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  #31041  
Old Posted Sep 15, 2015, 5:25 PM
tovangar2 tovangar2 is offline
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Richlor's / Ed Debevic's building, demolished 2004

As Beaudry pointed out before, the Richlor's building was insensitively remodeled into Ed Debevic's. At least they had the sense to leave the porte cochere alone:

Quote:
Originally Posted by ethereal_reality View Post

ebay

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Quote:
Originally Posted by Beaudry View Post


...image from one of the great books on Los Angeles and beyond: TLAoWM
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  #31042  
Old Posted Sep 15, 2015, 6:00 PM
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There's no prize for guessing this Julius Shulman location, although the second and third shots are more obvious than the first. This is the Bank of America on the corner of Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue. Unusually for these photosets, there's no close-up of the bank building. There is, however, another of those "Chop Suey" signs on the left. For search/credit purposes, this is "Job 1268: Bank of America (Los Angeles, Calif.),1952".



Now we're looking east along Hollywood Boulevard. In 1952, the Hollywood Hotel would still have been hiding behind the trees on the left.



I thought Martin Pal might like this close-up of Coffee Dan's, although I don't think it shows us anything new. The Hotel Drake was formerly the Hotel Christie.



The view looking north is dominated by the Hollywood First National Bank building.



Here's a close-up of the Max Factor building on the right. Chuckaluck posted a similar 1939 image in post #17987.



All from Getty Research Institute

The old bank building is still standing, but has been transformed into Ripley's Believe It or Not.


GSV

Here's my attempt to recreate the third Shulman image with GSV. Considering the changes that have taken place on the northwest corner of Hollywood/Highland, this view still has a lot of the buildings from 1952. On the right, the old Max Factor building is now the Hollywood Museum.


GSV
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  #31043  
Old Posted Sep 15, 2015, 6:27 PM
tovangar2 tovangar2 is offline
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The Green Book

Hector Tobar's article for LAT, "A Trip Through Time to Historic South-Central Los Angeles" relied on "The Green Book" guide. The introduction to The Green Book stated:

"It has been our idea to give the Negro traveler information that will keep him from running into difficulties, embarrassments and to make his trip more enjoyable"

Published starting in 1936, The Green Book at first only covered the New York metropolitan area, but soon covered the entire US plus Canada, Mexico and Bermuda:



The entries were brief, just addresses, but the Los Angeles listings covered hotels, motels, restaurants, beauty parlors, barber shops,
taverns, night clubs, road houses, service stations, garages, automotive, drug stores, tailors and real estate.
(There were, of course, many more businesses besides those listed in The Green Book, which admittedly didn't cover everything).

LA hotels:


Some of these (including the Dunbar, of course) are still around. Here's the Lincoln at 549 Ceres:

gsv



A PDF of The Green Book may be found here. (the LA entries are on pages 7 and 8)



(All I remember from when I was a kid was that Black families traveling east had to get to Lordsburg, NM before sundown.
I don't think I understood why. I thought Lordsburg must be wonderful)

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Last edited by tovangar2; Sep 16, 2015 at 3:53 AM.
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  #31044  
Old Posted Sep 15, 2015, 6:31 PM
CityBoyDoug CityBoyDoug is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ethereal_reality View Post
re: The Richlor's ad in the Key brochure.






I wonder what that is on top of the stand-alone bar/counter in the center of the photo.....a fancy napkin holder?

...
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Just a guess but it could be for privacy....or the illusion of it.
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  #31045  
Old Posted Sep 15, 2015, 6:34 PM
tovangar2 tovangar2 is offline
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Max Factor Building

Quote:
Originally Posted by HossC View Post

Here's my attempt to recreate the third Shulman image with GSV. Considering the changes that have taken place on the northwest corner of Hollywood/Highland, this view still has a lot of the buildings from 1952. On the right, the old Max Factor building is now the Hollywood Museum.


GSV

I seem to recall that the glamorous S Charles Lee-remodeled Max Factor building started life as a furniture warehouse (the 4-story bit) and a garage (there's a nice timber-trussed ceiling in the one-story garage part).

