Historic Landmarks Commission accepts Phase 2 De La Guerra Plaza historic‑structure and cultural‑landscape study; two commissioners dissent

The Historic Landmarks Commission voted to accept a Phase 2 historic‑structure/site report and cultural landscape study for the De La Guerra Plaza revitalization project, concluding the revised plans and recommended mitigation would allow the core plaza to remain an eligible historic resource provided the report’s guidance is followed. The motion passed with a majority; two commissioners voted against the acceptance.

Nut graf: The Phase 2 report, prepared for the city by Post Hazeltine Associates, reviewed historical maps, photographs and prior findings and concluded the plaza’s significance is primarily its long‑standing urban form — an open rectilinear civic space framed by surrounding buildings. The report recommended that proposed design changes (including a new level plaza surface, a pavilion at the eastern end, and a ground‑level water feature) could meet the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards if the report’s mitigation…