Our Home
The Henry Levy House has stood at 155 S. G Street in Oxnard since 1915. Built in the Craftsman and Tudor traditions, it is Ventura County Historic Landmark No. 74 and a contributing structure to the National Register-listed Henry T. Oxnard Historic District — one of the finest surviving examples of early twentieth century domestic architecture in Southern California.
Our Story
In July 2021, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Eric Andrist and his partner of nearly 40 years, Jeff Rizzo purchased the Henry Levy House, drawn by its history, its beauty, and its potential. They shared a vision of transforming it into something the community could experience and call their own.
Jeff Rizzo was a conductor, musical director, and artist whose creative life touched everyone around him. After nearly four decades together, Eric lost Jeff in May 2023 — the result of medical negligence that should never have happened. It was a devastating loss and was the moment that transformed their dream into a mission.
The Henry Levy House Arts & Heritage Center was founded in Jeff’s memory and in the spirit of everything he believed in — that art, music, history, and community are not luxuries. They are what gives a home its soul.
Our Vision
The immediate work is here — restoring the Henry Levy House to a state where it can be maintained and enjoyed by the community for generations to come. But the vision reaches further than these walls.
The Henry T. Oxnard Historic District is home to some of the most significant residential architecture in Ventura County. Many of its homeowners are people of modest means who love their historic homes but lack the resources to maintain them to preservation standards. Once the Henry Levy House is stabilized, our goal is to extend our restoration resources to other homeowners in the district who need physical and financial assistance — ensuring that this irreplaceable neighborhood survives intact.
We believe historic preservation is an act of community. No one should lose a piece of shared history simply because they couldn’t afford to save it.
Board of Directors
Eric L. Andrist — Executive Director and Henry Levy House owner
Eric is a public and patient safety advocate, and longtime arts and theater professional. He has spent the last decade as a patient safety advocate after losing 3 members of his family to medical errors and having 3 failed hernia surgeries himself. Along with his patient safety partner, Marian Hollingsworth, they have monitored the Medical Board of California for over a decade, holding them accountable for their abysmal protection of California’s residents from bad doctors.
Louise Ramirez — Board President
[Louise’s bio here]
Alex Rey Rivera — Board Vice President
[Alex’s bio here]
Tai Hartley — Board Secretary/Treasurer
[Tai’s bio here]