At the rate we're going, it is conceivable that virtually every historic building in Los Angeles will be demolished within the next generation. Today, a number of significant buildings are threatened with demolition, including the Examiner Building, the May Company at Wilshire and Fairfax and the Ambassador Hotel. Hundreds of other buildings are vacant or underused.
In an era when we must recycle paper and glass, why do we continue to needlessly demolish historic buildings? Under-used buildings represent an untapped resource to accommodate economic growth without increased demand on infrastructure. Re-use of buildings conserves both the energy and natural resources expended to construct them, while demolition exacerbates our landfill problem. Rehabilitation is labor-intensive, providing jobs without consuming raw materials.
