Demolishing a historic building with a wrecking ball is sure to attract the attention of historic preservationists. Those loud, sign-waving villains are determined to block progress.
Faced with annoyances like historic preservation designations and demolition permits, a sneaky way for wealthy owners is through demolition by neglect.
By ignoring maintenance, owners push the property down a slippery slope where the only option is demolition on the grounds of public safety.
Barry Building, Los Angeles
Located in Brentwood, the Barry Building is one of a dwindling number of intact Mid-Century Modern buildings in the Los Angeles area. Designed by architect Milton H. Caughey, the Barry Building was built just a few years after WWII. According to the Los Angeles Conservancy:
the Barry Building is a rare surviving commercial masterpiece of California Modern architecture, featuring floating second-story pilotis, cantilevering curved staircases, and a central garden courtyard.
Who’s Behind the Neglect?
William H Borthwick.
Borthwick is the stepson of billionaire investor Charles T. Munger, who died in 2023. Borthwick’s mother was Nancy Barry Munger, Munger’s wife of 54 years. Nancy Barry Munger died in 2010.
Sturges House, Los Angeles
George and Selma Sturges built this house in 1939. The home is located at 449 North Skyewiay Road in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles. Frank Lloyd Wright was the architect and John Lautner supervised the construction.
Built on a steep slope, the Sturge House’s deck is cantilevered 21 feet over the canyon, While the house is built of many types of materials–brick, redwood, concrete, and steel–it’s the redwood that has contributed most to the house’s decay.
According to the Los Angeles Conservancy:
Decay of the original redwood has been observed from the street for some time. The long span of the carport is warped and its distinctive pillars are rotting.
Who’s Behind the Neglect?
Robert Brisco.
Brisco owns the Sturges House through his 501(c)(3) Public Charity All Right Now Foundation. Brisco is the CEO of Internet Brands, a digital media company that owns properties such as WebMD, Medscape, FindLaw, Avvo, Martindale Hubbell, and Nolo
Weyerhauser Office Building
Built on 130 acres of woods in Federal Way, Washington, the abandoned campus of the Weyerhaeuser Corporation is much like the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, with gardens built into the walls of the palace. The Weyerhaeuser campus’ 5-story building is heavily draped with English ivy.
Built in 1971 by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), the long, narrow building is sometimes called a “groundscraper” or a “skyscraper on its side.”
Who’s Behind the Neglect?
Industrial Realty Group (IRG).
IRG is a real estate development firm based in Los Angeles. IRG purchased the property in 2016. While IRG has neglected the property in the last decade, there are tentative plans to redevelop it into the multi-use Woodbridge Corporate Park.
