1317 S Westlake Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90006
The Elks Lodge No. 99 / Park Plaza Hotel, now The MacArthur, is located at 607 Park View Street just off Wilshire Boulevard near downtown Los Angeles, California. It was created by renowned Art Deco architect Claud Beelman, during the time he was a Senior Partner at the prestigious firm he co-owned in the 1920s, Curlett + Beelman.HistoryThe building originally was designed for the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks (B.P.O.E). Done in the Gothic Revival architecture style (Neo-Gothic), the building still sports a brass sculpture of a set of elk antlers embedded in the clock above the grand entry to the building. Eventually, the Elks sold the building due to shrinking attendance in their ranks, and the building ended up being transformed into a luxury hotel, set perfectly then on the shores of what was once a very glamorous MacArthur Park. In the 1980's the hotel was the site of after hours nightclubs like Power Tools. (source: Los Angeles Times, April 3, 1987) In 2016 it was announced that the hotel will be restored by a development group that restored the Roosevelt. (source: Curbed L.A.)SettingThough the neighborhood has gone through a period of urban decay and now urban renewal, the building, replete with angels at every corner, has lost none of its ethereal beauty and elan, making it truly one of the classic examples of Beelman's architecture left standing in the modern world. The building is now vacant, mainly used as a rental for movie shoots and special events, however, the City of Los Angeles thought the architecture significantly important enough to warrant a City of Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department Historic-Cultural Monument No. 267, as far back as the early 1980s. This is significant in that many other Wilshire Boulevard area landmarks fell prey to the wrecking ball during that time period, such as the notable Brown Derby. Luckily, despite the demolition of important landmarks all around it, the grand entrance and ballroom of the Elk's No. 99 / Park Plaza building still bears its old "jazz age" grandeur, much to the relief of Los Angeles architectural aficionados. The elaborate interior murals and decorative paintings were designed and executed by Anthony Heinsbergen and Co, noted painter of many Los Angeles cultural landmarks. The central design of the lobby ceiling is based on the Villa Madama, a Renaissance era project by Raphael and Giulio Romano.
St. Vincent de Paul Church is a Roman Catholic parish and Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument (No. 90) in the South Los Angeles section of Los Angeles, California. The church was built in the 1920s and designed by architect Albert C. Martin, Sr. Dedicated in 1925, it was located in what was then one of the wealthiest sections of the city, on land adjacent to the Edward Doheny Mansion and Stimson House. It was the second Roman Catholic church in Los Angeles to be consecrated. Composer Amédée Tremblay notably served as the church's organist from 1925–1949.The climactic scene of the 1999 film End of Days, featuring Arnold Schwarzenegger's battle against Satan was filmed in the church. The church's altar is featured prominently in the film's final scenes. The church also appears in the movie Constantine. The church was also featured in the Warrant video "The Biller Pill" (acoustic version), with lead singer Jani Lane performing the song in front of and around the church.
The Hotel Normandie was designed by master architects Walker & Eisen and was completed in 1926. It is a landmark that compliments a series of buildings developed by Karl Elliot in the Wilshire District of Los Angeles in the early part of the last century. Walker & Eisen designed a number of landmark Los Angeles buildings in the 1920's and 30's. In addition to the Hotel Normandie, some of their more famous designs include the Fine Arts Building (1925), the Gaylord Apartments (1926), the Beverly Wilshire Hotel (1926), the Oviatt Building (1927) and the United Artists Theater (1927).
Home to the Doheny family for nearly 60 years, the Doheny Mansion was built in 1899 for the Oliver P. Posey family by architects Theodore Eisen and Sumner Hunt. Its eclectic Romantic Revival exterior unites elements of Gothic, Chateauesque, Moorish and even California Mission styles. The opulent interior reflects the wealth and status of pioneering oil baron Edward L. Doheny, who purchased the mansion in 1901 and, with his wife Estelle, led a fascinating life within its walls. Left to the stewardship of Mount Saint Mary's University, the Doheny Mansion and all of the surrounding properties on historic Chester Place now form the College's downtown campus.
