Group Hopes to Make Little Tokyo a Preserve America Neighborhood (2 of 2)

When the first rumblings about historic preservation began over 10 years ago, Watanabe didn't see the point.

"I thought new was good. Why keep dirty, old buildings?"

He has since come 180 degrees.

"Mainstream America assumes JAs just got here," said Watanabe, who pointed out that many are surprised that Little Tokyo is over 100 years old.

The Preserve America neighborhood designation is especially important in light of the 2006 sale of Little Tokyo's New Otani Hotel and Weller Court to 3D Investments, a private Beverly Hills, Calif.-based real estate developer. In 2006, 3D also purchased two hotels in San Francisco's Japantown galvanizing the local JA community to demand accountability for preservation.

Many community members are willing to put up an initial fight, but the passion does not sustain, said Kito.

"As generations go on, people forget about the hardship that Little Tokyo has endured, so they don't appreciate it as much until it's being threatened. When it's being threatened, it's being threatened for a reason ... because it's vulnerable," said Kito, who is sponsoring a March 30 showing of Soji Kashiwagi's musical play "Nihonmachi: The Place to Be" for the Little Tokyo community.

The Preserve America community status won't protect Little Tokyo from future development, but it's a step in the right direction to send a clear message that there is history and heritage to maintain, said Watanabe.

LTSC has completed the Preserve America application on behalf of the Little Tokyo Community Council, who will submit it for the March deadline. The application is waiting for signatures from Councilwoman Jan Perry and Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.
Perry's office is drafting a letter of support for inclusion in the application, according to her spokesperson.

Currently, there are 15 Preserve America communities in California, but no APA ethnic communities. If Little Tokyo wins this distinction, it may be among the first - Los Angeles' Chinatown is also applying for the historic community designation.

"The community is changing, but we can't disregard the importance of a place like Little Tokyo," said Craig Ishii, JACL Pacific Southwest regional director. "It's hard to see the historical roots amongst the new condos and apartments but this physical community was the heart of the Japanese American community for decades. Historic recognition of the community is simply another way of keeping that history and that heart alive.

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