LOS ANGELES — Born and raised in Boyle Heights, Vivian Escalante definitely drives in her own lane. She can be seen driving through the neighborhood in her Piccolo Pendolare electric vehicle, but she also has a classic Volvo and is into vintage fashion and history, especially preserving history.
Teamed with the LA Conservancy, Escalante has been helping to spearhead efforts to save a piece of Boyle Heights history, the Nishiyama residence and adjoining Otomisan restaurant that figure prominently in the settlement and economic development of Japanese Americans along the East 1st Street corridor in the 1920’s.
The Otomisan Restaurant has been a neighborhood favorite for generations, and although it is a small space with one front-of-house worker and one cook, a steady stream of locals comes through for the comforting home-style Japanese dishes. Escalante has been coming here for years, too.
“I'm ordering to go because I have to go take care of mama, and they know my mom. We have a good relationship here,” Escalante said.
As President of the Boyle Heights Community Partners, Escalante has been working closely with the LA Conservancy on their historic-cultural site nomination, in addition to her efforts to educate and raise awareness about the rich history of Boyle Heights.
Escalante’s colleague Andrea Griego said their efforts to identify and preserve historic sites is not about stopping development, but rather it is about giving voice to the community and to history which often cannot speak for itself.
“It's not just about big important people who have a lot of money,” Griego said. “It's also the smaller businesses who build up a community and just saving that legacy.”
When built in the 19th century, the Queen Anne-style Nishiyama residence was originally street front, but the Nishiyama family moved it back in the 1920’s to make room for a commercial building which housed many Japanese-run businesses until settling in as a cafe diner in the 1950’s. The residence served multiple functions over the years, including boarding house and school for Japanese immigrants.
The LA Conservancy’s Rosalind Sagara explains that it was these small businesses that attracted Japanese immigrants and helped build up social and economic mobility for the community, and unlike many Japanese American families who lost property during World War II, the Nishiyama family
“The Nishiyama family went to the incarceration camps and then were able to come back to this property,” said Sagara. “A lot of Japanese-Americans weren't able to retain their properties during World War II and weren't able to return to [them].”
As Escalante and Griego waited for their food order, they randomly bumped into someone else with a long history at Otomisan, Judge A. Wallace Tashima, the first Japanese-American to be appointed to the U.S. Court of Appeals by President Bill Clinton. Judge Tashima also grew up in Boyle Heights and still comes to Otomisan restaurant with his wife, Kiyo, whenever he's in the neighborhood.
“Whenever we can, when we're in this part of town,” said Judge Tashima, adding, “I would hate to see it go.”
Although it can be a slow process, Escalante said she is encouraged that there seems to be an increasing awareness of the importance of Boyle Heights’ historic landmarks, many of which can be found in the Angels Walk LA guide which she worked on. The guide points out significant landmarks which can be explored using the maps it contains on self-guided tours of the neighborhood.
“Now people are realizing the importance of the community and the historic heritage and integrity that is here,” said Escalante.
The Cultural Heritage Commission has voted unanimously to recommend the Nishiyama Residence/Otomisan Restaurant site as an historic cultural monument, and now the application heads to the city's Planning and Land Use Council.