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Bukowski Called Lowlife & Nazi, De Longpre Landmark Status Postponed

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We've been looking forward to the "big day" for a long time. Tomorrow was going to be a "big day" because the Cultural Heritage Commission was going to decide whether or not to declare Buk's De Longpre residence a historic landmark. Why should such a residence be declared a landmark? It's where he wrote Post Office & Factotum and was the very residence that plays a central role in Women.

Since we're in love with all things Buk, we were planning to be there in person, even if they wouldn't let us speak (which, we're told, they wouldn't.) But now, thanks to an extension filed by the current property owners, the hearing has been postponed. The owner of the property doesn't dispute that Buk wrote the books there - or even that a house where literature was created deserves to be saved - he just doesn't like Buk's politics.

The current owner of the De Longpre property has declared Bukowski a Nazi sympathizer and a person of "low moral character." This last-minute slandering of Buk's name and character allowed the owner's attorney to file an extension and postpone the hearing. A new hearing is to be scheduled in two weeks. Two weeks, that is, until the owner comes up with other slanderous nonsense to delay the hearing and the landmarking of an LA landmark.

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Do you think Buk's bungalow should be "landmarked?" If so, let us and the folks at 5124 De Longpre know.

Photo by Sonny I. LaVista / LAist

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