Posted by Dan (216.102.155.137) on July 30, 2002 at 04:39:37:
In Reply to: Hotel is fine. posted by someone who knows on July 27, 2002 at 21:21:41:
Thanks to "someone who knows" for providing some facts for "someone who DOESN'T know." I agree that my comments were somewhat dubious. For the record, I have absolutely NO connection or even interest in the LAUSD and it's operations. Furthermore, I don't claim to be an expert or a spokesperson for anyone but myselt. (I DO know however, that name-calling and personal attacks are not helpful or appropriate on ANY message board!) Allow me to offer that the motivations behind my original post were:
A) An immediate emotional reaction to my visit to the complex.
As I stated in my prior post, I went there with the mindset of a preservationist, but felt somewhat disheartened upon experiencing it. Not because of the disrepair and damage, as I can easily see through that, but more as a response to my expectations formed by the legends surrounding it. Specifically, the main lobby, the cocoanut grove, and several of the ballrooms, appear remodeled to death and seem to have lost any sense of history they might have had. Do we really want to see more of this kind of "moderniztation" with the LAUSD moving in? On some level, it seems less respectful to do that than to just let it go while it still retains some diginity.
b) Purely for the sake of argument, and to explore an opposing view.
I feel it is worthwhile discourse to attempt to see a situation from all sides, play the devil's advocate, and assume that nothing is sacred. This is partially what I was trying to do. If I erred in doing so publicly, I apologize, and I'll keep my ramblings to myself after this! I have lived in L.A. long enough to see plenty of physical history killed by greed and ignorance. Do I truly beleive that there is nothing there worth saving? Of course not. Indeed, the casino level, the hotel exterior, grounds, and some of the meeting and ballrooms and are certainly beautiful, or could be again.
Ultimately, I believe it is valid to explore the questions surrounding the connections and distinctions between history, memory, nostalgia, physical space, and even our need for immortality through our architecture.
Thanks for having an viewpoint and keeping me honest.