City Council Approves Autry National Center Renovation

The City Council approved a $6.6 million renovation plan for the Autry National Center in Griffith Park on Tuesday, a decision that comes just in time as the museum's eligibility for a state grant approaches expiration.

The Autry risked losing a state grant under Prop 84 if the proposed project did not receive the council's approval by July 12. The renovation plans include the reconstruction of two indoor exhibit galleries and the conversion of an existing exhibit into an outdoor teaching garden.

The council's vote upholds the Recreation and Parks Commission May 20 decision to approve the project.

The council also rejected an appeal filed by attorney Daniel Wright on behalf of the Mount Washington Homeowner's Alliance and historian Charles Fisher. The appeal claimed that the project needed an environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). 

The two 10-2 votes came a day after the , chaired by Councilman Tom LaBonge, passed a motion to approve the museum's renovations and exempt them from environmental review. Both Monday's committee meeting and Tuesday's council meeting received a large turnout of speakers on both sides of the issue. 

"We've had an opportunity for tremendous public input," said Councilman Paul Krekorian. The councilman urged colleagues to support the Recreation and Parks Commission's decision and use the funding that the state is providing. 

The legislature has "fought hard for years to get this funding," said Krekorian. "It's now there for us, and we can't say no to it." 

Opponents of the argued that the city would be violating the Northeast Community Plan by allowing the Autry expansion to go forward and would marginalize the Southwest Museum in Mount Washington. They wanted a guarantee in writing that the Southwest Museum would be renovated and reopened by the Autry National Center. The Autry merged with the Southwest Museum and took possession of its approximately 300,000-item collection in 2002.

The Autry plans on using one percent of artifacts from the closed museum in a new gallery that is included in the proposed renovation project. 

Councilman José Huizar, whose district encompasses the area of the  Southwest Museum, passed the motion last month that asserted City Council jurisdiction over the Park Commissioners’ approval of the Autry project.  

Huizar, who also wants a document in writing binding the Autry to eventually renovate the Southwest Museum, made a comparison of both parties walking up to an alter, with one wanting a prenuptial agreement, and the other not. 

"No matter what happens here today, I hope we come up with a plan for the Southwest Museum," he said. "It deserves that."

Autry museum representatives had said that the museum in Mount Washington is not fit for the 21st century and would cost $20 million just to bring the building back to code. 

City Council President Eric Garcetti said that it is not on the Autry Museum alone to renovate the Southwest Museum. 

"It's not on the Autry itself to make it work, it's on all of us," Garcetti said. 

"It breaks my heart to see this split," he added. 

After the final vote, Garcetti said that the council will communicate with everyone that turned out to the meeting and make the issue a "public conversation."