Van Buren Place Historic District
Why it's listed
Van Buren Place Historic District is a short residential street segment in the Adams-Normandie neighborhood of south central Los Angeles, about four miles southwest of the Civic Center. It holds 14 principal houses and four auxiliary buildings, and 14 of the 18 resources contribute to its character. Most of the houses date from 1903 to 1910 and show Craftsman design with Shingle Style massing and touches of Tudor Revival, Colonial Revival and Gothic Revival detail. The Percy H. Clark Company developed much of the block, including Clark's own home at 2639 Van Buren Place, yet the designs differ noticeably from house to house. None was designed by an architect. The street matters because comparable streetscapes nearby have been lost to demolition, inappropriate alterations and intrusive construction. Residents have renovated many homes, formed a neighborhood organization, and won traffic barricades and down-zoning for the street. Most houses remain single-family residences, a few serve as congregate homes, and several have detached rear apartment units.
Significance in brief: Twelve of the fourteen houses are intact examples of Craftsman-inspired design that blend Shingle Style, Tudor Revival, Colonial Revival and Gothic Revival details. Most were built by the Percy H. Clark Company, yet the designs vary widely. The street is noteworthy because similar streetscapes elsewhere in the Adams-Normandie neighborhood have been lost to alterations, demolition and new construction.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 89001103, listed August 10, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 2620--2657 Van Buren Pl., Los Angeles |
|---|---|
| County | Los Angeles County |
| Listed | August 10, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89001103 |
| Resource type | District |
| Architect / builder | Percy H. Clark Company (developer/builder of at least six houses); H. M. Cowper (2651 Van Buren Place); buildings were not architect-designed |
| Architectural style | Shingle Style/Craftsman; Craftsman |
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Most houses are intact and many have been renovated in the past six years; most remain single-family residences, a few serve as congregate homes, and some have rear apartment units. |
| Acreage | 3 |
| Coordinates | 34.03195, -118.29675 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 89001103.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7913188
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.