noirish Los Angeles

[ethereal_reality]

I recently came across this unique apartment building on W. Adams Street that has no less than 38 cartouches and medallions on it's facade!


gsv



Back in 2009 the color scheme was more severe (and tacky). Aquamarine, Turquoise, Gold...and Purple on all the wrought iron,
even the brackets under the eaves were painted purple.


gsv








Between the apartment and the church down the street there this large vintage brick building that resembles a fortress (in my imagination anyway )
-the sign above the door says it's a community center.


I admit, it resembles a school as well.

gsv

There's probably an impressive auditorium inside, but I wasn't able to find an interior photograph.
I just noticed it hasn't been retrofitted for earthquakes. -that's several tons of bricks



The community center is extremely close to the church next door; they might even be connected but it's difficult to tell.


google earth




The church next door is quite beautiful.


gsv



And it has a neat old blade sign with neon.


detail / gsv

First A.M.E. Zion Church
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I just realized Flyingwedge already alerted us to 1745 W. Adams Street in an earlier post (see below). Sorry for the redundancy folks.

Originally Posted by Flyingwedge

J. M. Close completed 1475 W. Adams in 1928; I couldn't find any more information about him after that:

GSV

[HossC]

This Julius Shulman photoset takes us back to Pasadena. Identification of the location was one of the easiest yet - street sign on the corner and address over the entrance. Of course, 1687 E Colorado Street is now 1687 E Colorado Boulevard. The set is filed under "Job 913: Bank of America (Pasadena, Calif.),1951".



Here's a better view of the arch sign. The oldest operating McDonald's is the branch in Downey that opened in 1953 (i.e. two years after this photo was taken). I wonder if either company "borrowed" the arch design from the other.



There are no long shots with this set, but it does come with a couple of interior views.





Does anyone have any idea who Lisa was? She has her face on all the pennants.



All from Getty Research Institute

This is our second survivor in a row that's still a Bank of America, although only half of this one is still a bank. The other half is now Starbucks. Sadly, it's lost its arch. Is it just me, or does the bank look smaller in darker colors? The new color scheme does match its new neighbors.


GSV

This extant detail is visible near the right side of the bank in the first Shulman picture. Is it a shield showing the USS Portsmouth? This is the best view I could get with GSV. Would this be too far out of your way for a visit, sopas ej?


GSV

[ethereal_reality]

A little more on the Koyasan Daishi Mission.

133 N. Central Avenue

http://tclf.org/sites/default/files/...ee/aoyama.html



The current Koyasan Buddhist Temple at 342 E. First Street is only a stones throw from the 1920 temple site.
google_earth

the red arrow points to the former site




But...the temple is quite difficult to see from the street (especially from the google-mobile).
The only time the google camera was positioned to see directly down the alley was in 2009 (see below)


gsv

That's it in the distance, at the end of the alley.


Here's a much closer look at the Koyasan Buddhist Temple.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koyasan_Buddhist_Temple

"The current temple was built in 1940. One year after its establishment, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, sparking the United States' involvement in World War II. The new temple was closed while its members were forcibly relocated to various internment camps. During the time period of World War II, the temple was mostly used for storage space for the internees. The temple was re-opened in 1946; from that point on, the temple had to rebuild its congregational base after families and residents of Little Tokyo were scattered throughout the Los Angeles area."

https://www.facebook.com/lakoyasanbe...3610019373939/


https://www.facebook.com/lakoyasanbe...3610019373939/




https://www.facebook.com/lakoyasanbe...3610019373939/



under construction (note City Hall in the distance)

https://www.facebook.com/lakoyasanbe...3610019373939/






https://www.facebook.com/lakoyasanbe...3610019373939/






https://www.facebook.com/lakoyasanbe...3610019373939/

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[sopas ej]

Originally Posted by HossC

This extant detail is visible near the right side of the bank in the first Shulman picture. Is it a shield showing the USS Portsmouth? This is the best view I could get with GSV. Would this be too far out of your way for a visit, sopas ej?


GSV

No it would not be too far out of my way. I know exactly where this is, it's catty-corner to Pasadena City College. If I have time this afternoon when I get out of work, I may drive there and take a picture of this.

[ethereal_reality]

Thanks for your post on Haddon Hall tovanger2.



originally posted by t2

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...ostcount=31216

I'm curious about that white vertical rectangle on the building. I can't figure out why it's there.
If you look closely, there appears to be a border around it. (mostly noticeable along the bottom). So I think it was purposely drawn.



It makes me think of the advertising banners on the tower at Sunset & Vine.


gsv

but I don't think S. Charles Lee was that far ahead of his time.
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[ethereal_reality]

Originally Posted by hossc

does anyone have any idea who lisa was? She has her face on all the pennants.

employee of the month ?


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[westcork]

Originally Posted by HossC

This extant detail is visible near the right side of the bank in the first Shulman picture. Is it a shield showing the USS Portsmouth? This is the best view I could get with GSV. Would this be too far out of your way for a visit, sopas ej?


GSV

The Echo Park branch used to have the same item. The is the USS Portsmouth. And the object you are looking at the night drop box. This is where customers (normally businesses) could deposit cash after hours. There should be a keyhole and a handle. Below is a newer model


rachelbythebay.com

[tovangar2]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

I'm curious about that white vertical rectangle on the building. I can't figure out why it's there.
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I dunno. I was so perplexed by that rectangle, I almost didn't use the image.


...maybe it was to be a temporary "Now Leasing" banner or some such (?)

[sopas ej]

Originally Posted by CityBoyDoug

Gehry's architecture is anti-human in the extreme.

I love Frank Gehry! He treats architecture as sculpture; but I can see why he isn't everyone's cup of tea.

