Preservationists Eye Bukowski's Bungalow

"Bukowski fans aren't letting the home he rented from 1963 to 1972 go down without a rumble. They're pushing for preservation, and the city is listening. On September 20, a historical commission will take the first step in determining whether the property should be made a landmark and saved from demolition."

"The De Longpre neighborhood remains the same blue-collar, immigrant community of Russians, Armenians, and Slavs that it was in the 1960s and '70s. And around the corner is still the Pink Elephant, Bukowski's favorite liquor store. 'It was at De Longpre where his explosion of work began,' said Schave. 'This place was the rocket booster that propelled him through the rest of his life.'"

A 'yes' would come from Los Angeles's Cultural Heritage Commission, which dedicates anywhere from 30 to 50 monuments a year, according to staffer Ken Bernstein. 'The vast majority are saved for architectural significance,' says Bernstein, 'but the cultural heritage ordinance does allow for and encourage designation of sites that are important to the social and cultural history of the city. The question for the commission will be whether the bungalow retains the physical qualities that enable it to tell the story of its culture and history.' If so, demolition will be blocked to allow for further review until the L.A. City Council gives the final nod."