Los Angeles County records describing the basis for the landmark designation describe the complex as one with " a sense of time and place . The majority of its structural features , including its conformation , detailing and decorative elements , have been unaltered . As a result , the building has clearly retained a sense of architectural integrity and original design . " The theater stopped showing movies in 1986 , and in 1987 the Vega Building was damaged in the Whittier Narrows earthquake . From 1986-1988 , a non-denominational Christian church named Praise Chapel Christian Fellowship occupied the building and held regular services with over 1,000 people . In 1987 the pastors , Mike and Donna Neville were forced to move their church because , according to the owner , the building was condemned following the Whittier earthquake . The Vega Building was demolished in 1992 after officials determined it to be a hazard . The remaining theater building was left sitting vacant in the middle of an otherwise empty lot . One writer notes that the remaining shell " only hints at what this theater was like in its heyday . " The property has been vacant and the subject of attempted demolitions for many years . When the Whittier earthquake damaged the Vega Building , demolition efforts accelerated . County inspectors declared the building unsafe for occupancy , and businesses operating in the building , including a jewelry store , a shoe repair shop , and a bowling alley , were evicted
Whittier Narrows earthquake
1987 Whittier Narrows earthquake
Golden Gate Theater