L.A. City Council Officially Votes Norms Restaurant as "Historic and Cultural Landmark"

2015-05-21T13:43:00-04:00

The effort to save Norms comes at a time when historic preservationists say postwar buildings — especially on a smaller scale — face an increased threat from development pressure.

Anyone who has ever grabbed a post-Largo meal or 2 a.m. existential coffee at Los Angeles restaurant Norms will be delighted to hear that The Los Angeles City Council has deemed the Googie-style building a cultural and historic landmark. Although this demarcation doesn't guarantee that it will never be knocked down, the move does require the Council to review proposed demolition to the site.

As the Times notes, "Googie is an exuberant, postwar Southern California style of sharp angles and sweeping curves meant to grab the attention of passing drivers." Located on a vibrant stretch of La Cienega Boulevard that is home to the benign monolith of the Beverly Center, the recently revamped Largo at the Coronet, and a handful of Vegan restaurants, antiques dealers and vintage dive bars, Norms architecture is arguably reflective of a wilder time in Los Angeles's urban development. Demarcating the building tangibly preserves elements of an era that will likely become only rarer as Los Angeles...

Los Angeles' famously Googie Norms to become focal point in new "community of shops"

2015-03-16T18:21:00-04:00

Developer Jason Illoulian of Faring Capital is the new owner of the land under the restaurant and its 43 parking spaces ... his plan: To build a “community of shops” where the parking lot now stands. [...] “It’s such a beautiful building and that sign is just like fucking awesome,” he says. Will there be room in this new village for an $11.99 steak dinner? “We’re hoping to keep it as a 24- hour diner,” says Illoulian of the restaurant space. “Whether it’s Norms or somebody else.”

This upcoming Thursday, the Cultural Heritage Commission will decide whether the La Cienega Norms that faced imminent demolition back in January will be given monument status. Meanwhile, development plans for the site are chugging along. Developer Jason Illoulian, who purchased the site back in December, is working with Hodgetts + Fung to design a "community of shops" as infill in Norms' parking lot. The "background building" around the Norms structure would eat up parking on the site, drastically affecting the restaurant's accessibility. According to Mike Colonna, Norms' president, "Parking is a primary issue for us. We’re not a high end restaurant where you could valet park your car and take an elevator to the third floor.”

Even if the building is declared a historic monument, the diner-institution of Norms may no longer be a good fit for the neighborhood, according to Craig Hodgetts of Hodgetts + Fung: “Norms is not a good fit on La Cienega,” says Hodgetts. “It’s not appropriate. ...

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L.A. City Council Officially Votes Norms Restaurant as "Historic and Cultural Landmark"

Los Angeles' famously Googie Norms to become focal point in new "community of shops"