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LA Plaza Announces Opening Plans for 2011

By Eric Richardson
Published: Tuesday, September 14, 2010, at 09:32AM
Brunswig Building and Plaza House Eric Richardson []

LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes will occupy two of the city's oldest buildings, the 1888 Vickrey-Brunswig Building (left) and the 1883 Plaza House (right).

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — Six years after it got the lease to a pair of historic structures across the street from Olvera Street, a museum and cultural center honoring Los Angeles' Mexican American culture has announced its opening date.

will debut on April 15, 2011, bringing to fruition a vision that has long been championed by County Supervisor Gloria Molina. According to a press release sent out Tuesday, the center's goal is to "serve as the nation’s premier center of Mexican American culture and arts, with a specific focus on the unique Mexican American experience in Los Angeles and Southern California."

“The Mexican and Mexican American presence has permeated the communities of Los Angeles with its enduring values and celebration of life, touching and enriching everyone in this global metropolis and beyond,” said LA Plaza’s President and CEO Miguel Angel Corzo. “We at LA Plaza are thrilled to tell the comprehensive, vital story of Mexicans and Mexican Americans in Los Angeles.”

The center will make its home in two of the city's oldest structures, Main Street's Vickrey-Brunswig Building and Plaza House. The former was built in 1888, while the latter dates to 1883. Both have been vacant since they were damaged by the 1971 San Fernando earthquake.

Also included will be a 30,000-square-foot public garden designed by Rios Clementi Hale Studios. It will feature water arbors, a vertical garden and multimedia installations.

The center's inaugural exhibition, "LA Starts Here!," will "reveal the essential, often overlooked role, of Mexicans and Mexican Americans in the founding and shaping of Los Angeles’ history and culture, from the city’s founding in 1781 to the present."

More grand opening information will be announced in early 2011.

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Conversation

Guest 1

Guest on September 14, 2010, at 03:04PM – #1

I'm very happy to see these beauties getting restored and put back into use. Now we just need to get Park 101 happening, connecting this to the civic center...

Dan in L.A.


User_32

ass face () on September 14, 2010, at 04:07PM – #2

Pass


Guest 2

Guest on September 14, 2010, at 04:59PM – #3

Sorta off topic but I really wish the proposed streetcar would travel down to this location. With Park 101 and Union Station it would really help further the continued development of this area. :)


on September 14, 2010, at 07:27PM – #4

it's about time... It feels like those buildings have been sitting empty FOREVER.. .


Guest 1

Guest on September 14, 2010, at 07:53PM – #5

Actually not of topic at all... Integrating the street car, the parks, the great historic buildings is what it is all about...


User_32

Roger Christensen on September 15, 2010, at 05:02AM – #6

Lucien Brunswig's building is a 19th century Los Angeles French immigrant story. Gloria Molina has decided to rewrite history. It does sit on formerly Dominguez property. The Pico House would have been a more suitable location and Pio Pico's story is a more compelling framework for a museum about Los Angeles and it's Mexican roots.


Guest 3

Guest on September 15, 2010, at 08:08AM – #7

What i don't get is why not at least put the name of the museum in English. When we go to a japanese american museum it isn't in Japanese and when we go to a chinatown museum it isn't in Chinese - I think having the name in spanish is saying our routes are here but our heart is still in Mexico. putting the museum name in english and having it be the plaza of culture and art - for the mexican american and mexican experience in L.A. would be inclusive for everyone in this very diverse city.


User_32

on September 15, 2010, at 08:31AM – #8

I'm so glad these buildings are going to be put to good use. I think they should open one of the buildings a restaurant bar which by having looked inside use to be.

John Apodaca www.daddyosmartinis.com


User_32

DawnC on September 15, 2010, at 08:40AM – #9

Spanish is a lot easier to read than Chinese and Japanese characters. It's pretty easy to figure out that "La Plaza de Cultura y Artez" means "The Plaza of Culture and Art" even if you've never studied Spanish. Chinese and Japanese characters are impossible to figure out if you've never studied them.

I guess our guest friend up there is someone who never leaves the U.S. and would like to keep it that way.


Guest 3

Guest on September 15, 2010, at 09:39AM – #10

Dawn C - Actually been around the world many times, lived in a spanish speaking country, born to an immigrant parent, speak spanish, and have friends of all creeds, colors, etc...coming from parents that spoke another language I see the benefits of promoting one common language to share our different experiences.


Guest 4

Guest on September 15, 2010, at 10:39AM – #11

@Guest 7: Funnily enough, you forget that the name of our city is Los Angeles and not "the Angels".


User_32

on September 15, 2010, at 07:23PM – #12

I don't think Guest #7 is out of line for his/her comment. I have no problem with having the name in Spanish, but why not English as well? And of course Japanese script is impossible to read if you haven't studied it, but it can also be written in the "Roman" alphabet -- how would many people respond if they were offered the chance to visit the "jyapanizu amerikan nashionaru myuziumu"? You could argue that anyone sounding it out could figure that out, too, but why should they have to?

I am happy a museum about this part of our history is opening here: it's the perfect location, at the old heart of our city, and it'll be a good addition to Olvera Street. Plus it's convenient to the Metro via Union Station, and DASH also!


User_32

derblut on September 15, 2010, at 09:48PM – #13

I'm happy to see them reactivated, but honestly, how many people are going to visit this museum? And before someone calls me an idiot, count how many times you've been to MOCA/Getty/LACMA this year? They are beautiful though.



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