
environmental impact. CEQA states
impacted by development activities
that:
within the Proposed Project footprint,
A project that may cause a as well as a contextual assessment of
substantial adverse change in the potential historic resources that are
the significance of an historical located on the studio property, but
resource is a project that may outside the Proposed Project footprint.
have a significant effect on the
This report contains:
environment.2
 A review of the existing
Thus, an evaluation of project impacts
properties located within the
under CEQA requires a two-part
Sunset Bronson Studios site.

 A review of previous
1 California PRC, Section 21084.1. evaluations of the site through
2 Ibid.
historic survey, evaluation, or
other official actions.
REPORT
Sunset Bronson Studios
Historic Resources Technical Report
November 2012
HISTORIC RESOURCES GROUP
 Analysis and evaluation of any Preservation Planner and Christy
potential historic resources. Johnson McAvoy, Founding Principal.
Both are qualified professionals who
 Review of the required
meet or exceed the Secretary of the
consideration of historic
Interior’s Professional Qualification
resources under the California
Standards.
Environmental Quality Act
(CEQA).
This report was prepared using primary
and secondary sources related to the
history of the motion picture industry in
Los Angeles and the site’s development
as a motion picture studio. The
following documents were consulted:
 Historic permits for properties
on the site
 Sanborn Fire Insurance maps
 Historic photographs, aerial
photos and site plans
 Local histories
 Previous environmental
evaluations of the site
 California State Historic
Resources Inventory (HRI) for
Los Angeles County
 1989 Department of Parks and
Recreation Historic Resources
Inventory Forms
 Survey LA Draft Historic
Context – Entertainment
Industry 2010
Research, field inspection, and analysis
were performed by Paul Travis, Senior

Sunset Bronson Studios
Historic Resources Technical Report
November 2012
HISTORIC RESOURCES GROUP
2.0 PROJECT DESCRIPTION3 remove the existing surface parking lot 7
Sunset Bronson Entertainment and studio-related ancillary buildings
Properties, LLC, the Project Applicant, and construct in their place a 13-story
is proposing the Sunset Bronson Studios office building and a five-story
Entertainment Center Project (Proposed production office building, both of
Project) located at 5800 Sunset which would be supported by a seven-
Boulevard in the Hollywood story parking structure with two levels
Community of the City of Los Angeles of subterranean parking. The Proposed
(City). The Proposed Project would Project would also include a
provide new media and entertainment- replacement guard station along Van
related office and office production uses Ness Avenue, an outdoor seating area
within a 4.36-acre portion of the and café adjacent to the proposed
existing approximately 10.55-acre production office building, and
Sunset Bronson Studios (SBS) campus landscaping. These improvements
(the Project Site). The approximately would include approximately 391,018
10.55-acre media and entertainment square feet of net new building area.
campus serves as a multi-use property,
The Proposed Project would also create
including production, post-production,
a landscaped area at the Van Ness Gate
office space for media and
to enhance the arrival area of the SBS
entertainment-related tenants, and
campus and another 60-foot long
support facilities.
landscaped setback area along Sunset
As shown below in Figure 1: Existing Boulevard, in front of the proposed 13-
Site Plan, The 4.36-acre Project Site is story office building, which would be
currently developed with an asphalt- designed to enhance the pedestrian
paved surface parking lot providing environment of the Project Site. In
approximately 466 parking spaces, addition, the Proposed Project would
three studio-related ancillary buildings, provide an outdoor seating area with
two structural additions to the landscaping immediately adjacent to the
Executive Office Building (EOB), and proposed five-story production office
several additional studio-related building.
ancillary structures (i.e., satellite dishes
2.2 Project Location and Setting
and emergency generators), occupying a
total of 14,499 square feet of building Project Location
area. The the Proposed Project would
The Proposed Project encompasses
approximately 4.36 acres at the
intersection of Sunset Boulevard and
3
Description of existing conditions and the proposed
project as provided by the Applicant. Van Ness Avenue, in the northeast
portion of the approximately 10.55-acre

