Rec Center Under Repair

Rec Center Under Repair
Originally uploaded by ephs.

Seismic work is underway on Echo Park's Recreation Center. Designed by

Allied Architects in 1925, the brick Spanish- Colonial style Recreation

Center, across the street from the lake, is one of the oldest operating

recreation center in the City of Los Angeles and the second oldest built as

a recreation center. It is protected under Echo Park's Historic-Cultural

Monument listing (#836).



With work confined to the building's foundation and basement, the Historical

Society has been reassured by the Department of Recreation & Parks that the

work will not impact historic features. Where brickwork is disturbed,

original bricks will be used for repairs. Unfortunately, the work will not

restore the building's missing shutters, which disappeared about ten years

ago. The reinstallation of replacement shutters should be fairly simple with

the hinges and tiebacks, or shutter dogs, still in place.



When it was originally built, the current Recreation Center replaced a wood

Craftsman-style building built in 1908. The Echo Clubhouse, as it was

originally named, was designed by Sumner P. Hunt, who went on to design the

Southwest Museum and the Pierpont Inn in Ventura. In 1925, the Clubhouse was

moved to 1004 Echo Park Avenue where it exists today as office space for the

St. Paul Episcopal Cathedral. While no longer serving its original purpose,

the Clubhouse is Los Angeles' oldest building built as a recreation center.