Covert Cottages, new LA Cultural-Heritage Monument

Following last summer’s publication of the LA Times story on our efforts to have the J.R.Toberman house declared a monument we were contacted by residents of a bungalow court on Martel Ave., just below Santa Monica Blvd., who were fearful that the FOR SALE sign out front meant that their charming units were about to become history, in a negative sense. Hollywood Heritage member Dave Monks (who brought Toberman house to our attention) was dispatched downtown to do research. The residents were given short seminars on recruiting support for their cause, pictures were taken, and Councilman Jack Weiss’ office was contacted (the site is in his district). Monks research attributed the court to Leonard W. Covert, who built it in 1923. It was quickly dubbed the “Covert Cottages.” It is fascinating to note that, at the time of construction, Covert was the credit manager of the George L. Eastman Company (finance and real estate development) which, in that year, joined C.E. Toberman (!) and three others (one being Charles W. Bradford… see the story on the Bradford Grant) to form the Hollywood Holding and Development Corp. that was responsible for developing much of Hollywood.

Long story short: The Covert Cottages have just been declared the newest LA Cultural-Historic Monument. Hollywood Heritage helped but we have to salute the hard work of resident Carol Banever, our own Dave Monks, Councilman Jack Weiss and his staff, and lots of concerned and vocal neighbors who did not want yet another 3-story apartment building in this already congested area. Hooray for Hollywood!!