Lauren Beale looks at the work of pioneering architect Paul Revere Williams, the first African American fellow of the American Institute of Architects, whose luxury homes designed for some of L.A.'s most prestigious residents remain in high demand.
"He's one of the hottest architects in Hollywood: The houses designed by Paul Revere Williams have attracted generations of stars — Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, Bill Cosby, Denzel Washington," writes Beale. "Actress Debra Messing recently sold a home he designed in Bel-Air for $11.4 million in less than a month — a rapid exchange for a transaction at that price."
"Williams' homes caught the imagination of the entertainment elite starting in the late 1920s and are still sought-after today, more than three decades after his death," she continues. "During a half-century in practice, the Los Angeles architect left a legacy of close to 3,000 residential and commercial projects worldwide."
"That his refined style remains coveted among a Who's Who of celebrities is remarkable."
"When Williams opened his own firm in 1922, there were no black architects designing luxury homes, according to [granddaughter Karen E. Hudson's] research. It would be 25 years before Jackie Robinson broke Major League Baseball's color barrier and 33 years before Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a segregated bus."
FULL STORY: Architect Paul Revere Williams is a star among celebrities
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A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House
If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Google Maps Introduces New Transit, EV Features
It will now be easier to find electric car charging stations and transit options.
Ohio Lawmakers Propose Incentivizing Housing Production
A proposed bill would take a carrot approach to stimulating housing production through a grant program that would reward cities that implement pro-housing policies.
Chicago Awarded $2M Reconnecting Communities Grant
Community advocates say the city’s plan may not do enough to reverse the negative impacts of a major expressway.
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HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
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