An interior:

islandora


Max Factor had wanted to build this (but the Depression intervened):

the show starts on the sidewalk - google books

Last edited by tovangar2; Sep 20, 2015 at 8:20 PM. Reason: add image
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  #31046  
Old Posted Sep 15, 2015, 6:59 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tovangar2 View Post

Hector Tobar's article for LAT, "A Trip Through Time to Historic South-Central Los Angeles" relied on "The Green Book" guide. The introduction to The Green Book stated:

"It has been our idea to give the Negro traveler information that will keep him from running into difficulties, embarrassments and to make his trip more enjoyable"

Published starting in 1936, The Green Book at first only covered the New York metropolitan area, but soon covered the entire US plus Canada, Mexico and Bermuda:



The entries were brief, just addresses, but the Los Angeles businesses covered hotels, motels, restaurants, beauty parlors, barber shops,
taverns, night clubs, road houses, service stations, garages, automotive, drug stores, tailors and real estate.
(There were, of course, many more businesses besides those listed in The Green Book, which admittedly didn't cover everything).
Back in 1930-31, Los Angeles had its own "Negro City Directory". Here's the preface.


LAPL

And here's the list of buildings and apartments, which also includes the Dunbar and the Lincoln.


LAPL
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  #31047  
Old Posted Sep 15, 2015, 7:15 PM
tovangar2 tovangar2 is offline
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Opened in 1928, "The Apex Nite Club", mentioned above, later became the Club Alabam.



P.S.

"Devil in a Blue Dress" (1995), based on one of Walter Mosley's Easy Rawlins detective stories, made real efforts to recreate S. Central Avenue. South Main at Winston was dressed as S. Central for the film (notice our old friend, The Regent, 1914, the last historic theater building on Main Street, the Charnock building, 1888, down the way and Parkinson and Bergstrom's 1909 Canadian Building on the left):



The exterior of the fictional "Club Finale" was filmed at 3426 W Pico, between Crenshaw and Western:


both pix: it'sfilmedthere

Last edited by tovangar2; Sep 17, 2015 at 2:57 PM. Reason: add images
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  #31048  
Old Posted Sep 15, 2015, 7:39 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CityBoyDoug View Post
Just a guess but it could be for privacy....or the illusion of it.
detail / Richlor's bar


I think you're entirely correct CBD.
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  #31049  
Old Posted Sep 15, 2015, 7:49 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ethereal_reality View Post

San Pedro viewscape.


http://www.ebay.com/itm/San-Pedro-Ca...3D311443811773

I have never heard of Miraleste before.

writing on the reverse (I can't read what comes after "San Pedro California")


is it German?
It's actually Dutch. Luckily, I have a Dutch friend on another forum. He says the first bit is "In vogelvlucht", which means something like fast or for a short time. He also says that the last word is "inwoners". His translation of the whole caption is:

San Pedro
California, in a nutshell.
Over 60 thousand citizens.


Thanks Roth!
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  #31050  
Old Posted Sep 15, 2015, 8:02 PM
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It's always good to have a Dutch friend.



Quote:
Originally Posted by HossC View Post

The view looking north is dominated by the Hollywood First National Bank building.



As most of you know, thousands of vintage buildings in the Los Angeles area have lost architectural decorative elements due to safety concerns w future earthquakes.
(you don't want a 300lb stone urn landing on your head!)

So I am surprised the large 'obelisks' on the First National Bank building are still in place. (as shown below)


https://vimeo.com/136228343

Does anyone know, have they been reinforced?

I ask that because I don't any brackets securing them to the building. (perhaps metal rods have been placed within the obelisks)

It would be interesting to find out what safety precautions were included in the latest restoration.
__

Last edited by ethereal_reality; Sep 15, 2015 at 11:28 PM.
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  #31051  
Old Posted Sep 15, 2015, 8:20 PM
CityBoyDoug CityBoyDoug is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tovangar2 View Post
I seem to recall that the glamorous S Charles Lee-remodeled Max Factor building started life as a furniture warehouse (the 4-story bit) and a garage.


Max Factor had wanted to build this (but the Depression intervened):

the show starts on the sidewalk - google books


The book this comes from is fun to look at.

I like the proposed MF building. Too bad it never happened.

I used to walk past the old MFactor building on Highland when I lived in Hollywood in the 1970s. They had window displays of their products. To be honest I thought the displays and building were creepy.

