Design Review Board Approves Proposed Changes to American Legion Ronald Reagan – Palisades Post 283

By LILY TINOCO | Reporter 

The Pacific Palisades Design Review Board voted unanimously to approve proposed changes to American Legion Ronald Reagan – Palisades Post 283 on West La Cruz Drive during a virtual meeting Wednesday, October 13.

The meeting began with a determination to continue holding meetings via teleconference due to the expiration of an executive order.

“In order to continue holding virtual meetings, the board needs to determine by majority vote that meeting in-person would present imminent risks to the health or safety of attendees, and adopt a resolution today and every 30 days thereafter,” Planning Assistant Nick Vasuthasawat said.

Chair Donna Vaccarino moved to adopt the resolution to continue DRB’s meetings via teleconference or videoconference. The motion passed.

The brief meeting later called for final review of a proposed American Legion Ronald Reagan – Palisades Post 283 project, which features facade improvements, a 78-square-foot lobby expansion, flag pole, two wall signs and two window decals.

Applicant representative Damian Catalan said the project is an “exciting” one: “The American Legion has been at this location since 1965 … and it’s time for a little bit of a refresh.”

Changes include applying metal panels to the existing stone wall, painting the existing concrete panels to a light gray, upgrading the top of the building with new mechanical enclosure screens, and providing new signage and a mural wall along the driveway. He said all existing materials will remain and proposed changes will be applied to their surface.

“It’s very clean,” Vaccarino said, adding that there is “no problem” with the proposed signage and the logos on the door look “elegant.”

Catalan explained that the proposed art is slated to unfold a story.

“[The] painting or mural will speak to the history … we’re painting the story of the American Legion, and that’s really who they are,” he explained. “That’s what we’re trying to do with this revamp.”

“I think when you look into the windows and see that it will be very welcoming, and there’s a lot of information there when you walk through those doors, so it will be nice to see it,” Vaccarino said in response.

Vaccarino also expressed gratitude for the clarity of the project and its presentation to the board: “It’s very powerful in its design, I think it’s a really nice job, and we are very grateful for projects [that] are submitted so coherently and with great consideration.”

A motion was made to approve the project as presented and passed unanimously.

Catalan said the project will begin as soon as it gets further approval.

“We’re hoping to get started [by] the end of the year,” he said.

The next DRB meeting is slated for Wednesday, October 27, and will take place via Zoom.