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BifRayRock Oct 3, 2012 7:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arch2000 (Post 5853901)
I was thinking about the AT&T building which is behind the 'Daily Planet'/Mutual of Omaha/Ashahi (Currently Samsung) building on La Brea. The building can be seen in the aerial above as the cube-like structure immediately north of the the Mutual of Omaha building.

It appears to be deco/mid 30's to 40's in its construction and design, and also has many windows so it appears to have been a regular building and not purposely built to hold switching equipment (like it's unfortunate annex built later, likely in the 70's or early 80's)

The post showing the construction of the black deco building next door still shows the area as fairly low-rise and residential, it's hard to tell when the building was built and what it was for. Any one have any information on this gem hidden in plain sight?

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. Edit: Since the aerial photo is from '68, the annex would have been build later than that date.

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/cali...P/lsanca10.jpghttp://www.thecentraloffice.com/calif/LA/LAP/LAP.htm

ethereal_reality Oct 3, 2012 9:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BifRayRock (Post 5853385)

A rare color snapshot.

http://imageshack.us/a/img690/9885/crarenbcradio.jpg
ICR
__

ethereal_reality Oct 3, 2012 10:12 PM

http://imageshack.us/a/img717/4144/a...ecafeteria.jpg
ebay

Quote:

Originally Posted by GaylordWilshire (Post 5842458)
:previous:

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-V...16wilshire.jpgUSCDL

Hadn't heard of this one--the building (two in from the left corner) was once an A&P, which was there into the
'40s. Not sure when it became the Premier, but it was still listed at 3716 in 1956; by 1960 it was a Mannings
coffee shop.


below:
I've had this photograph forever on one of my old cds and always wondered where this little coffee shop was located.
Perhaps this is the Mannings you speak of GW.


http://imageshack.us/a/img515/7267/s...9unknownfo.jpg
unknown/possibly ebay

The design of this coffee shop is amazing. I love the circular lighted 'canopy' above the entrance and how the store is open-air to the street.

__

Graybeard Oct 3, 2012 10:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BifRayRock (Post 5853373)


April 19, 1928. Cornucopia Ice Cream Stand, 1934 San Fernando Blvd
http://jpg3.lapl.org/pics38/00068651.jpgLapl

I thought this poor picture could use a little cleaning up.

http://imageshack.us/a/img835/337/cone1.jpg

Arch2000 Oct 3, 2012 10:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BifRayRock (Post 5854106)
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/cali...P/lsanca10.jpghttp://www.thecentraloffice.com/calif/LA/LAP/LAP.htm

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.

GaylordWilshire Oct 4, 2012 12:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality (Post 5854317)
I've had this photograph forever on one of my old cds and always wondered where this little coffee shop was located.
Perhaps this is the Mannings you speak of GW.


http://imageshack.us/a/img515/7267/s...9unknownfo.jpg
unknown/possibly ebay

The design of this coffee shop is amazing. I love the circular lighted 'canopy' above the entrance and how the store is open-air to the street.
__

There were a lot of Manning's--looks like the Gold Cup location didn't become one until the late '50s. Here's one on Grand, near Dawson's.

http://jpg3.lapl.org/pics41/00070282.jpgLAPL

Apparently Manning's was the Starbuck's of its day:
http://www.kcet.org/socal/departures...nings-main.jpgKCET
See story HERE.

GaylordWilshire Oct 4, 2012 12:09 AM

http://imageshack.us/a/img811/7753/pianog.jpgCustom Trip Planning

Speaking of Mannings... The Big Red Piano in color.

rcarlton Oct 4, 2012 1:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Graybeard (Post 5854354)
I thought this poor picture could use a little cleaning up.

http://imageshack.us/a/img835/337/cone1.jpg

Great restoration! There must be more photo's out there that need help. Color corrections are easy. Please post them...most can be fixed!:notacrook:

ethereal_reality Oct 4, 2012 1:23 AM

I just found an earlier matchbook of the Wilshire-La Brea Recreation Center.

http://imageshack.us/a/img35/3424/mb...breajericl.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/79761301@N00/



I didn't realize there were so many windows at one point in time. So were they simply stuccoed over?

http://imageshack.us/a/img39/3576/aadeco736slabrea1.jpg
google street view



Here is the matchbook that I posted earlier (in case you would like to compare the two).

http://imageshack.us/a/img542/5413/a...reacabanar.jpg

__

BifRayRock Oct 4, 2012 1:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arch2000 (Post 5854368)
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.

I misspoke regarding the annex's date and meant to say '70s or later which would have been after 1968 and will amend the post to so state.

Regarding the original use of the main building, as I said, I am no expert and your reasoning is sound. Still, it is possible that the building was designed for more than one purpose, e.g., to house both equipment and serve some other phone-related business. Admittedly, the "modern" archetype for switching buildings is a windowless monolith, but there are examples of telephone exchange buildings that do not fit that archetype. Whether they are anomalies or remodels/rehabs, I do not know.

