Mexican American cultural center in downtown L.A. sets 2011 opening

Several years in the works, downtown Los Angeles' new Mexican American cultural center, known as LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes, has set an opening date for April 15, 2011.

The cultural center will occupy space in the historic Vickrey-Brunswig Building and the Plaza House on Main Street and will also feature 30,000 square feet of public garden space. The L.A.-based firms Chu+Gooding Architects and Rios Clementi Hale Studios worked on the interiors and exteriors, respectively.

The outdoor space is expected to include a stage and performance space that will be able to entertain up to 1,500 people. 

LA Plaza will be located near the Olvera Street marketplace and El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument, both of which are popular tourist destinations.

For its inaugural exhibition, LA Plaza will produce a show titled "LA Starts Here!" that explores Mexicans and Mexican Americans in the founding and shaping of the city's history and culture, from 1781 to the present.  Another exhibition, titled "Calle Principal," will examine the historic roots of Plaza House through a re-creation of Main Street during the '20s.

A spokeswoman for LA Plaza said the final price tag for the center is estimated to come in at around $20 million. The bill for operations and maintenance is being footed in large part by taxpayers, since the center became an official project of Los Angeles County in 2007. Additional funding for the center will be covered by private and corporate donations.

Miguel Angel Corzo, an arts administrator who has held top positions at the Getty Conservation Institute and the Colburn School, serves as president and chief executive of LA Plaza.

-- David Ng

Photo: a view of the Vickrey-Brunswig Building. Credit: LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes

Comments

[Michael]

It would be wonderful if the County and City could join forces to unite the two sides of historic Main Street into a comprehensive visitor experience of El Pueblo de Los Angeles. The historic buildings directly across LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes are the Pico House, Merced Theater, and Masonic Lodge, all of which are empty. The City is looking to rent out these historic monuments. Why not have LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes lease them from the City to install more cultural activities such indoor performances at the Merced Theater and a permanent Pio Pico exhibition inside the Pico House? I would hate to see commercial business move into the most historic buildings of Los Angeles and prevent the public from interior visits.

[Artist]

In reply to Michaels comment.

That would imply that our elected officials have some common sense and business skills of which both are lacking. But LA does have the most expensive "skool" in history to their credit.

[Marc]

Looking good, I walk by there everyday and the Brunswick building always catches my attention and fascination. However, if the city is attempting to create a cultural center/plaza alongside El Pueblo which will undoubtedly attract locals and tourists, they should at least have the decency to clean that place up. I know the socioeconomic conditions are stretched far too thin, but El Pueblo looks horribly squalid and neglected. I don't have anything against the homeless, in fact I give them what I can, but every single day I see homeless people occupying the benches, streets that are absolutely filthy, and I unfortunately smell the stench of sewer permeating the area. How can they allow this to happen to such a historic and cultural attraction? How about sandblasting the streets, adding some plants and flowers, doing something about the stench, and escorting the homeless/mentally disturbed/vagabonds somewhere else? Let's start cleaning our city

[cindy]

Having Miguel Angel Corzo as the leader of this project is concerning given his history at Getty and Colburn. There is a reason he did not last at those institutions. My recommendation is that we watch his expenses! Taxpayer funds should not be used inappropriately.