One of the great historic buildings of Los Angeles, Fire Station No. 39 (14415 Sylvan Street Van Nuys, California 91401) was built in 1939 by the WPA.

A few years ago, destructionists in Van Nuys, lead by Councilman Cardenas, proposed that the old fire station with its narrow garage, unsuited for modern wide equipment, be torn down. This blog wrote about the impending destruction, and the nihilists on the City Council reversed course, pulled a Romney, and said the station would and should be saved.

The Fire Station dates back to a time when architects actually blended and harmonized their designs to fit into existing neighborhoods. The Valley Municipal Building, just across the street, is what the fire station design salutes.

Now Van Nuys will sit idly by as the historic 1925 First Lutheran Church is bulldozed away.

An impoverished community is thus impoverished historically and aesthetically.