Lisa Burks Online

Second Lease on Life

It appears that the eulogy I wrote for 334 E. Cypress last month was premature and altogether incorrect.

I"m thrilled to report that this adorable 87-year-old fire damaged house will not be razed!

Every time I walk by this little charmer, I expect to see its demolished remains. Instead, on a recent walk to downtown I literally jumped for joy when I noticed that a new roof was being put on.

A neighbor who lives in the back apartment was sitting near her open window when I stopped to snap photos.  She told me that it was determined that the structure was still sound and its internal wounds were not fatal, so the owners opted to fix 'er up rather than tear her down.

I absolutely love it that, against the odds, this landmark vintage dwelling is getting a second lease on life!

Everyone's a Critic

My regular late night dinner guests ~ I guess the guy on the right wasn't thrilled with the Cat Chow cuisine tonight.

Sitting Pretty

I spotted this little guy enjoying a shady ledge on a mirrored building near the Buena Vista Library the other day.

Loved how the reflection made it look like he was sitting in the nearby tree.  See more snaps here.

Trashy Betty

The original and the replica, spotted at Trashy Lingerie yesterday.

   

Poor Betty.There's copyright infringement and then there's just altogether copy wrong.

Thank goodness they didn't use this publicity still for inspiration....

Sidewalk Bingo ~ 1928

Found not one, not two, but three count 'em three Hunt Bros. Constructor logos in the 100 block of Glenoaks Blvd. today, all dated 1928.

They appear on the sidewalk in front of Olive Market, located at 130 S. Glenoaks Blvd. near Olive Ave. 

The diamond shaped one is located in front of the store's doorway and the other two flank either end of the building, itself the original 1928 structure.

What sets these Hunt Bros. stamps apart from the 1930 and 1933 versions I've previously documented is that they are the oldest and also the first I've found at a commercial property.

You're Fired

Some of my favorite houses in Burbank are the oldsters that still stand proud among the modern development.

When I see them, my mind wanders back in time to wonder what the area was like when they were new.

The house that stands at 334 E. Cypress, down by the Media Center Mall, was gutted by fire in the past year.  

Boarded up and cleaned out ~ snapped on April 1, 2009

This particular house was built in 1922 during the initial residential building boom when Burbank's population was about 3,000.  Today there's more like 110,000 of us.

Burbank circa 1922 (Burbank Public Library Collection)

Demolition has begun on the grand little lady 334.  I noticed today that the roof was gone.

Looks like they will be taking her apart bit by bit.  I hope so. It always kills me when the bulldozers arrive to start mauling buildings apart.

No dignity.

No respect for the ghosts that live there, or so I imagine whenever I witness this ritual, which happens more in the name of progress around these parts lately, not post-flames euthanasia.

Rest in peace, 334 E. Cypress. Thank you for 87 years.