Preservationists and city officials halt demolition at the estate in Toluca Lake and scramble to get the property historic designation, but the realtor for Hope's daughter says the L.A. City Council botched a preservation-minded sale: "The city didn't ask what was going on - they just acted."
On Sept. 16, Los Angeles City Councilman David Ryu introduced "emergency legislation" to initiate the "immediate consideration" of the massive estate once owned by Bob Hope as a historic and cultural monument. This motion was passed unanimously by the L.A. City Council, and Ryu's office issued a statement trumpeting its effort to "save" this historic property. Local news outlets reported that Bob Hope's daughter, Linda, had obtained demolition permits for the property, which has been listed for years. Neighbors were concerned. A few news accounts portrayed the city as taking steps to prevent a one-of-a-kind property with deep cultural, architectural and historical value from being destroyed.
But it's not quite that simple.