Bullocks Wilshire, located at 3050 Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles, California, is a 230000sqft Art Deco building. The building was completed in 1929 as a luxury department store for owner John G. Bullock (owner of the more mainstream Bullock's in Downtown Los Angeles).HistoryDesignThe building was designed by Los Angeles architects John and Donald Parkinson; the interior design was by Eleanor Lemaire and Jock Peters of the Feil & Paradise Company; the ceiling mural of the porte-cochère was painted by Herman Sachs.ExteriorThe exterior is notable for its 241ft tower whose top is sheathed in copper, tarnished green. At one time, the tower peak had a light that could be seen for miles around. Bullocks Wilshire's innovation was that it was one of the first department stores in Los Angeles to cater to the burgeoning automobile culture. It was located in a then-mostly residential district, its objective to attract shoppers who wanted a closer place to shop than Downtown Los Angeles. Traditional display windows faced the sidewalk, but they were decorated to catch the eyes of motorists. Since most customers would arrive by vehicle, the most appealing entrance was placed in the rear. Under the city's first department store porte cochere, valets in livery welcomed patrons and parked their cars.
Devoted to the continued production of things reminiscent of this landmark era in media's history, The Velaslavasay Panorama is indeed proud to exist and participate in the cultural artistic identity of the great city of Los Angeles.
The Bryson Apartment Hotel is a historic 110000sqft, ten-story apartment building on Wilshire Boulevard in the MacArthur Park section of Los Angeles, California. Built in 1913 in the Beaux Arts style, it was one of the most luxurious residential buildings in Los Angeles for many years. The building is also closely associated with the city's film noir history, having been featured in Raymond Chandler's works and the 1990 neo-noir The Grifters. The building's stone lions and large rooftop "Bryson" sign have become Los Angeles landmarks. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983 and designated a Historic Cultural Monument (#653) by the Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission in 1998.Construction and architectureThe Bryson was built in 1913 by real estate developer, Hugh W. Bryson, along a stretch of Wilshire Boulevard that was considered to be the "West Side" and which was then principally a residential area. Bryson acquired the property in 1911, purchasing and razing four houses that occupied the space. He had originally intended to construct a six-story building flush with the sidewalks along Wilshire Boulevard and Rampart Street. When neighbors complained about his plans, Bryson chose instead to build a taller structure, but one set back 100ft from the center Wilshire Boulevard and Rampart Street. In March 1912, Bryson announced his revised plans: "It is my intention to make this apartment house in a class by itself on this coast and finer than any other west of New York City. To that end, I shall spare no expense."
A celebration of a world that exists only in memory. As an internationally known hotel, numerous photos, recordings, books, films, and other media exist that illustrate why the Los Angeles Ambassador Hotel remained a destination for travelers for over a half century. Perhaps those same materials can explain to future generations how passionate people can become when fighting to save or destroy a historical, cultural landmark. Leave your troubles and daily life behind and return up the long driveway and veer left to the Ambassador's circular porte cochere and entrance to the hotel. Passing on your right al fresco dining on the Cafe Ambassador/Fountain Room's patio, the glass double doors swing open and a promenade of shops and services await you. But first, take either the stairs at the end of the corridor or an elevator up to the Lobby, obtain your room key at the desk and then stroll about the 22 acres as the Southern California weather renews you. It's our hope this page becomes your cyber-vacation destination. With a choice of 6 decades and photos, videos and timeline information, there is much exploring to do. If you have questions, simply ask an Administrator. You are invited to post your personal recollections as well as photos, advertising materials, links, collectibles and other historically appropriate information for the period the hotel was standing. (1919-2005). Thank you, and enjoy!
Felipe de Neve Branch is a branch library of the Los Angeles Public Library located in Lafayette Park in Westlake, Los Angeles, California. It was built in 1929 based on a Mediterranean Revival-Classical Revival design by architect Austin Whittlesey. The branch was named after Felipe de Neve, the Spanish governor of California who oversaw the founding of Los Angeles. The branch was opened on Felipe de Neve Day in 1929, celebrating the 148th anniversary of the founding of Los Angeles.The Felipe de Neve Branch was designated a Historic-Cultural Monument by the Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission in January 1984. In 1987, the De Neve Branch and several other branch libraries in Los Angeles were added to the National Register of Historic Places as part of a thematic group submission. The application noted that the branch libraries had been constructed in a variety of period revival styles to house the initial branch library system of the City of Los Angeles. With respect to the De Neve Branch, the application described the building as a one-story Mediterranean style brick building with a red tile roof. The street elevation is elaborately decorated with symmetrically arranged groupings of windows and black and white tile decorations in the shape of diamonds and crosses. The seal of the city made of mosaic tile is above the front doors. A horsehoe-shaped cast stone border of a floral design surrounds the top of the seal and doors.
