Wave Wire Services
LOS ANGELES — The city has designated the corner between North St. Andrews Place and De Longpre Avenue in Hollywood as Paul R. Williams Square,” in honor of the world-renowned architect and in celebration of what would have been his 130th birthday.
The street dedication coincided with the annual event titled “A Celebration of Paul Revere Williams” held by the Hollywood Together Foundation Feb. 16. The celebration included a block party followed by a reception.
“Despite facing relentless discrimination, Paul R. Williams left an indelible impact on Los Angeles,” City Councilman Hugo Soto-Martínez said in a statement. Soto-Martinez, who introduced a motion last year to designate the street in honor of Williams, added “Ahead of his 130th birthday this weekend, we are proud to open `Paul R. Williams Square’ in Hollywood as a long-overdue recognition of his trailblazing career.”
Williams, the first Black architect to become a member of the American Institute of Architects, left a mark on the landscape of Los Angeles, and his contributions to architecture and civil rights continue to inspire generations, officials said.
Hollywood Together Foundation recognizes his legacy and is committed to preserving it for future generations.
Soto-Martínez provided remarks alongside state Sen. Anthony Portantino, and Hollywood Partnership President Kathleen Rawson. Michael Tessler, executive director for Hollywood Together, has spent four years advocating for the street dedication as an effort to unify the community.
“Paul R. Williams represents the best of what Los Angeles has to offer,” Tessler said in a statement. “That rare blend of creativity and service above self.”
He added, “Our neighborhood honors his enduring legacy and sees this moment as an opportunity to galvanize. We believe that Hollywood can and should be so much more. We cannot uplift without uprooting, we can preserve our past while pursuing an ambitious future. It all begins with this event.”
The reception, which included live entertainment, was held at Second Home Hollywood, a building designed by Williams for the Assistance League of Los Angeles.
It featured an auction, an exhibition highlighting the past, present, and future of the Hollywood community, and the presentation of the inaugural Paul Revere Williams Award.