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The 1956 Norms restaurant location received another mark of
distinction on Thursday when the Los Angeles Cultural Heritage
Commission voted 5-0 to recommend designating it as a cultural
monument to be preserved, officials said.
The City Council is expected in the coming weeks to make a final
decision.
The move to preserve the diner amid concern that it might be
demolished has galvanized conservationists in a city renowned
for tearing down buildings many consider landmarks.
The restaurant on La Cienega Boulevard, which is one location in
the Norms diner chain in Southern California, was designed by
architects Louis Armet and Eldon Davis.
It is famous as an example of Googie architecture. The
post-World War Two architectural style originated in Southern
California and often was employed for coffee shops. It is
characterized by its Space Age design elements, taking
influences from cars and jets.
The city's Cultural Heritage Commission noted a number of Googie
features in the Norms restaurant, including a cantilevered
roofline and its sharp angles and sweeping curves.
City Councilman Paul Koretz, who spoke in favor of preservation,
said in a telephone interview it was perhaps the best example of
the Googie style remaining in Los Angeles.
Tom Waits mentioned the Norms location in his song "Eggs and
Sausage." Artist Edward Ruscha painted it in his "Norms La
Cienega On Fire."
"It's a great place where you see just about everybody, a very
diverse group of people from film and TV stars to professional
athletes to a lot of regular folks who just want good,
reasonable food and have been going there for many years,"
Koretz said.
"It's a very campy place and it's a community gathering spot -
and it would just be a tragic loss," he said.
JDM Holdings, the owner of the building, alarmed
conservationists when it pulled a permit to demolish the
building, Koretz said.
The company through an attorney has since expressed interest in
saving the building and incorporating it into a development at
the site, city officials said.
A number of other notable eateries similar to the Norms location
have been torn down over the years in Los Angeles, Koretz said.
(Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis; Editing by Will Dunham)
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