Cultural Heritage commissioner seeks landmark status for Beverly Hills High swim gym; board raises operational concerns

A member of the Beverly Hills Cultural Heritage Commission urged the Beverly Hills Unified School District board on Tuesday to back a nomination to designate the Beverly Hills High School swim gym — a 1939 WPA-era structure — as a city landmark.

"I think our unofficial motto should be ‘we love our landmarks,’" Cultural Heritage Commissioner Andy Lick told the board, describing the swim gym’s history, movie appearances and possession of distinctive architectural features dating to a Works Progress Administration project completed in 1939. Lick asked the board to indicate its views before the commission formally considers the property.

Board members acknowledged the gym’s heritage but pressed for more information before taking a position. Trustee Banachieri said she was concerned that landmarking could subject the district to external review for exterior changes and cited heavy ongoing use of the swim gym by high school and middle school students, plus youth basketball and city summer camps. "That area is heavily involved in the BHBL basketball program ... so it really gets a lot of wear and tear," she said.

Lick told trustees most interior rehabilitation would not require commission approval and that the principal constraints would apply to exterior alterations. "If it's damaged in a fire or an earthquake and deemed unsafe, it can be razed," he said, adding that landmark designation usually triggers a review process and appeals route rather than an absolute prohibition.

Trustees asked whether landmark status could unlock outside funding. Lick said private-home benefits — such as tax relief or zoning exemptions for privately owned landmarked houses — do not apply to state‑owned school buildings, though he said he would research whether state historic programs could provide funding for school properties.

Some trustees said timing is a factor. Board President Marcus suggested postponing a decision until the district completes planned construction in the athletic zone, including the Conheim Athletic Building project, so any potential effects on maintenance and repairs are clear. Trustee Stewart also said he is reluctant for the school board alone to initiate a landmark nomination for a facility the district does not own.

Next steps discussed included Lick’s commission placing the swim gym on its agenda and, if the commission votes to pursue a nomination, forwarding it to the City Council. Lick said the Cultural Heritage Commission’s meetings are quarterly and that school‑district input is not required but valuable.

Ending: The board did not take a formal vote. Members asked the commission and district staff to provide additional details on how landmarking would affect routine maintenance, code compliance and any potential funding sources before considering a formal position.