The Van Buren Place Historic District, located in the West Adams section of Los Angeles, California, is a Historic District listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The district is located in the 2600 block of Van Buren Place and consists of Craftsman, Shingle-Craftsman and Tudor-Craftsman style homes built between 1903 and 1916. The area was founded by Percy H. Clark who built six of the homes. The district is significant, for the purpose of the National Register Historic District designation, in the area of community planning and development and the area of architecture.Further reading Bob Pool, "This Old House: Former Drug Hub Draws Attention on Tour of Homes," ''Los Angeles Times, page 1
Mary Andrews Clark Memorial Home is a four-story, 76000sqft "French Revival Chateauesque" brick structure in the Westlake neighborhood of Los Angeles near downtown. It was built in 1913 as a YWCA home for young working women.The house was built by William A. Clark (1839-1925), the copper magnate after whom Clark County, Nevada, was named, as a memorial to his mother Mary Andrews Clark (1814-1904). The home was operated by the YWCA from 1913 to 1987, when it was closed as a result of earthquake damage sustained in the Whittier Narrows earthquake. The building reopened in 1995 as housing for low income single workers. The building has been designated a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Stimson House is a Richardsonian Romanesque mansion in Los Angeles, California, on Figueroa Street north of West Adams. Built in 1891, it was the home of lumber and banking millionaire Thomas Douglas Stimson. During Stimson’s lifetime, the house survived a dynamite attack by a blackmailer in 1896. After Stimson’s death, the house has been occupied by a brewer who reportedly stored wines and other spirits in the basement, a fraternity house that conducted noisy parties (causing consternation among occupants of neighboring mansions), as student housing for Mount St. Mary's College, and as a convent for the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet.ArchitectureA Los Angeles landmarkWhen Stimson House was built in the 1890s, the Los Angeles Times described it as "the costliest and most beautiful private residence in Los Angeles," a building "admired by all who see it." More than a hundred years later, the Times said: “From the front, the 3-story house resembles a medieval castle, with brick chimneys standing guard like sentries along the roof and an ornate four-story crenelated tower on the northeast corner, a noble rook from a massive chess board." With its $150,000 cost, it was the most expensive house that had been built in Los Angeles at the time.From the day it was built, the 30-room house was a Los Angeles landmark. Neighbors and occupants have referred to it over the years as "the Castle" or the "Red Castle" due to its turret-top walls, four-story tower, and red-stone exterior.
The Westlake Theatre is a historic theater located in the Westlake section of Los Angeles, California, adjacent to MacArthur Park. The theater was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2009.Opened in 1926, the theater had seating for 1,949 patrons and was used for both motion pictures and vaudeville shows. It was built at a reported cost of $750,000. It was designed by Richard D. Bates, Jr., with an exterior in a Mission/Spanish Colonial Revival style. The facade features cast stone Churrigueresque detailing of floral patterns and cartouche relief. The interior contains Adamesque references and murals by Anthony Heinsbergen. Exterior renovations in 1935 were designed by the noted theater architect S. Charles Lee and included an Art Deco ticket kiosk made of red-painted metal, unvarnished aluminum and glass, new lobby doors, and terrazzo sunburst paving in the foyer and front sidewalk. One of the theater's intact features is an original steel-frame, three-story neon sign that reads "WESTLAKE THEATRE."The Westlake was operated as a first-run movie theater from 1926 until the 1960s. As the neighborhood's demographics changed, the theater was sold to Metropolitan Theatres Corp., which showed Spanish-language or Spanish-subtitled movies. In 1991, the building was sold to Mayer Separzadeh, who converted the theater into a swap meet. To protect the building from drastic changes, the building was declared a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument in September 1991.
The Town House is a large former hotel property built in 1929 on Wilshire Boulevard, adjacent to Lafayette Park in the Westlake district of Los Angeles, California.The Town House was developed as one of the most luxurious apartment-hotels in Southern California. Built at a cost of $3 million, it opened on September 11, 1929 and was designed by Norman W. Alpaugh. It is a very late example of the Beaux Arts style, with a brick and terra cotta facade with classical detailing. The building was converted to operate exclusively as a hotel in 1937, featuring one of the most glamorous nightclubs in the city, the Zebra Room, with interiors by noted designer Wayne McAllister.Conrad Hilton bought the Town House in 1942, paying owner Arnold Kirkeby $150,000 cash and assuming $830,000 of debt. Elizabeth Taylor celebrated her first marriage, to Hilton heir Conrad Hilton, Jr., at the hotel in 1950. The Town House was sold to Sheraton Hotels in 1954 and became the Sheraton-Town House. In 1958, Sheraton renamed the hotel the Sheraton-West Hotel. Sheraton sold the hotel to the Kyo-Ya group in 1972, although Sheraton retained management. In 1978 the hotel's name reverted to the Sheraton-Town House. From the 1960s through the 1980s, the area around Lafayette Park became less desirable and more dangerous and after the 1992 Los Angeles Riots, the hotel finally closed in February 1993. It was later converted and reopened in 2001 as low-income housing.
