Quote:
Originally Posted by GaylordWilshire
 
An even-numbered address doesn't makes sense for the west side of an L.A. street.... I figured the typist of the crane picture captions for a ditz, especially after noticing "Westmore" for "Westmoreland" in the second.... Anyway, the 600 "block" of Westmoreland is really two blocks, from 6th to 7th with Wilshire in between. The Bullock's business office and later its Federated parent company were a block north of the store at 601; the Pacific Fidelity Building was, as you can see from the two Times articles above, at 675. Interesting to note that it was a Welton Becket design. The articles are, respectively, from June 28, 1959, and June 24, 1960.
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Interesting. I mentioned Shell Oil, because that is what I heard from a docent. This piqued my curiosity further.
In 1956, the 675 address has listings for what appears to be two residents and possibly a business. Pacific Fidelity is listed in 1960 book at 675, "DU5-8131" (in case anyone has Univac questions), along with a couple of other businesses. By 1964, the only 675 listing is for "Pacific Finance." By 1968 "675" is listed as "building" with no number.
Could the Univac have possibly become obsolete sooner than expected? Or maybe it was the precursor or inspiration for the 1968 appearance of HAL9000?
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The Lankershim Hotel has been mentioned here. My effort at searching for it turned up a reference at P 150 of this thread. Fascinating set of photos taken from the Hotel circa 1907 featuring Broadway, Seventh and Spring Streets. Should anyone ask whether the Alexandria is fireproof, the correct answer is
ABSOLUTELY!
http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/search...=1337893974126