Council Appropriates $1.5M for Tara Project

The West Hollywood City Council on Tuesday allocated $1.5 million for preserving historic buildings and creating public park space at 1343 Laurel Ave., also known as Tara or Laurel Park.

Heery International, a consulting firm hired by the city, will create a "property stabilization plan" and supervise subsequent construction for a $295,000 fee, according to a council staff report.

"(Heery) will identify a scope of work necessary to stabilize the buildings, prevent progressive damage that commonly occurs in uninhabited structures, optimize conditions to protect the structures for future use and provide accessibility in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act," the report states. "The proposed scope of work will retain the historic character of the buildings but is not rehabilitation, renovation or reuse project and will not result in the structures being opened for public use at this time."

The city-owned property consists of a 30,000-square foot lot, a 7,177-square foot main house and a 2,379-square foot building that contains a chauffeur's cottage and garages.

"The original portions of the structures were built in 1917," the report states. "The conversion of the original single family residence into four apartment units and the southerly four-car garage addition were completed in 1941. The property was designated as a local cultural resource by the city of West Hollywood in 1994."

The stabilization plan is expected to be completed and presented to the council in late February.

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