S.A.R.C.H. was formed on March 14, 2005, after several years' work. S.A.R.C.H. The primary purposes of this corporationis to promote and support the preservation of historic buildings in general and, more particularly, support the preservation and maintenance of the historic Andronicus Chapter House, and to carry on other charitable and educational activities associated with this purpose as allowed by law. Through our work, we help support not only the architecture students which inhabit the Andronicus Chapter Housei, but also the Masters and Certificate of Historic Preservation Programs at the University of Southern California by offering the house as a research subject. S.A.R.C.H. is a non-profit, tax exempt charitable foundation created to address the financial obligations connected with the growing need for historic preservation of the Shankland-Andronicus Chapter House, a need highlighted by a Historic Structures Report prepared by USC Historic Preservation graduate students Jill Vesci and Vanessa Wexler. As a separate entity distinct from the Andronicus Alumni Association, S.A.R.C.H. acts in advisory, financial, and educational roles to ensure the needs described in the HSR are met through historically sensitive materials and methods. Working in conjunction with the Andronicus Alumni Association, the Andronicus Chapter of the Alpha Rho Chi Fraternity, and the USC School of Architecture, S.A.R.C.H. is striving to ensure financial support for the restoration and maintenance of the Chapter House for future members. Our efforts will further education in historic preservation by providing a ‘living workshop’ and scholarships to students in the Andronicus Chapter
Granada Shoppes and Studios, also known as the Granada Buildings, is an imaginative, Mediterranean Revival and Spanish Colonial Revival style block-long complex consisting of four courtyard-connected structures, in Central Los Angeles, California. It was built immediately to the southeast of Lafayette Park in the Westlake District, in 1927.HistoryThe project was designed by architect Franklin Harper with 42 suites combining offices and studios. Each unit had two levels, with office or shop space on the ground floor and living space on the second level or loft area. When Harper announced his plan in October 1927, the Los Angeles Times described the $1 million combined shop, studio and apartment structure as something entirely new in Los Angeles, resembling the design of European specialty shops. The apartments were located on the mezzanine level and consisted of kitchen, living room, bath and open porch.DesignThe dominant feature of the Granada is the courtyard running between the four structures. The courtyards serve both a functional role as the paths to each of the suites and an aesthetic role as a garden area providing shade. One architectural textbook describes the exterior space as the dominant organizing theme for the building, giving the complex "all the attributes of the traditional narrow commercial street."The beauty of the Granada has attracted architects, artists, and urban planners from its earliest days. Gregory Ain and James Garrott shared office space here before World War II. George Hurrell, a noted Hollywood portrait photographer, lived and worked in Suite 9, photographing silent film stars in his office at the Granada. In the Princeton Architectural Press' 1997 book, "Courtyard Housing," the authors described the Granda as follows:"The Granada Buildings have attained an almost mythical quality in the Los Angeles design world, as architects, graphic designers, and artists have made them their homes. The court is one of the monuments of southern California architecture and one that contains the seeds of an urban existence whose promise was never fulfilled."
The Hotel Chancellor is a historic building in Los Angeles, California. Built in 1924, it was for many years located on the block to the east of the city's famous Ambassador Hotel. The structure was designed by Milton M. Friedman in the Beaux Arts style. It has since been converted from a hotel to an apartment building. In 2006, the building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places based on architectural criteria.
Young's Market Company Building built in 1924 is an historic building located at 1610 West 7th Street, corner South Union Avenue, in the Westlake neighborhood of Los Angeles, California.It was originally a liquor warehouse and office building, designed by the architect was Charles F. Plummer. The Spanish Renaissance Revival style building features marble columns and a terra-cotta frieze.It has been renovated into 44 live-work lofts in 1997. The original.The Young's Market Company Building commercial block is a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument. On June 15, 2004 it was added to the National Register of Historic Places.