Saturday, November 22, 2014

Beverly Hills Creates New Historic Preservation Incentives

Image via LAT

Beverly Hills isn't known for gracious buyers who want to do well by their beautiful and historic homes. Too many classic homes  like Wallace Neff's Enchanted Hill have been torn down without a clear plan for a property's future. Enchanted Hill was knocked down by Microsoft Billionaire Paul Allen shortly after he purchased the property in 1997 and the site remains empty nearly two decades later. A new incentive that was approved last week by The Beverly Hills City Council will allow the Beverly Hills Planning Committee to give leniency to owners of landmarked properties when it comes to zoning. The goal is to allow current homeowners to add modern luxuries while restoring the home. Beverly Hills has been interested in these incentives since the Cultural Heritage Ordinance was created. The process of these incentives were expedited by work on the Harry Cohn Estate which was landmarked not long after Jerry Bruckheimer purchased it for $23 Million in 2013. It seems Bruckheimer must have been lobbying because it seems this comes ahead of a complete overhaul of the Cultural Historic Ordinance. The goals of this overhaul are to accommodate landmark homes, but sadly it seems, not protect them.


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