Heritage Conservation by MeL J

About MeL

My name is Me’Lisa but I prefer MeL! I was born and raised in the state of California. I attended UC Davis for my BA in History and MA in Education. Everyone has a story that should be told, and traditions that should be saved. I have always enjoyed learning about and experiencing different cultures and teaching my knowledge to others. In my professional career I have seen how the arts and heritage sectors are frequently dismissed and underfunded, despite being major contributing factors to California's economic health and growth. This is why I decided to return to school to learn heritage preservation policy, advocacy, and documentation strategies.

California Preservationist

Working to document underacknolwedged histories and cultures into the public record.

→ Project 1:

ARCH 558- Fundamentals of Place-keeping: Empathy, Inclusion, & Continuity & Change

Researching the Urban Design of (New) Chinatown Los Angeles to determine how to the city can preserve the cooridor’s cultural essence and vendor informality while providing flexibility for new housing and business development .

→ Project 2:

ARCH 552- Intro to Historic Site Documentation

Researching the Maryknoll School established in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles by St. Francis Xavier Japanese Catholic Church in 1921. Documenting the historic and cultural significance 212 S Bidwell Street, Los Angeles, California.

→ Project 3:

ARCH 549- Fundamentals of Heritage Conservation

I researched the Reuse and Rehabilitation of Hotel Figueroa in Downtown Los Angeles, which took place 2015-2018 according to the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation.
Hotel Figueroa was funded, designed, constructed, and operated by the Young Women’s Christian Association of Los Angeles. The project was completed in 1926 It served as lodging for single women and women artisans, activists, business owners, and other professionals.