Herbert Louis Kahn, a former longtime resident of Pacific Palisades, died May 26 in Santa Cruz, where he had resided since 1974. Born in Queens, New York, Kahn moved to San Diego in the 1930s to work in the naval shipyards before World War II. During the war he served in the Air Force outside of London as a mechanic for the bomber squadrons. In 1946, he married Erika Fluss. The couple moved to Los Angeles, where Herbert graduated from USC and began a long and distinguished career as an architect. President of the Southern California Institute of Architects and a member of the architectural firm of Kappe, Kahn and Lotery, Kahn specialized in designs of corporate, civic and community projects, including the San Fernando Police Headquarters, Charmlee Park in Malibu, the Los Angeles People Mover and the City of Inglewood. His proudest professional achievement was saving the artistic landmark Watts Towers from being demolished. After moving to Santa Cruz, Kahn designed the Louden Nelson Community Center as well as numerous buildings of the UC Santa Cruz campus. He is survived by his former wife, Erika Kahn of Carpenteria; sons Cary Kahn of Santa Monica, Philip Kahn of Paso Robles and Peter Kahn of Seattle; and six grandchildren.
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