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VIEWPOINT - The debate over the 1951 Barry Building in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles is often framed as a simple choice between an old building and modern progress. But that is a carefully curated narrative. Behind the scenes, the push to raze this Historic-Cultural Monument (HCM) hides a series of maneuvers that threaten the rights of every resident in Los Angeles.
The decision by the Board of Building and Safety Commissioners (BBSC) to certify an Environmental Impact Report (EIR), adopt a Statement of Overriding Considerations (SOC) and other actions to allow the demolition of the Barry Building is being appealed.
This appeal will be heard at the February 24, 2026 meeting of the PLUM Committee at 2 PM in Room 340 (John Ferraro Council Chamber) of City Hall, located at 200 N. Spring St., Los Angeles, CA 90012.
Silencing Your Voice Through By-Right Development that bypasses Environmental Review
Local residents should be deeply alarmed. Without the protection of a historic designation, this site becomes a blank slate for By-Right development. Under the state legislation passed on June 30, 2025, the developer’s By-Right options have expanded, allowing them to bypass the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) entirely.
Anyone who has sat in a car or rode on a bus during the weekday afternoon surge knows the reality: eastbound San Vicente Blvd, from 26th Street to the I-405 and Westwood, is a total gridlock.
Yet, without CEQA, you lose your right to public hearings and your right to see independent studies on how a massive new project will impact existing congestion, parking, and sunlight. They aren't just tearing down a building; they are tearing up your right to have a say in your own neighborhood.
The Strategy of Demolition by Neglect
Proponents argue the building is now a nuisance or an eyesore. What they won't tell you is that this was a calculated choice. In response to warnings about a Soft Story Ordinance compliance issue, in 2016, the owners evicted all tenants and have since left the building to rot. Photos from 2016 show the building was in much better shape until it was shuttered and denied basic maintenance. If the City allows this demolition, they are rewarding a property owner for strategically creating neighborhood blight to circumvent preservation laws.
Empty Lots and Broken Promises: The Green Hollow Square Legacy
The owners refuse to answer one simple question: why has the land surrounding the Barry Building been sitting vacant for over a decade? After withdrawing their entitlement request for the "Green Hollow Square" project, the owners systematically demolished every surrounding structure, including single-family homes and an Art Gallery, leaving behind a scarred landscape of empty lots. This financial loss was self-imposed prior to the soft story ordinance notice.
According to parcel maps, these properties—including the Barry Building site—are managed by two entities: 11991 San Vicente, LLC and 11973 San Vicente, LLC, both managed by one person, William H. Borthwick. By clearing everything except the Barry Building, the owners have created a manufactured blight, holding the neighborhood hostage until they can secure the demolition of the final piece.
The Traci Park Paradox: Marilyn Monroe vs. The Barry Building
There is a glaring inconsistency in how Council District 11 is being governed. When the owners of Marilyn Monroe’s former home fought against historic designation to allow for a demolition permit to clear the way for new construction, Councilmember Traci Park took an aggressive stand to save it, even against the owners' wishes. Why is the Councilmember fighting tooth and nail to save one Brentwood landmark while clearing the path for the Barry Building to be reduced to a dirt lot? The law shouldn't be a pick-and-choose menu; it should be applied consistently to protect our community's heritage.
A Slaughter List for L.A. Landmarks - A City-Wide Precedent
In the November 18, 2025, Board of Building and Safety Commissioners hearing, the applicant’s representative pointed to the next demolition targets by finding four other Historic-Cultural Monuments that fall under the same soft-story ordinance affecting the Barry Building.
The Barry Building Demolition Project is a test case. If seismic costs—often inflated by years of intentional neglect—become a get out of jail free card for demolition, no monument in any Council District is safe from a demolition without a replacement project. The Barry Building is the first domino; your favorite local landmark could be next.
Profiting from the Power of Public Officeholders
William H Borthwick is the sole manager for the two Limited Liability companies that own the Barry Building and surrounding parcels. He is the stepson of the late investor, Charles T. Munger, who was associated with the Barry Building through his marriage to the late Nancy Barry Munger.
This is not a small, struggling landlord; this is sophisticated land-holding. The Barry Building property will never be sold alone; it is the missing piece in a larger package all managed by Mr. Borthwick.
Why are our elected officials using their power to grant a Statement of Overriding Considerations for a project that doesn't exist? Granting a demolition permit for a vacant dirt lot does nothing for the public—it only inflates the private sale price for the owner.
Replacing False Choices with a Win-Win Solution
True economic feasibility must be measured against the total potential of the site—not just one isolated lot. We know the owner intends to sell the site along with adjacent properties; this larger footprint makes the adaptive reuse of the Barry Building both practical and profitable. We shouldn't allow a landmark to be erased just to tidy up a property owner's balance sheet. Los Angeles deserves a future where new development and historic monuments thrive together, not at each other's expense.
Let your Voice Be Heard
You can submit comments for the record. Please submit your comments as soon possible and before February 20, 2026. Be sure to always include the name of the project and Council File Number: Barry Building Demolition Project, Council File No. 25-1518:
1. Uploading and Posting Your Comments to the Council File 25-1518 for this item: which can be found at https://cityclerk.lacity.org/publiccomment/?cfnumber=25-1518
2. Emailing members of the Planning and Land Use Management (PLUM):
You can email the PLUM Committee care of the Legislative Assistant Candy Rosales, email: [email protected]
Subject: Barry Building Demolition Project, Council File No. 25-1518
3. Contacting your Councilmember or all Councilmembers: https://lacity.gov/directory#elected-officials
(Bob Blue is a Los Angeles resident and an occasional CityWatch contributor. He can be reached at [email protected])
Related Articles:
Eyesore or Crime Scene? Why We Must Save the Barry Building:
The Tale of Two Monuments: Neglect, Demolition, and the Price of Preservation in Traci Park’s District:
Silence At The Sacred Village: How LA City Agencies Disregarded Tribal Law at 11973 San Vicente Blvd:
