Artist Jerico Woggon is reminiscing good times at Citizens Warehouse, as the Pickle Works Building became to be known as in the 80s and 90s. After it suddenly burned down, all that remains are memories.

“So I remember coming here for an art opening in this building,” says Woggon. “This place was often used by artists to make their art and show their art together as one.”

Ever since Jerico’s very first art show along the First Street Bridge right next to it, he’s made the Arts District his home. But what started as a symbol of downtown Los Angeles. culture, many neighbors say, ultimately became a symbol of Los Angeles city mismanagement.

“I'm definitely feeling very sad to the fact that it's not ever going to be used again for artistic purposes,” says Woggon.

Eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places, activists want the building preserved, but the Department of Building and Safety determined what remains of the building will have to come down.

Owned by the city, their plans to sell the property to Los Angeles Metro remains the same, but Los Angeles Citycouncilman Jose Huizar’s office states, “The scope and details of the sale will change.”

The fire complicates things, but the fire is just the latest of many missteps. Before leaving it vacant and susceptible to break-ins, the city demolished a 60-foot section of the building.

Photographer Rush Varela lived in Citizens Warehouse until the city kicked him out using Eminent Domain.

“They were only going to cut off just a smaller portion of the building and they end up chopping off a lot more,” says Varela. “That took away some of the historic aspect of the building.”

There were once talks to turn it into affordable housing for artists, but those talks were stalled too.

Adrian Fine of L.A. Conservancy echos the importance of Citizens Warehouse to local artists.

“The Arts District that we know today probably wouldn’t have happened if it hadn’t been for buildings and the artists that were instrumental in ensuring that art and historic buildings were coming together in this type of collaboration,” said Fine.