Glendale | Los Angeles Conservancy
Photos (clockwise from left): Alex Theatre by VPISteve on Flickr; Brand Library & Art Center by Renee Silverman on Flickr; First United Methodist Church of Glendale by Michael Locke

Glendale has fostered a strong historic preservation program that includes the active designation of local landmarks and historic districts.

The city became a Certified Local Government in 1988, indicating its strong commitment to a professionalized preservation program.

Glendale’s designated historic resources include over 100 local landmarks and several historic districts. Glendale designated its first historic district in 2008, and created four additional districts within only five years, demonstrating the widespread appeal among residents for this important preservation tool that protects community character.

As a preservation incentive, Glendale offers the popular Mills Acts property tax abatement program.

The scoring details for this community appear below. To see scores for all communities, compare specific communities and categories, and learn more about the Report Card, visit our Report Card microsite.

Category (points available)
Score
Total Score (out of a possible 245, plus Extra Credit): 
225
Historic Preservation Ordinance (150) / Honorary Ordinance (10): 
150
Dedicated Historic Preservation Commission (5): 
5
Dedicated Preservation Staff (15): 
15
Ability to Designate Historic Districts (15): 
15
Owner Consent Not Required for Designation (10): 
0
Active Landmark Designation (at least annually) (5): 
5
Notes: 
As of February 2014, the city had designated more than 100 local landmarks.
Survey of Historic Resources: Citywide (15) / Partial (10): 
10
Survey Updated Within Past 5 Years (5): 
0
Mills Act Incentive Program (10): 
10
Additional Incentives (5): 
5
Certified Local Government (5): 
5
Historic Preservation Element or Plan (5): 
5
Extra Credit (1-25): 
0

If you'd like to get involved in preservation in Glendale, we suggest the following resources:

City Representative

Jay Platt
Senior Urban Designer
jplatt@ci.glendale.ca.us
(818) 548-2140

Local Groups

The Glendale Historical Society

Historical Society of the Crescenta Valley

If any of this information is out of date, or to suggest additional ways to get involved, please contact us at info@laconservancy.org or (213) 623-2489.

Most of the following resources are specific to Glendale. For general resources related to local preservation and our Preservation Report Card, please visit our Report Card microsite.

Landmark Designation Process

Mills Act Application Process

Designated Local Landmarks

Guide to CEQA (Conservancy website)

If any of these links are broken or incorrect, or if you would like to suggest other resources for preservation in Glendale, please let us know by emailing info@laconservancy.org.

Featured Location(s)

Photo by Tom Davies

Glendale County Building

The 1959 building's modern design has long been recognized as an important example of mid-century office design and incorporates contrasting materials and forms as well as significant interior elements
Glendale Federal Savings
Photo courtesy Architectural Resources Group

Glendale Federal Savings, Glendale

Peruvian-born architect W. A. Sarmiento designed hundreds of Modern-style bank buildings all over the country, but one of the most renowned and best-loved is right in Glendale.
Glendale Municipal Services Building
Photo courtesy Architectural Resources Group

Glendale Municipal Services Building

Lifted up on its graceful pilotis, the futuristic Municipal Services Building must have generated many passing glances from Glendale motorists when it opened almost forty years ago—and it remains a head-turner today.
Photo by Michael Locke

First United Methodist Church of Glendale

The congregants who commissioned this Mid-Century Modern landmark expressed their desire for a traditional cathedral—but one with modern elements. Their architects did not disappoint.
Photo by Michael Locke

Chapel of the Jesus Ethic

The spiritual centerpiece of the Foundation of Niscience complex, the chapel is a modern nod to the concept of visibly integrating the natural and the built environments.
Chase Bank
Photo by Tom Davies

Chase Bank, Glendale

A beautiful example of a Modern style that truly glorifies its surroundings and a good reminder of the architectural aspirations many banks embraced during the postwar period.
Courtesy Ben Weber

Museum of Neon Art (MONA)

What began forty years ago with two artists and a few discarded signs has flourished into a well-respected museum, preserving and celebrating the rich cultural history of L.A. through its neon lights.