http://imageshack.us/a/img716/2749/a...cfidelity6.jpg
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Of course the first thing I wanted to know is if the Pacific Fidelity Building is still standing.

below: The Pacific Fidelity Bldg can be seen down the block on the right (that's Bullock's Wilshire on the left).
To my surprise Westmoreland Avenue has been blocked off at this point.

http://imageshack.us/a/img11/6391/aa...cviewsofro.jpg
google street view




below: This view is looking north from 7th Street showing the blocked off Westmoreland. That's the Pacific Fidelity Building at the center
and Bullock's Wilshire on the right.

http://imageshack.us/a/img210/461/aa...cfidelityl.jpg
google street view

It turns out the Pacific Fidelity Building is part of Southwestern Law School. It's now known as the Westmoreland Building.


below: The closed off portion of Westmoreland Avenue forms a mini 'quad' connecting the Westmoreland Building to the Bullock's Wilshire building
(now the main building & library of Southwestern Law School)

http://imageshack.us/a/img209/2072/a...cf1westmor.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southwestern_Law_School

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Next I wondered about the two towers that can be seen in the distance in the old construction photo.

http://imageshack.us/a/img802/2749/a...cfidelity6.jpg




The taller of the two is The First Baptist Church at 760 S. Westmoreland Avenue.

http://imageshack.us/a/img52/461/aac...cfidelityl.jpg
google street view


below: The shorter tower belongs to the first Unitarian Church at 2936 W. 8th Street.

http://imageshack.us/a/img526/461/aa...cfidelityl.jpg
google street view

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http://jpg3.lapl.org/pics32/00065626.jpgLAPL


I'd never noticed this church before, e_r. It looks remarkably unchanged--the clock is gone (though a shadow appears to have been left behind), but even the various finials seem to have been deemed stable enough to remain.

It looks as though the street lighting remains original too.

Regarding the Pacific Fidelity Bldg., is there a construction date? (Assume it to have been post WW2) When visiting the BullocksW, the docent referred to the same building as having been used by Shell Oil. Was Shell a former occupant?

Pacific Fidelity is not listed at Westmoreland in '56 phone book, but several Ins. Cos. are at 621 and 630 Westmoreland. A glimpse of '60s phone books indicates 601 was Federated Dept. Stores and 616 included Chicago Title and Aviation Underwriters, but there is no Shell. For that matter, there is no "670" listed either. Guess the Fidelity Bldg., acquired a new mailing address when it eventually grew walls.

http://imageshack.us/a/img716/2749/a...cfidelity6.jpg

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Shell gas station and El Vaquero drive-in market, date unk.
http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics49/00059328.jpg LAPL

September 19, 1939, address unk.
http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics46/00057647.jpg LAPL


Looking N., Shell Oil Station South Broadway and Olympic Blvd. Circa 1939
http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/assets...DB62DAB51?v=hr http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/search...=1337867411393

Looking west from Broadway and Eleventh Street, November 21, 1931. In the first photo, there is a building bearing a long linear sign for "Southwestern University."

http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/assets.../CHS-7644?v=hr

Good timing for the following motto: "The store where bargains reign." Do we know the store's name?
http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/assets.../CHS-7643?v=hr

http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/assets.../CHS-7642?v=hr

1939
http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/assets...6-18-ISLA?v=hr

1939
http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/assets...9-22-ISLA?v=hr

1928
http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/assets...A-EN-1237?v=hr

1925
http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/assets...CHS-37270?v=hr






All from http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/search...=1337867411393

:previous:
Like the reference to "Los Angeles' Finest Legitimate Play House"...I sure hope people at the time knew the difference and didn't go to the wrong sort (if they didn't want to).

It looks like the old Southwestern University building had tennis or basketball courts on the roof (the fenced off area on the left).

I really like the building on the corner. Is it an automobile showroom? Also notice the well dressed woman at the corner.

Here are a couple more interesting construction photographs.

below: You can see the steel frame for the Pacific Fidelity Building in the distance.

http://imageshack.us/a/img844/9854/a...c1midlandi.jpg
ebay







http://imageshack.us/a/img6/9854/aac...c1midlandi.jpg
ebay

"self erection" ;)

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Could very well have been both, or even a multi-use deck, but I think in Chuckaluck's first pic you can see the backboard for a basketball hoop.

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-_...icfidelduo.jpghttps://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-K...neinfoduo2.jpg


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.


Pics: LAT, ebay

Greystone Park
 

I will post some pictures eventually; on reviewing what I already had I found that they really need to be re-shot with the better equipment that I now have.

article originally posted by Gaylord_Wilshire
http://imageshack.us/a/img36/922/aaunivacii.jpghttp://imageshack.us/a/img546/2639/aaunivac2.jpg
http://www.salesianos-ubeda.com/main...gen1/index.htm

A very 'noirish' apartment building just east of the Unitarian Church on 8th Street.

http://imageshack.us/a/img18/461/aac...cfidelityl.jpg
google street view

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...and in color.

http://imageshack.us/a/img832/461/aa...cfidelityl.jpg
google street view




http://imageshack.us/a/img594/461/aa...cfidelityl.jpg
google street view





http://imageshack.us/a/img137/6091/a...unitarianc.jpg
google street view

In the same general vicinity is the old Wilshire Place Hotel & Apts.at the corner of 7th & Magnolia.

http://imageshack.us/a/img6/9862/aac...thmagnolia.jpg
google street view

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http://imageshack.us/a/img576/5894/a...cfidelitya.jpg
google street view






http://imageshack.us/a/img341/5894/a...cfidelitya.jpg
google street view




I really like the unusual arched 'canopy' over the front entrance.

http://imageshack.us/a/img715/5894/a...cfidelitya.jpg
google street view

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/assets.../CHS-5781?v=hr
http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/assets.../CHS-5782?v=hr
http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/assets.../CHS-5783?v=hr
http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/assets.../CHS-5780?v=hr
http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/assets.../CHS-5779?v=hr
http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/assets.../CHS-5778?v=hr
http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/assets.../CHS-5777?v=hr
http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/assets.../CHS-5776?v=hr
http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/search...=1337893974126

:previous: Excellent photos Chuckaluck!

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below: Where in the heck is Bliss?

http://imageshack.us/a/img6/3165/aab...asthistake.jpg
unknown

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Yesterday evening. (05.24.12)
http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot...38919244_n.jpg
Photo by yours truly

Union Station with a sign advertising Cafe' Caliente on Olvera St ('curios novelties').

http://imageshack.us/a/img28/6734/sn...calientacu.jpg
ebay