hollywood redevelopment project area survey
Hollywood, los angeles, California

Chattel was hired as a prime consultant to prepare historic context statements and intensive-level assessment surveys for the Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Los Angeles. Chattel took responsibility for the Hollywood Redevelopment Project Area, while Westlake and Wilshire/Koreatown were taken by two other consultants on the project, LSA Associates, Inc. and PCR Services Corporation (now ESA) respectively. To ensure consistency, Chattel worked closely with these firms to discuss progress, difficulties, and solutions in weekly conference calls and to peer review each other’s work. Chattel also closely coordinated with City Office of Historic Resources staff to dovetail survey findings into SurveyLA project.

Chattel defined contexts and themes using the National Register of Historic Places Multiple Property Documentation Form approach and an outline of SurveyLA citywide historic context statements to form a hypothesis of property types that were anticipated to be found in field survey. Chattel started by conducting a preliminary reconnaissance-level survey, reviewing existing surveys and Historic Resource Assessments, interviewing knowledgeable persons, and performing original research using primary sources including photographic archives. Next, Chattel performed systematic field surveys of all properties over 45 years old and others less than 45 years of age of exceptional significance. Using a custom Microsoft Access database, findings and new photographs were then cataloged, and properties which appeared to meet federal, state, or local eligibility criteria were given additional research and integrated into an undated historic context statement for the Hollywood Redevelopment Project Area.