The cathedral was heavily damaged during the 1994 Northridge earthquake and became the subject of a lengthy legal battle between the archdiocese , which wanted to demolish the building and build a new cathedral on the site , and preservationists , who wanted the building to remain standing due to its historical significance . In 1996 , the parties involved reached a compromise in which the archdiocese would purchase a nearby site on which to build a new cathedral , and in turn would turn over the St. Vibiana site to the City of Los Angeles . The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels was dedicated in 2002 as the successor to St. Vibiana 's Cathedral
1994 Northridge earthquake
1994 Northridge earthquake
Cathedral of Saint Vibiana