Documenting the History of L.A.

"Rich threads like this are exactly what preservationists and planners hope to unravel as they chronicle the 465-square-mile patchwork quilt that is Los Angeles."

"In a city long derided for haphazard planning, a lack of appreciation for its own history and occasional dead-of-night demolitions, the survey aims to understand what remains on the ground, what has been lost and what might be worth saving from the wrecking ball."

"'The idea is to inform future planning decisions,' said Ken Bernstein, manager of the city Planning Department's Office of Historic Resources. 'The survey data will help ensure that proposed land use changes will be less likely to adversely affect historic resources.'"

"With 880,000 parcels, the sprawling metropolis poses a challenge for those who would attempt to chronicle the 'built environment.' But that is the goal of the Office of Historic Resources, in part with a $2.5-million matching grant from the Getty Foundation."