Built in 1928, Los Angeles City Hall exemplifies the Streamline Moderne architectural style of the period, complete with a ziggurat-shaped tower that soars to a pyramid top at the 32nd floor. The building, located at 200 N. Spring Street, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Subsequent to damage sustained in the 1994 Northridge earthquake, Rachlin Partners was retained by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the California State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) to serve as on-site Historic Preservation Consultant over the course of a five-year, $300 million rehabilitation project.
Rachlin Partners represented FEMA and SHPO to ensure that the repair, seismic strengthening and rehabilitation of this 911,000 square-foot landmark structure was completed in accordance with recommendations contained in the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation and Guidelines for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings (“Standards”). We diligently monitored construction to ensure that the cultural and historic significance of this monumental building was preserved to the fullest extent possible.
The Cultural Heritage Commission of the City of Los Angeles recognized Michael Rachlin’s work on this project with a 2002 Historic Preservation Award.