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WYVERNWOOD GARDEN APARTMENTS

Residents play futbol at Wyvernwood; photo courtesy ¡Somos Wyvernwood!

On December 3, the Conservancy and El Comité de la Esperanza held an event celebrating the rich history of the Wyvernwood Garden Apartments in Boyle Heights. The free event, titled “Wyvernwood: Our Histories, Our Future,” was the result of a months-long collaboration to showcase and commemorate Wyvernwood’s unique sense of place.

Kids writing and drawing on a board titled "What Wyvernwood means to me." Photo by LAC staff.

The evening included screenings of multimedia oral histories in which residents conveyed the deep cultural significance of, and preservation efforts at, Wyvernwood. Residents led a procession from Wyvernwood to the nearby Costello Recreation Center where approximately 200 people gathered for the celebration. With music, dance, and activities for the kids, residents of all ages participated.

Families dance during the procession from Wyvernwood to Costello Recreation Center. Photo by LAC staff.

Co-sponsored by resident group Comité de la Esperanza and the Conservancy, the event was organized with assistance from LA CO MEDIA, with grant funding provided by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

To view the multimedia presentations, photos, and for more information about Wyvernwood, visit the ¡Somos Wyvernwood! website.

You can also read a blog post by Conservancy staffer, Karina Muñiz on the National Trust for Historic Preservation's website.

Historic image of the garden apartment complex; photo courtesy ¡Somos Wyvernwood!

About Wyvernwood

Built in 1939, Wyvernwood Garden Apartments is a residential complex that spans more than 70 acres in Boyle Heights. It was the first large-scale garden apartment complex in Los Angeles backed by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA). It has been determined eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places.

Wyvernwood residents; photo courtesy ¡Somos Wyvernwood!

The site is a successful example of architecture designed to provide affordable housing while building community. Wyvernwood’s close-knit community, with family ties spanning generations, has shaped its unique sense of place.

In January 2008, owner Fifteen Group announced plans for a $2 billion, 4,400-unit mixed-use project that would quadruple the site’s density and significantly impair Wyvernwood’s historic layout and park-like setting. 

Residents have expressed opposition to the complex’s demolition, attesting to the site’s cultural and architectural significance.

For More Information

¡Somos Wyvernwood!
Save Wyvernwood page on Facebook

Wyvernwood in the News

Wyvernwood Residents: "This Place Matters"
(Eastern Group Publications)

Residentes de Wyvernwood: "Este Lugar es Importante"
(Same article en Espanñol - EGP)

Wyvernwood Plans in Summary (EGP)

For garden complex in Boyle Heights, a season of change (Los Angeles Times)