What is Tara


1343 N. Laurel Avenue was nicknamed Tara by longtime owner and resident Elsie Weisman for its look of a grand Southern Manor. Her favorite movie was Gone With the Wind.

Tara was built in 1914 in the Colonial revival architectural style and is a prime, intact example of Colonial revival architecture, the last remaining estate of it's kind in West Hollywood. The structures reflect special elements of the City's social, geographic, aesthetic and architectural History.

Tara was designated a local cultural resource in 1994. Elsie Weisman believed that the designation would preserve the property
and donated Tara to the City, instead of her family, in the belief that her property would become a cultural/community center and Park.


The Property is physically unique in its low-density design along this block of Laurel Avenue.  It is within a Historic district and on the State list of Cultural Resources. There is nothing else like it left in West Hollywood.





Appellate Win

The Court of Appeals of the State of California, Second Appellate District Division Eight, came out with a decision that overturns the attempt to destroy Tara with development.

This decision validates all of our hard work for the last 4 and 1/2 years.  Thank you all for your dedication and hard work.

A couple of choice quotes from the decision:

"The fact of the matter is the public was denied the right to participate in the decision making process"

"We can not agree that there was much, if anything, "conceptual and uncertain" about the project after the HUD application was filed (as claimed by housing manager Jeff Skorneck)"

WE WON!!!!!!!!



Currently

The City of West Hollywood has upped its contribution to the development.  The total cost of the project will now be $16,000,000. 
It was originally (and up until October, 2007) to be built for a total of 6.2 million.  That's for 28 units. 
Save Tara was blamed for the cost increase because we retained legal council and the lawsuits have delayed the project.
If the city had done the right thing in the beginning and the public allowed to participate, there would have been no need for lawyers or lawsuits.


NEWS

The City has appealed our Win to the California Supreme Court.  The oral argument will be heard on September 2nd.
Save Tara will be represented by the highly esteemed firm, Chatten-Brown and Carstens.