High in the hills above Echo Park, a rustic cabin hides in the foliage along a thin ribbon of undriveable road.
The Paul Landacre residence technically stands at 2006 W. Elmoran Street, which is unpaved and closed to vehicles; you have to take Peru Street (where the landmark sign also is) and walk down Elmoran. It's very easy to miss.
Landacre moved into the 1909 cabin in 1932, living there during the most productive era of his career. His modernist woodblock prints are sought after by serious collectors and prestigious museums; his papers and archive are kept at the William Andrews Clark Memorial Library.
The cabin has been empty for at least twelve years, possibly longer. It was landmarked in 2006, but is privately owned and there have been several reports of it being neglected. In fact, a former Echo Park Neighborhood Council member reached out to me concerning the state of the house.
Code enforcement complaints date back to 2003, which didn't surprise me.
Having said that, there's hope!
Three months ago, a permit was issued for foundation repair and some remodeling.
I couldn't tell you if the foundation was a problem when the house was vacated; that information doesn't seem to be online.
Foundation issues are a very good reason to not live in a house that you own - that's a safety hazard. I wouldn't chance it myself, especially in a house perched on such a steep hillside.
Hopefully it all goes well. Since this is a historically significant property, changes also have to go through the Office of Historic Resources.
About C.C. de Vere
C.C. is a fourth-generation Angeleno and is horrified at what greed and hubris are doing to Los Angeles.
This website was built by her preservation pals at Esotouric.
