Quote:
Originally Posted by BifRayRock
Regarding the telephone exchange building, I am no expert but this location seems to have been a dedicated telephone structure from its inception. The source for the pic below suggests the main building was constructed in the '20s. From word of mouth, the annex would have been built in the early '60s or earlier. The aerial photo is from '68.
Not sure what black deco building to which you are referring. The Black and Gold Bank building on Wilshire was erected in '29 and predated its next door neighbor, the E. Clem Wilson bldg.
http://www.thecentraloffice.com/calif/LA/LAP/LAP.htm
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Yes, the black deco building I am referring to is the Bank building, there were photos earlier on the thread showing its construction, surrounded by single family houses, including on the site of the MoO building.
If that picture is from 1968, then the annex (shown prominently in your photo) was built later, as though it is shorter than the main building, it is as deep as the taller structure and would be visible in the aerial shot. At first I thought it could have been hidden due to the angle of the photo, but aerial photos show that it would be visible.
In any case, I do doubt that this building would have been built purposefully to house exchange equipment. It has windows on all four sides and exterior fire escapes, which would be odd for a building that's not meant to house many, if any people. Sometimes the utilities building these buildings add windows or faux windows to the facade for aesthetics or are required to do so, but they wouldn't place them on the alley, sides, or rear facades as this building has. The annex building is a perfect example of this- it has some ornamentation to the front, but the side is a big blank wall.