LOS ANGELES—Catholic Charities Inc. is seeking a court order allowing it to demolish a 100-year-old building in the Westlake District which it purchased in 2018, but has been thwarted thus far from doing so by the city, initially on historical grounds and subsequently over environmental issues.
The Los Angeles Superior Court petition states that the edifice at 846 S. Union Avenue was built in 1923-24, is three stories tall, spans 20,775 square feet, and has been occupied by various organizations, beginning with the B’nai B’rith Lodge Association to most recently the Lighthouse Mission Church.
“Catholic Charities has repeatedly and consistently clarified that its intention is to simply demolish the building, which is plagued by mold and structural and seismic insecurities that make the building dangerous and financially unfeasible to use or maintain,” the petition states….