Last edited by CityBoyDoug; Sep 15, 2015 at 8:30 PM.
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  #31052  
Old Posted Sep 15, 2015, 10:43 PM
tovangar2 tovangar2 is offline
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First National Bank Building, Hollywood and Highland

Quote:
Originally Posted by ethereal_reality View Post

As most of you know, thousands of vintage buildings in the Los Angeles area have lost architectural decorative elements due to safety concerns w future earthquakes.
(you don't want a 300lb stone urn landing on your head!)

So I am surprised the large 'obelisks' on the First National Bank building are still in place.


https://vimeo.com/136228343

Does anyone know, have they been reinforced?

I ask that because I don't any brackets securing them to the building. (perhaps metal rods have been placed within the obelisks)

It would be interesting to find out what safety precautions were included in the last restoration.
__
I'm sure Building and Safety has had a look at it, but there was no "last restoration". The building is mostly empty. Only the ground floor, mezzanine and basement are offered for rent because the mechanical systems are shot on the upper floors.

Some people think the city should take it over and restore it. Millions were spent on the Hollywood Western Building and it's not near as iconic.

Often credited (or partly credited) to Raymond M. Kennedy (1891-1976), lead architect at Meyer and Holler for many years (he also did the Chinese Theater and the Mode O' Day/International Mart).

Another of Kennedy's projects was the Ocean Center Building in Long Beach, somewhat reminiscent of the First National Bank Building:


wiki

The obelisks which top the Chinese are much bigger:


la.com

The rooftop gardens and forecourt palms are gone, but the obelisks are still sprouting stuff:

lainsidertours

Remember the ca 1958 pair of neon dragons at the Chinese? Here's what happened to them

Last edited by tovangar2; Sep 19, 2015 at 6:56 PM. Reason: add image
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  #31053  
Old Posted Sep 15, 2015, 11:14 PM
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re: First National Bank building.

Quote:
Originally Posted by tovangar2 View Post
I'm sure Building and Safety has had a look at it, but there was no "last restoration". The building is mostly empty. Only the ground floor, mezzanine and basement are offered for rent because the mechanical systems are shot on the upper floors.

Some people think the city should take it over and restore it. Millions were spent on the Hollywood Western Building and it's not near as iconic.
I'm surprised t2. I had no idea most of the building is empty.

And I agree that this is the more 'iconic' building. -so why hasn't anyone invested in it I wonder?
This would make a great boutique hotel.


old file/lapl
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*I didn't even think of the 'obelisks' on top of Grauman's. You're right, they're bigger. But they have a shorter distance to fall.
I think the damage would be about equal.


http://www.worth1000.com/entries/409208/anvil-head
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Last edited by ethereal_reality; Sep 15, 2015 at 11:40 PM.
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  #31054  
Old Posted Sep 15, 2015, 11:32 PM
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"Vintage 1925 South Pasadena California Radio Gasoline Sign."


http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-1925...item5b18afc021

Interesting looking bench. It appear to be made of concrete ends with thick wood slats. (I'm not sure what those joints are called...tongue in groove?)
I wonder if this style was commonplace in South Pasadena in the 1920s?

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  #31055  
Old Posted Sep 15, 2015, 11:46 PM
tovangar2 tovangar2 is offline
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Raymond McCormick Kennedy

Quote:
Originally Posted by ethereal_reality View Post
re: First National Bank building.

This would make a great boutique hotel.


*I didn't even think of the 'obelisks' on top of Grauman's. You're right, they're bigger, but have a shorter distance to fall.
I think the damage would be about equal.
__
I agree, the First National Bank Building would make a great hotel (or offices or apartments). It looks like a most attractive and lucrative project at an unbeatable location, but what do I know?

Raymond M. Kennedy had a thing for obelisks. Here's the impressive set on his Mode O'Day/ International Mart. They're still there. Meyer and Holler really knew how to build stuff (they were architects and contractors):


flickr




Oh, wait, you already did that one:

Quote:
Originally Posted by ethereal_reality View Post

usc digital archive

Can anyone explain this strange architectural style?
There is a neo-classical cartouche above the doorway on the extreme right....and an art deco 'design' on the corner pillar at the left.
The obelisks along the roof-line are oddly extravagant (as well as dangerous during an earthquake).

