CHURCH ARTIST TO BE NAMED.Byline: Anne Burke Daily News Staff Writer Cardinal Roger Mahony His Eminence Roger Michael Cardinal Mahony (born February 27, 1936) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He currently serves as the fourth Archbishop of Los Angeles, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1991. is expected today to announce the selection of a prominent Spanish architect to design the Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. Catholic Archdiocese's $45 million cathedral complex, sources said Monday. Jose Rafael Moneo José Rafael Moneo Vallés (born May 9, 1937) is a Spanish architect. He was born in Tudela, Spain, and won the Pritzker Prize for architecture in 1996. He studied at the ETSAM, Technical University of Madrid (UPM) from which he received his architectural degree in 1961. , 58, of Madrid, is in the running with two well-known Santa Monica Santa Monica (săn`tə mŏn`ĭkə), city (1990 pop. 86,905), Los Angeles co., S Calif., on Santa Monica Bay; inc. 1886. Tourism and retailing are important, and the city has motion-picture, biotechnology, and software industries. architects - Frank O. Gehry and Thom Mayne Thom Mayne (b. January 19, 1944 in Waterbury, Connecticut) is a widely recognized Los Angeles based architect. Educated at USC and the Harvard University Graduate School of Design, Mayne helped found the Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-ARC) in 1972. . ``I think it was the best choice,'' said Washington, D.C.-area architect Lawrence Cook Lawrence Cook may refer to:
``His work has a romantic quality to it, often employing historical associations,'' added Santa Monica architect Steven Ehrlich. Officials with the Los Angeles Catholic Archdiocese declined comment on the identity of the architect ahead of today's news conference, which is set for 10 a.m. at the Archdiocesan Catholic Center on Wilshire Boulevard Wilshire Boulevard is one of the principal east-west arterial roads in Los Angeles, California, United States. It was named for H. Gaylord Wilshire (1861-1927), an Ohio native who made and lost fortunes in real estate, farming, and gold mining. . The selection of an architect comes amid mounting controversy over the archdiocese's plans to demolish the current cathedral, the quake-damaged St. Vibiana's, located at Second and Main streets near Skid Row in downtown Los Angeles Downtown Los Angeles is the central business district of Los Angeles, California, located close to the geographic center of the metropolitan area. The sprawling, multi-centered megacity is such that its downtown core is often considered just another district like Hollywood or . Demolition was halted by a court order sought by preservationists from the 5,000-member Los Angeles Conservancy The Los Angeles Conservancy is the preeminent historic preservation organization in Los Angeles, California. It works to document, rescue and revitalize historic buildings, places and neighborhoods in the city. . Arguing that the cathedral is a city-protected landmark, preservationists want at least part of St. Vibiana's spared from the wrecking ball and incorporated into the new structure. Mahony claims that St. Vibiana's would be too expensive to repair. He has threatened to move the new cathedral out of downtown unless preservationists drop legal challenges. On Monday, Mayor Richard Riordan, who has sided with the cardinal in the fight against the conservancy, joined Mahony at a rally that drew about 200 people to St. Vibiana's in support of the demolition. Some demonstrators carried signs reading, ``Let the cardinal run his church.'' Mahony said that he has worked hard to reach an accord with the conservancy, but accused the preservation group of refusing to compromise. ``Our freedom to worship in the manner and space that we desire and need as Roman Catholics must be for the church to determine and decide,'' Mahony said. ``I cannot and will not allow any other group - be it private or governmental - to interfere with our constitutional rights.'' Riordan said the new cathedral is critical to downtown revitalization. ``Do we choose decay in our city's center or do we choose a centerpiece of renewal?'' Riordan asked the crowd. ``Do we support an empty shell of the past or a magnificent place of the future?'' Mahony, spiritual leader of 3.5 million Roman Catholics in Los Angeles, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, hopes to dedicate the cathedral in the year 2000. The cardinal has mentioned the San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. among possible locations for the new cathedral, should he move the project out of downtown. A site selection committee is investigating alternate locations. Its report is due June 25. CAPTION(S): Photo Photo: Cardinal Roger Mahony addresses supporters downtownMonday in front of St. Vibiana's Cathedral. Tina Gerson/Daily News |
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