There is a plan afoot in Huntington Beach to tear out the Main Street Branch Library (1951) and the surrounding park area and replace it with a bunch more buildings. Last week, the City's Historic Resources Board decided to send a letter to their City Council laisons asking that the site be studied more to assess its historical value. The Huntington Beach Downtown Residents Association encouraged this action and presented their own historical research to the Board.
.The building clearly meets the age requirements for a historic structure, and it has certainly played a significant role in the community. I've even heard rumors that it may be the second tilt-up concrete construction building in California. However the facts of the case shake out, I'm sure there will be a battle.
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With or without historical significance, it would be a crying shame to lose a very functional and attractive library as well as the only green spot or open space between Lake Park and the ocean.
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Travis K. writes, "...One of our writers put up an interesting piece on how Norton Simon was ready to build his museum in Fullerton and how we lost it back in 1974. It would have been at the Hunt Library, which was designed by the famous William Pereira."