Quote:
Originally Posted by ethereal_reality View Post
(I'm not sure what those joints are called...tongue in groove?)
__
This is 'tongue and groove'. It's used for flooring and paneling. The slats in the bench are pegged. I dunno what would stop kids pulling them out though:


the net

Last edited by tovangar2; Sep 17, 2015 at 3:36 PM. Reason: add quote + image
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  #31056  
Old Posted Sep 16, 2015, 12:12 AM
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I like my description , but I failed to mention (or didn't notice) that 'ship weathervane' on top. Is that still there?
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  #31057  
Old Posted Sep 16, 2015, 12:18 AM
tovangar2 tovangar2 is offline
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International Mart/Mode O'Day/County Assessors, 155 W Washington Blvd

Quote:
Originally Posted by ethereal_reality View Post
I like my description , but I failed to mention (or didn't notice) the 'ship weathervane'. Is that still there?
No, it's gone.



P.S.

I found the 1962 permit to remove the cartouche over the front entrance (apparently bits were falling off of it). No mention though of the missing deco corner detail or what happened to the ship:



ladbs


A shot of the lobby:

loopnet

From the back (Sky Posters Building?):

gsv

The facade these days:

gsv


Ghost ship:

uscdl

Last edited by tovangar2; Sep 16, 2015 at 9:22 PM. Reason: add P.S.
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  #31058  
Old Posted Sep 16, 2015, 2:36 AM
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[QUOTE=ethereal_reality;7164497]San Pedro viewscape.


http://www.ebay.com/itm/San-Pedro-Ca...3D311443811773

I have never heard of Miraleste before.


Miraleste is a name or an area associated with Palos Verdes. There was a Miraleste High School on the top of the hill but it has been closed since about 1990. It is now a middle school.

Last edited by Bristolian; Sep 16, 2015 at 2:38 PM.
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  #31059  
Old Posted Sep 16, 2015, 4:05 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tovangar2 View Post
I agree, the First National Bank Building would make a great hotel (or offices or apartments). It looks like a most attractive and lucrative project at an unbeatable location, but what do I know?

Raymond M. Kennedy had a thing for obelisks. Here's the impressive set on his Mode O'Day/ International Mart. They're still there. Meyer and Holler really knew how to build stuff (they were architects and contractors):


flickr
Raymond M. Kennedy/Meyer & Holler also did the Fox Fullerton Theatre, known originally as Chapman's Alician Court Theatre. This is not a very good pic of the front, which has a courtyard a la Grauman's Chinese and Egyptian theaters, but you can see the stuff that they stuck on top.


cinelog.org

It didn't have obelisks but it had some shorter pylon kind of things with spheres on top, and apparently a rather large urn. The adjacent service station with the tile roof was a 1929 addition by Morgan, Walls & Clements.

The Fox Fullerton is currently (and very slowly) undergoing restoration.
http://www.foxfullerton.org


http://ocstructure.blogspot.com/2014...-downtown.html


Google Street View

Last edited by ProphetM; Sep 16, 2015 at 4:18 AM.
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  #31060  
Old Posted Sep 16, 2015, 4:50 AM
tovangar2 tovangar2 is offline
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Chapman Alician Court / Fox Theatre, Fullerton

Quote:
Originally Posted by ProphetM View Post
Raymond M. Kennedy/Meyer & Holler also did the Fox Fullerton Theatre, known originally as Chapman's Alician Court Theatre. This is not a very good pic of the front, which has a courtyard a la Grauman's Chinese and Egyptian theaters, but you can see the stuff that they stuck on top.

It didn't have obelisks but it had some shorter pylon kind of things with spheres on top, and apparently a rather large urn.
Much as I'm enjoying that roof-top urn, it may not have been original. That signage on the right also may not be original. It's a bit awkward:


cinelog


The International Mart/Washington Furniture Company/Mode O'Day/County Assessors Office building had four different rooftop finial designs (plus our missing ship). It's like there's a whole chess set up there. I guess Raymond Kennedy just couldn't help himself (obviously not a devotee of "Ornament and Crime"):

lapl

Last edited by tovangar2; Sep 17, 2015 at 4:37 AM. Reason: b/c can't help it
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