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February 27, 2008

Buk's House Now a Landmark, Like It or Not

Buk's De Longpre House Now a LandmarkIt's official - Buk's De Longpre house is now a landmark.

Those who love the Buk are thrilled about this news, especially after the court fight got nasty when lawyers for the property owners called Bukowski a Nazi. Once that offensive mess got cleared up, the debate about the value of Bukowski's legacy raged on for months. To achieve landmark status after such a fight - especially in a city that seems hell-bent on tearing down important historical buildings - is a win.

Yet many who dig what the Buk was about think the whole thing is a bit crazy. Linda Lee Bukowski said as much in her letter to LA Weekly last November, "Regarding the situation about making the place on De Longpre Avenue a landmark, may I just say that Hank wouldn’t have cared a wink about it."

It is also interesting to note that the most vocal supporters for landmark status have much to gain from such a designation, as the location can eventually be added to tours of Hollywood.

Photo by dvanhorn via Flickr

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Comments (3) [rss]

Thanks for reporting on the Bukowski landmarking.

I'd just like to point out that the Delongpre residence has been on the tour route for Esotouric's "Haunts of a Dirty Old Man: Charles Bukowski's Los Angeles" since it was launched last summer. It is a favorite stop for our passengers. In fact, the discovery of the threat to the building's survival was made by tour host Richard Schave, when doing a final run through of the route last August.

Here's his original blog post about finding the property listed on Craigslist as a $1.3million teardown: http://2or3things.org/delongpre

Preservationist Lauren Everett read that post and started the campaign to save the building, and she is the person who deserves the most credit for what happened yesterday.

I don't really understand why people think there is something our literary tours stand to gain by having the building landmarked; the landlord's lawyer made the same claim at the CHC hearing, right after calling Buk a Nazi. We can drive the bus down that street with or without a plaque in place, with the bungalows standing or some crummy condos there--it doesn't make or break the Bukowski bus tour, which includes dozens of locations, though it really is a moving experience to be able to see the place where he flowered as a writer.

But more than that, it means so much to the neighborhood's historic integrity, and as a sign of respect for a great local artist that the place has been so designated. Too bad the same can't be said for John Fante's "Ask the Dust" apartment on Berendo.

-Kim Cooper, Esotouric/1947project

 

sweet! I love bukowski!

 

Yessss! This news makes me happy. Thank you.

Bluebird

there's a bluebird in my heart that
wants to get out
but I'm too tough for him,
I say, stay in there, I'm not going
to let anybody see
you.

Charles Bukowski

 
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