With the loss of so many neighborhood homes to unkind remuddles or outright demolition it is nice to get this great news from the Echo Park Historical Society: Bungalow Rescue – The EPHS commends Alina Sanchez and her family for pledging to restore four bungalows, the earliest c. 1911, on Alvarado north of Montana St. The previous owner had planned to demolish the structures, across from Rite-Aid and a self-service car wash, for a new development, said Alina. But his plans fell through, allowing Alina and her family to scoop up the bungalows and launch what will be a dramatic transformation of this block.
The welcome restoration of the Alvarado homes comes as many other historic properties in Echo Park continue to suffer from poorly conceived renovations or outright destruction, including a two-story bungalow on Avon Park Terrace that was demolished earlier this month. We hope that the restoration of the four Alvarado bungalows, located in such a well traveled location, will draw attention to the benefits of preservation and inspire others to take on similar efforts. If you’d like more information regarding the restoration workshops and neighborhood walking tours, sign up for the EPHS E-Mail News here.