The museum in Bilbao and the "Fred and Ginger" building in Prague are particularly my favorites (I realize I almost typed "Jack and Ginger." I like that drink).

I also like Disney Hall. I love walking around it and on it/on top of it. It really is like an interactive sculpture, like a playground for adults! In that platonic way, of course.

[ethereal_reality]

This looks like a nifty little tourist attraction. I would have loved going here as a kid.


http://www.ebay.com/itm/Aquarium-HER...item33a9d62cff

What's with the pole with all the apparatuses? Are they weather-related instruments like barometers and wind gages, etc?
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Ocean Aquarium, Hermosa Beach California

[BifRayRock]

Motor Courts in 1932. (By no means a complete list)




The following are from a 1933 glove box brochure.

Cover




Tower Auto Court - 10980 Ventura Blvd




Down-Town Auto Court - 959 Adobe Street




Chief Auto Inn - 3932 Long Beach Blvd





Dana Villa, Hwy 101





Gypsy Trail Motor Court - 3445 East Colorado Street





Clarks Motor Lodge - 3019 East Colorado Street

[BifRayRock]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

Hotel Chancellor at 7th & Berendo in 1929.


http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_HU7a_FHBrT...arryCtoPeg.jpg


today

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_HU7a_FHBrT...ellorHotel.JPG
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note the missing architectural elements

1932 Auto Brochure




Hotel Chancellor from a 1932 brochure




1932 brochure featuring places to stay and - things to do, e.g., the X Olympiad.




1932 Olympic Ticket prices (subject to change without notice).

[BifRayRock]

Originally Posted by DTLAdenizen

Kodak Building on Hill Street 1920s vs Now.

Sad.

It looks like the Los Angeles Federal Savings and Loan was a tenant in the Kodak Building. 645 S Hill Street. Per HossC's note below, this is a 1948 image from the Getty Trust (Another Shulman). FWIW, LA Federal has CD listings from the early '40s though 1960.

[tovangar2]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

Ocean Aquarium, Hermosa Beach
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Ocean Aquarium was supposed to be the third largest aquarium in the US and "State of the Art".

Actually, it was pathetic. I was forever planning on breaking in at night and letting everything go.

The staff wasn't mean to the animals or anything, but there was something really sad about the place. We kids loved everything in there and wanted to free them, even the electric eel (which wasn't really an eel).

The staff used to let some of us kids in for free on slow days because we'd help.


flickr

One of the sea lions was blind, her name was Molly. That looks like her resting on the rocks at the back of the indoor tank. If one slapped the wall above the rocks (I had to stand on a chair), Molly would swim over to get a herring and a pat on the head. What a sweetheart.

There was an outdoor show space too with a pool where the animals performed for the tourists:

flickr


flickr

Ocean Aquarium was built on the sand next to the public library/pier head pavilion. It lasted from about '47 until '58. Demolished in '62, the year after the pier and pavilion were destroyed.


flickr

A little more on Hermosa here

[BifRayRock]

Originally Posted by BifRayRock

More of Architect Wayne McAllister's handiwork.



Wich Stand (Figueroa and Florence/Slausen and Overhill
LATimes.com

http://www.google.com

http://victualling.files.wordpress.c...wichstand2.jpg

Wich Stand's Broom Room.
http://www.synthetrix.com

Another view of the Wich Stand found in the 1940 LA Master Plan. (More Wich here http://skyscraperpage.com/forum/show...ostcount=27273 )





An assortment of other images from the same 1940 source.






Sphinx







Simons DTLA

[HossC]

Originally Posted by BifRayRock

It looks like the Los Angeles Federal Savings and Loan was a tenant in the Kodak Building. 645 S Hill Street. There is no date associated with this image from the Getty Trust (Another Shulman). FWIW, there are CD listings from the early '40s though 1960.

There certainly is a date associated with this image. This is "Job 297: Matcham and Heitschmidt, Los Angeles Federal Savings (Los Angeles, Calif.), 1948" (Julius Shulman was the photographer, Matcham and Heitschmidt were the architects). The photoset also has a couple of interior shots including the one below.


Getty Research Institute

[BifRayRock]

My notes were incomplete. Thanks for the assist.




The more things change, the more they stay the same.



Two separate passages from the 1940 Master Plan are sadly amusing.

First, are comments regarding the Bunker Hill debate. The contributor found BH a redeeming feature worthy of preservation. With the benefit of hindsight, this view was obviously not persuasive.








The second excerpt describes Hollywood Boulevard as a "rendezvous for freaks." Considering this was 1939-1940, prior to WW2 and the swinging '60s, this area of town sounds not much different from some of the off-color amusements in Long Beach and San Pedro. Call the MPs?

[ethereal_reality]

Originally Posted by tovangar2

One of the sea lions was blind, her name was Molly.

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We've visited Dino's numerous times, but I'm pretty sure this rather vibrant Kodachrome is new to NLA.

Dino's, 8524 Sunset Boulevard.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-T_LTzAVSbt...960s%2B(4).jpg

I couldn't help but notice the 'SeaWitch' blade sign down the street. Does anyone know what this was?
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[ethereal_reality]

And here's another Kodachrome I believe is new to NLA. (by the look of the sun glare and shadows I believe this was taken during morning rush hour)


old file / probably eBay

I've been trying to figure out the model of car the photographer was riding in. The hood ornament looks like it might be a Ram; but that's just my uneducated guess.
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[MichaelRyerson]

Originally Posted by CityBoyDoug

Frank Gehry uses typical Alinsky tactics of ridicule and intimidation. Gehry's architecture is anti-human in the extreme.

Have to admit when I saw this it gave me pause, Frank Gehry and Saul Alinsky in the same sentence. Ha. I like them both. Go figure.