Whittier Conservancy is a coalition of citizens in the city of Whittier , California . It was born from the rubble of the Whittier Narrows earthquake of October 1 , 1987 , which had led to the destruction of many historic buildings in Whittier , including the Lindley Building , one of Whittier 's " Four Bricks " , and the landmark Whittier Theater . In 1989 , the Conservancy assisted the City to rezone the residential neighborhoods north of Hadley Street to protect this vital area from rampant , uncontrolled apartment construction . The Conservancy spearheaded the preservation of the historic Whittier Depot and the McGee House . Though primarily a historic preservation organization , the Conservancy is also interested in open space preservation , and is involved in the continuing movement to preserve the Whittier Hills as part of the Puente-Chino Hills Wildlife Corridor On May 23 , 2007 , the Conservancy filed suit against the City of Whittier . This was in response to the Whittier City Council overruling the Historic Resources Commission by a 3-2 vote and approving the demolition of three buildings on the California Domestic Water property , across the street from Whitwood Mall , before an environmental impact report had been filed . The Cal-Domestic Lawsuit has been a major event in recent Whittier politics , as it led to the creation of the Coalition for a Better Whittier , a political action committee founded to support the city in the lawsuit ( thereby counteracting the influences of the Conservancy ) and to push for further mixed-use development in the City of Whittier
Whittier Narrows earthquake
1987 Whittier Narrows earthquake
Whittier Conservancy