The Department of Veterans Affairs Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, West Los Angeles Medical Campus, has deep roots in the historical and social fabric of Los Angeles. For over a century, it has been witness to the evolving needs of American Veterans. Since the Civil War, the Veteran community has been invested in providing medical, surgical, and domiciliary care within a green oasis and place of refuge and support for Veterans returning from war.

The Veterans Affairs Healthcare Center Master Plan offers holistic access and connections with the campus residents and surrounding neighborhoods, including the broader regional Veteran community, by integrating transportation, open space, housing, land uses, infrastructure, and urban design elements throughout the project site. The Plan envisions a community that not only honors the legacy of the original land grant and collective support of military Veterans but also sits lightly and harmoniously within the historic landscape, representing a commitment to Veterans, especially homeless Veterans, in the city of Los Angeles. Building 207 is part of the beginning stages of the revitalization of the West LA VA North Campus.

Architect Stanford White designed the original campus, featuring wood buildings in the Shingle style, and most of the buildings were replaced between the 1920s and the 1940s. Originally built in 1940, Building 207 has been vacant– or mostly vacant– for years. The preservation philosophy was maintaining most of the existing exterior facade and its orientation and connections to the campus circulation network. This directive came from working closely with the state preservation office. The project included creating 59 residential units, with 13 reserved for formerly chronically homeless senior veterans, adhering to the commitment to support the most vulnerable in the veteran community.

The restoration of Building 207 showcases how architectural heritage can be leveraged to address contemporary social issues. This project has substantially benefited the public, particularly the veteran community in Los Angeles, by providing much-needed housing and supportive services for a significant portion of the homeless veteran population of Los Angeles.