Well it seems that the deep-rooted Barlow Hospital is up for sale. California’s seismic codes will force the brick and mortar main hospital building to shutter its door come 2013. The plan, sell the majority of site to the highest bidder and build a new hospital with the proceeds of the sale on one corner of the property. Apparently several bidders are interested in the site for high density residential development. Unfortunately for them the site is zoned Agricultural and the preponderance of the structures on the site are Los Angeles Cultural Historical Landmarks which protects them from wholesale destruction.
While Barlow Hospital has always been a good neighbor, allowing the community unfettered access to Williams Hall for meetings and events it has been obvious for many years that the facilities and structures on the 25-acre site have long been neglected. While several developers and the Los Angeles School District (demolish established communities in the name of education) may have their eyes on Barlow, I believe the communities surrounding the site will have different feelings regarding any drastic changes there. Ken Bernstein of the Los Angeles Conservancy has stated flatly that any changes to the site would be a significant preservation issue for the Conservancy.
Michael Connelly fans, stay tuned, his next bit of fiction is titled Echo Park
