A city is only as
rich as its culture. How do we maintain that richness? Well, there's a Cultural
Heritage Commission (CHC) in Long Beach that strives to do just that.
Today, we sit down for a Q&A with CHC Chair and Environ Architecture
President Alan Burks.
How and when did you
first get involved with the CHC?
In the mid 1970s I
participated in the first survey of significant structures in Chicago for the
Illinois Landmarks Preservation Council. Since then I was always interested in
preserving and reusing the historic buildings that create places. In 1980 I
co-founded Environ, Inc. Some of our early projects in Chicago repurposed
warehouse and factory buildings into grocery stores, spas, housing, and
offices. We also designed renovations at several National Register sites,
such as the Chicago Academy of Sciences and the Field Museum of Natural
History.
My interest in historical buildings continued after I established Environ
Architecture, Inc. in Long Beach. While serving as President of the
Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Los Angeles, we provided the
design for many building improvements in the historic Pico-Union district, as
well as the Westlake and Mid-Wilshire districts. We also renovated the Watts-Wilmington
Train Depot and created the restoration plan for the Chinatown Gates. Knowing
about our work, Amy Bodek asked me if I would be interested in serving on the
Cultural Heritage Commission. I agreed, and then-Mayor Bob Foster appointed me
in 2012.
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| "Architecture belongs to culture, not civilization." Alvaar Alto 1898-1976 |
