Conclusion - What are people searching for when they visit Hollywood? A radio host once tried to argue with the author that Universal Citywalk was more worthy of a visit to find Hollywood's past than Hollywood Boulevard itself on the basis that more "historic Hollywood artifacts" are located at Citywalk than in Hollywood. His point only reinforced mine that the desire to seek authenticity is what drives much tourism, including that to Hollywood. Does an ice pick encased in plexiglass in the Beverly Hills Planet Hollywood restaurant and labeled as to its connection to the film "Basic Instinct" have any meaning? (For that matter, could they not put an identical ice pick in every one of their restaurants and not thrill the people any less?)

There is a reason why nine million people continue to visit "unsafe," "ugly," "dirty," "boring" Hollywood Boulevard every year. Authenticity isn't made up of random objects removed from their contexts, but rather from buildings and spaces which retain their uses, settings, and "historic feeling" (an actual component of National Register eligibility criteria). When new waves of people come and go in the same places for similar or related purposes over time, following the same patterns and keeping up a certain continuity, a place continues to progress while retaining its historic uses and character.

Almost no one coming to Hollywood is going to spot a celebrity by chance on the Boulevard; many aspects of historical Hollywood are retired, and many of the buildings, even, are gone. But the conservation of an authentic historic context relies on avoiding the destruction of the qualities that made it great during what is technically termed its "period of significance." Glamour, dignity, seediness, entrepreneurialism: these are a few of the non-physical qualities that manifest themselves in the buildings, streets, spaces and landscapes that make up historic districts. Actual Hollywood stars being replaced by their wax replicas is just not acceptable. Hollywood the industry can only thrive if it continues to create a product that captures people's attention through new films, new stars, new myths. Hollywood the place relies on the same continued production: of buildings that express the activities and the institutions that define it today. Where buildings are missing, ones of the same quality of expression and imagination seen in the exotic theaters, the elegant athletic clubs, and the stately bank buildings must be the standard for infill. Adherence to the astonishingly shoddy level of quality and paucity of intellectual and imaginative resources evidenced by the minor, recent adaptations, new small buildings, and businesses that make up most of the environment of Hollywood Boulevard will surely continue to kill it.

On the other hand, these places are very strong elements in and of themselves: the El Capitan Theater; the iconic Chinese Theater and Capitol Records building (just north of the Boulevard); many commercial buildings, small and large, which continue to enrich the historic context even as they are trying desperately to rent space; the corporate headquarters of Frederick's of Hollywood; the soon-to-be-renovated Max Factor facility; Musso and Frank Grill, in Hollywood since 1919; the new Panavision building (just south of the Boulevard), and, early next year, the renovated and rehabilitated Egyptian Theatre. It's up to the property owners in between to decide to strive to reach the standards set by these buildings, businesses, and institutions. It's up to the city and private investors to provide the catalyst to make Hollywood valuable again.

The marriage of historic architecture and icons with a more recently-established institution dedicated to the furthering of the cinematic arts is an encouraging sign that Hollywood the place can grow and evolve with the dedication of energy and resources from Hollywood the industry. American Cinematheque will gain strength of position and prestige from their location on Hollywood Boulevard in an historic theater. The historic and contemporary architectural facets of the project will mirror the perspective of American Cinematheque's programming, which honors the best of historic and cutting-edge film. Their project will also illustrate the roles to be played by historic preservation and by skillful contemporary architecture in keeping the boulevard a vital and dynamic center of contemporary Los Angeles.