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