Sunset Bronson Studios
Historic Resources Technical Report
November 2012
HISTORIC RESOURCES GROUP
SBS campus, as well as one non- uses with associated parking. As 8
contiguous area at the southeast corner mentioned above, the Project Site is a
of Sunset Boulevard and Bronson part of the overall SBS campus, and
Avenue. studio facilities are located immediately
adjacent to the south and west side of
As shown below in Figure 2: Regional
the Project Site. Land uses to the north,
Project Location Map, the Project Site is
across Sunset Boulevard, are
located within the Hollywood
commercial in nature and include
Community Plan (the Community Plan)
surface parking lots, a Mobil gas station,
Area of the City of Los Angeles,
and the Metropolitan apartments. Land
approximately five miles northwest of
uses to the east, across Van Ness
downtown Los Angeles and
Avenue, consist of the Los Angeles
approximately 12 miles east of the
Unified School District (LAUSD)
Pacific Ocean. The Project Site is
Bernstein High School campus, with the
irregular in shape and is generally
US-101 Freeway located further to the
bounded by Sunset Boulevard to the
east. Land uses to the south, across
north, Van Ness Avenue to the east,
Fernwood Avenue, consist of the
and the SBS campus to the south and
LAUSD Joseph Le Conte Middle
west. The overall SBS campus is
School campus, followed by residential
bounded by Sunset Boulevard to the
development. Land uses to the west,
north, Van Ness Avenue to the east,
across Bronson Avenue, include single-
Fernwood Avenue to the south, and
and multi-family residential
Bronson Avenue to the west.
developments, with commercial land
uses located adjacent to the south side
Surrounding Uses
of Sunset Boulevard. Properties directly
The Project Site is located in an
north, fronting Sunset Boulevard, are
urbanized area that is developed with a
designated Commercial; Bernstein High
diverse mix of land uses. In general, the
School directly east of the Project Site is
major arterials in the Project vicinity,
designated Industrial; Joseph Le Conte
including Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood
Middle School, directly south of the
Boulevard, Santa Monica Boulevard,
Project Site is designated for Public
Western Avenue, and Vine Street are
Facilities; and the commercial,
lined with commercial, industrial, and
restaurant, and residential uses directly
some residential uses, with residential
west are designated Industrial and
neighborhoods interspersed between
Multiple Family Residential land uses by
the major arterials.
the Hollywood Community Plan.
Land uses in the immediate Project area
include a mix of light industrial,
commercial, residential, and educational

Sunset Bronson Studios
Historic Resources Technical Report
November 2012
HISTORIC RESOURCES GROUP
Description of Proposed Project describes in greater detail each of the 9
Proposed Project’s key features.
Overview of the Proposed
Development (1) Office Building
The Proposed Project involves the
As shown below in Figure 3:
development of a 13-story office
Conceptual Project Development Plan,
building and five-story production
the proposed 13-story office building is
building, supported by a proposed
anticipated to be located within the
seven-story parking structure that would
northeast corner of the Project Site.
include two levels of subterranean
The top floor of the 13-story office
parking. These improvements would
building would reach a building height
be developed in place of an existing
of approximately 200 feet. The office
surface parking lot, which current
building would be of a contemporary
provides 466 parking spaces, and
design that would feature a distinctive
ancillary studio-related buildings located
glass and concrete panel façade. This
on an approximately 4.36 acre portion
façade would utilize energy efficient
of the 10.55-acre SBS campus. As
glass to bring natural light into the
shown below in Table 1 : Project
building, as well as to reduce energy
Development Summary Table, the
demands and reduce glare. The energy
Proposed Project would result in the
efficient glass would be a part of the
addition of approximately 391,018
Proposed Project’s energy-efficient
square feet of net new building area
design, which would target LEED Silver
within the Project Site. The 13-story
certification. The office building would
office building would be designed to
include approximately 314,495 square
provide approximately 314,495 square
feet of building area and each of the
feet of building area, while the five-story
office building’s 13 floors would be
production office building would be
designed to provide approximately
designed to provide approximately
25,000 square feet of flexible, column-
90,304 square feet of building area. In
free leasable space. The penthouse
addition, the seven-story parking
floor would offer additional ceiling
structure would be designed to provide
height and access to exterior terraces.
approximately 1,635 parking spaces.
Pedestrian access to the office building
The Proposed Project would also
would be provided through a
include a replacement guard station
pedestrian-friendly landscaped plaza
along Van Ness Avenue, an outdoor
entrance on Van Ness Avenue, with
seating area and café adjacent to the
lobbies and amenities at the plaza level.
proposed production office building,
One level of subterranean parking
and landscaping. The following
would be provided below the office
building.

Sunset Bronson Studios
Historic Resources Technical Report
November 2012
HISTORIC RESOURCES GROUP