Santa Monica GTE, original construction '00s(?)
http://www.thecentraloffice.com/calif/LA/LAV/snmnca.jpg

Compton (1916)
http://www.thecentraloffice.com/calif/LA/LAP/cmtnca.jpg

LA (Normandie) 1920s
http://www.thecentraloffice.com/cali...P/lsanca12.jpg

LA "Capital" 1920s
http://www.thecentraloffice.com/cali...P/lsanca23.jpg

Adams Office (original on left 1910s)
http://www.thecentraloffice.com/cali...P/lsanca14.jpg

North Hollywood (1930s)
http://www.thecentraloffice.com/cali...P/nhwdca02.jpgAll from http://www.thecentraloffice.com




__________________________

http://www.justabovesunset.com/photo...707_deco02.jpghttp://www.justabovesunset.com

Regarding the black and gold Security First National Bank of Los Angeles, there is no doubt that it was built as a bank from the photos themselves. The photos are marked as such, and at least one of the photos has fencing that advertises what is being constructed. http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...postcount=9452

http://catalog.library.ca.gov/exlibr...Y6S8VJ3A1V.jpg

If there were any lingering doubt, Security FNB built other branches in the same cookie cutter mold. Below is a before and after for a Long Beach Branch, Fourth Street and Cherry Ave.

http://www.insidesocal.com/gritchen/...OW-GAY-OLD.jpghttp://www.insidesocal.com

Matthew Oct 4, 2012 3:02 AM

Before machines were invented to do the switching automatically, women would sit at desks in the telephone buildings and do this job. So the older telephone company buildings and the workers at the switchboard could use a large amount of light from windows.

It's from another city, but shows the workers inside:
http://imageshack.us/a/img526/8868/w...elephonebl.jpg
1939 in Winston-Salem's Art Deco Southern Bell Building
Forsyth County Public Library

I love this thread. It's by far my favorite thread on this forum!

BDiH Oct 4, 2012 6:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rcarlton (Post 5854105)
Looks to have 4 wheels, which can be seen near the gentleman's foot who is handing the ticket to the lady and another near the back of the contraption. The handles must be for steering (you can see bars going under the seat to the axle), like on some of those fancy lawnmowers. How was it powered?

The trams were a great way to go between the two piers. It was .10 each way and stopped all along the boardwalk.

BDiH Oct 4, 2012 6:40 AM

The trams were a great way to go between the two piers. It was .10 each way and stopped all along the boardwalk.

BDiH Oct 4, 2012 6:58 AM

There was a Manning's on the south side of Hollywood Boulevard at Whitely Avenue, with old wood booths and a cafeteria style setting. The other cafeteria was the Ontra on Vine Street, near the old El Capitan Theatre. The El Capitan on the Boulevard, west of Highland Avenue was called the Paramount Theatre since the early 1940's. Today, the theater is once again called the El Captian and the theater on Vine Street is now the Avalon. The Ontra and Manning's are long gone. Tempus fugit, brothers and sisters.

GaylordWilshire Oct 4, 2012 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matthew (Post 5854682)
Before machines were invented to do the switching automatically, women would sit at desks in the telephone buildings and do this job. So the older telephone company buildings and the workers at the switchboard could use a large amount of light from windows.

It's from another city, but shows the workers inside:

I love this thread. It's by far my favorite thread on this forum!


Not that you can really tell the difference, but here are a few actual Los Angeles operators:

http://jpg1.lapl.org/00095/00095979.jpg

Still going in the '60s and beyond:
http://jpg1.lapl.org/00096/00096007.jpg


And there's always a noir connection: Carrie Estelle Doheny, wife of the Teapot Dome's Edward Doheny and stepmother of Ned Doheny of Greystone murder/suicide fame, started out as a telephone operator. She ended up a countess, although of the papal sort, which is somewhere between Mardi Gras and the peerage.

http://imageshack.us/a/img407/4573/chron2173p1.jpg


All LAPL

jhny12 Oct 4, 2012 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality (Post 5854085)
http://imageshack.us/a/img515/7343/pctram1926.jpg
ebay

What is this strange contraption? an early version of a hovercraft? (I'm kidding) :)
__

The guy 2nd from left is creepy

GaylordWilshire Oct 4, 2012 12:56 PM

:previous:

and?

rcarlton Oct 4, 2012 1:35 PM

He does look out of place. Makes you wonder if he may be up to no good. Or perhaps he was just bothered by the photographer stopping to take the photo. You will never know.

GaylordWilshire Oct 4, 2012 3:17 PM

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-v...2520AM.bmp.jpgSan Fernanado Valley Relics

Great 1954 shot looking east on Sylvan Street in Van Nuys--pretty forlorn now, but at least the Valley Municipal Building is still there.

Arch2000 Oct 4, 2012 4:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality (Post 5854555)
I just found an earlier matchbook of the Wilshire-La Brea Recreation Center.

http://imageshack.us/a/img35/3424/mb...breajericl.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/79761301@N00/



I didn't realize there were so many windows at one point in time. So were they simply stuccoed over?

http://imageshack.us/a/img39/3576/aadeco736slabrea1.jpg
google street view



Here is the matchbook that I posted earlier (in case you would like to compare the two).

http://imageshack.us/a/img542/5413/a...reacabanar.jpg

__

I work right near this building, it's now a dance school. It looks like it could be restored to its original condition fairly easily, replace the windows and remove the giant billboard, and re-introduce the blade sign (with neon, no doubt).

I had no idea that it used to be a bowling alley. Any chance any lanes are still there? Has anyone been inside or found photos of the existing or original interiors?


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