Actually, your finding isn't mundane at all, let alone an ugly duckling Albany NY. Isn't this the same building? It's from the same time period.

*The more I look at it, I'm not sure this is the same building.

http://imageshack.us/a/img253/4152/aafireproof2a.jpg
google street view



below: The details of this building are amazing. It must have been a real jewel back in the day.

http://imageshack.us/a/img690/2981/aafireproof2b.jpg
google street view

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The Navarro Apartment Hotel, 925 South Alvarado.

http://imageshack.us/a/img690/5029/aanavarro1.jpg
ebay


The Navarro today.

http://imageshack.us/a/img856/8656/aanavarrotoday.jpg
google street view




below: The Navarro is actually much larger than I first thought as shown in this aerial.

http://imageshack.us/a/img706/7251/aanavarroaerial.jpg
google earth

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http://i707.photobucket.com/albums/w...hereisthis.jpg


Is this building with arrow the frontside of the backside?

http://i707.photobucket.com/albums/w...flight1926.jpg

If I had read ethereal reality's earlier post I would have had my question answered, thanks.

Building with peaked roof still stands, barely.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8322/8...90144ee4_b.jpgGE

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8173/8...73a01802_b.jpgGE

Within Godzilla's wonderful post I added some modern day views.

The domed building in the lower left corner of the photo is indeed the Embassy Hotel and Auditorium, the domed building to the right is the RKO Theatre located on the corner of 9th and Hill. Indeed, if you look very closely you can read "RKO" on both the back of the fly wall and the south side of the building!
I have two images of the RKO that I would like to add to your thread, but unsure how to post them.[/QUOTE]

Google Earth can help with then and now pictures. Love looking at the changes.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8321/8...172339d9_b.jpgGE

:previous:Masterful effort rcarlton!
Mixed feelings seeing the contemporary images. Remodels are not always improvements.:hmmm:


Recent post - a few blocks away at 731 N Western
http://imageshack.us/a/img266/8480/a...turesdecof.jpghttp://imageshack.us/a/img266/8480/a...turesdecof.jpg

1964
http://digitalcollections.lmu.edu/ut...XT=&DMROTATE=0http://digitalcollections.lmu.edu/ut...XT=&DMROTATE=0http://digitalcollections.lmu.edu/ut...XT=&DMROTATE=0http://digitalcollections.lmu.edu/ut...XT=&DMROTATE=0http://digitalcollections.lmu.edu

Google Earth. Used two churches in lower right to key on.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8458/8...595edfdc_b.jpgGE

Today:
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8453/8...eea945b1_b.jpgGE

That building was See's original candy factory...

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...postcount=6066

:previous:..to go from See's to a BAIT shop. :(

It's still fixable.

Looks like an empty shell with a porta potti.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8456/8...a4e795a1_b.jpgGE

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-a...2520PM.bmp.jpgLAPL

A 1923 ad.... The building still stands. Here are a few recent shots:


https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-z...2520PM.bmp.jpg

Images above and below are from Bing Maps... if you move one notch north, it becomes Public Storage, which I presume is the newer incarnation:

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-K...2520PM.bmp.jpg

The aerial below is from Google--notice the route of the Pacific Electric Air Line spur:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-6...2520PM.bmp.jpg


A note on Bing Maps: After a lot of finagling, you can come up with different aerial angles. However, using Bing stopped my computer cold, so beware.

Seems like a very secure building - in 1924!

http://hdl.huntington.org/utils/ajax...XT=&DMROTATE=0http://hdl.huntington.org/utils/ajax...XT=&DMROTATE=0http://hdl.huntington.org

Bekins Pico and Crenshaw pre-'33
http://catalog.library.ca.gov/exlibr...XTN15K8KLF.jpgCal.St.Lib

"Same as it ever was . . . ?" better than most!
http://www.publicstorage.com/images/...eshow_full.jpghttp://laist.com/attachments/la_kemp...f79f3aa5-1.jpggooglehttp://la.curbed.com/uploads/2007-04-uglystorage.jpglacurbed

below: Here's a wider view of the 'spur'. I've circled GaylordWilshire's storage warehouse in red.

http://imageshack.us/a/img222/2733/a...vdspurline.jpg
google earth

In the past did this rather lengthy 'spur' continue west on Exposition Boulevard?

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The empty swaths of land left by this old 'spur' is amazing. You could land a small airplane there!

http://imageshack.us/a/img641/1018/a...onblvdspur.jpg
google earth

So who owns this land now? The city of Los Angeles?

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I found a couple more images of the Hershey Arms at 2600 Wilshire. Is that a sign on the tower or part of the architectural ornament?

http://imageshack.us/a/img31/605/aahersheyarms1pc.jpg
ebay




below: A rare view of the opulent interior.

http://imageshack.us/a/img201/9739/a...eyarmshuge.jpg
ebay



http://imageshack.us/a/img21/5401/aa...yarmsebay1.jpg
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vint-PC-Hers...-/261026475392

An earlier post by GaylordWilshire also included this photo.
http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...postcount=4770
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If the term "spur" comes from the advertisement, it may have been merely a term of art used just for the ad and brevity. They might have used "branch" too. It could have started out as a short "spur" line and grew with the city, or a big spur to accommodate freight rather than passengers.

Hard to say who has ownership of strip. Tax rolls might provide insight. Since portions are in use and others not, it is possible for many owners/lessors/licensees.

:previous: Thanks for the information Godzilla.
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A tourist's snapshot of the RKO Studios soundstage on the corner of Melrose Ave. and Gower Street.

http://imageshack.us/a/img338/7623/la0226rkosnap.jpg
ebay



below: The soundstage today...now part of Paramount Studios.

http://imageshack.us/a/img29/78/aarkotoday.jpg





below: Another tourist's snapshot. Notice the lightning bolts at the top of the RKO tower.

http://imageshack.us/a/img833/5445/aarkosnap2.jpg
ebay





The lightning bolts symbolize Morse code.

http://imageshack.us/a/img708/9699/aarkoyoutube.jpg
click on this link to see and hear (in morse code) the RKO logo in action.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzeqLo_BGNo




And finally, a beautiful RPPC.

http://imageshack.us/a/img193/1820/aarkogreatrppc.jpg
ebay

You just gotta love old Hollywood! :)

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