Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Historic Preservation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee designates Cortona Court and Grand Temple of the Rosy Cross as historic cultural monument
Summary
The committee unanimously approved the Cultural Heritage Commission’s recommendation to list the Cortona Court and the Grand Temple of the Rosy Cross—buildings associated with early alternative spiritual movements and Theosophical Society activity—as a Historic-Cultural Monument and amended the item’s street address.
The Planning and Land Use Committee unanimously approved the Cultural Heritage Commission’s recommendation to designate the Cortona Court and the Grand Temple of the Rosy Cross as a Historic-Cultural Monument.
The recommendation, presented by the City Planning Office of Historic Resources, found the properties meet two criteria in the city’s cultural heritage ordinance: significance for their role as the American section headquarters of the Theosophical Society (1912–1920) and as early, architecturally distinguished examples of Spanish Colonial Revival and Moorish/Mission-related revival design by notable architects.
Los Angeles Conservancy representative Lindsay Mulcahy, the applicant for the nomination, told the committee the properties highlight women leaders and spiritualists and that tenants and owners had been supportive of the nomination and its potential to leverage historic status for building repairs. Planning’s Andres Parra described the buildings’ form, architects, and historic use; he said the Cultural Heritage Commission found the properties met multiple ordinance criteria. Councilmember Nithya Raman (referred to in the meeting as “Miss Ramon”) spoke in support and described a personal association with theosophical grounds abroad.
The committee chair noted an address error called out by the property owner and amended the record: the corrected street address for the nomination was read into the record and will be amended in the file.
Action taken: the committee approved the Cultural Heritage Commission report and the designation of the Cortona Court and the Grand Temple of the Rosy Cross as a Historic-Cultural Monument by a unanimous 5–0 vote.
Ending: The designation will be entered into the city’s list of Historic-Cultural Monuments and will allow staff and the property owner to pursue preservation-linked repairs and incentives under the Cultural Heritage Ordinance.
