http://img46.imageshack.us/img46/1292/gerrylapl.jpg
http://photos.lapl.org/carlweb/jsp/D...wdate=&hidate=



http://img9.imageshack.us/img9/7316/gerryyouarehere.jpg
http://you-are-here.com/los_angeles/gerry.html


This is such a rare example of 'streamline-moderne' in the downtown core.

I really enjoyed the rest of your photos as well Horthos. I love those old rusty signs (I believe the one says 'clothing on credit') .
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Great 'Alex in Wonderland' post FredH! It was very interesting. You filled in some gaps for me about the Vogue Theater.
I was surprised by how beautiful it used to be...especially in that 1935 photo.

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What I think is really cool about this photo is the building just above the one you're discussing. The Bozzani car dealership. I always hear commercials for Bozzani Motors on the radio, so it's fun to see the dealership from so long ago. They've since relocated to Covina, CA. This is a link to their history on their website.
http://www.bozzanivw.com/History
I'm new here, but I'm looking forward to exploring more and more. Thanks for the awesome posts!

below: Sopas_ej, are these obelisk-like lights on the south side of the MVD Building left overs from a retaining wall that used to be there
or were they always stand alone lighting fixtures?

http://img811.imageshack.us/img811/4...wdsoutjsid.jpg
http://www.movie-trains.com/laus.html

:previous: You would like the above link sopas_ej. It's directions to a 'garden' located at Union Station...but for the life of me I don't see any 'garden'.
Unless he's calling an area where they keep old train cars a 'garden'.

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this is AWESOME! I live in the Young Apartment Building, which is actually what led me here. I was trying to search some history about it and what a find! :) Once I get a chance, I'll upload some photos from the inside of the building. Anyway, it was renovated in 1994 and now it houses mostly studio apartments and some one bedrooms. They still have a lot of the original character, built-ins, molding, etc. and the lobby is awesome. Thanks for posting these and like I said, I'll get some pics of the interior up as soon as I can!

Welcome to the thread andrew_scot! Can't wait to see your photos of the interiors.

A beautifully restored fountain on the grounds of Union Station.

http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/736...edfountain.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7294653@N07/2169741130/

I am in lust with a building. I love you, Gerry. What the hell have you been doing hiding from me way over on Los Angeles Street?

And just up the street is another building I wasn't familiar with--the Marion R. Gray building at 824. According to the USCDL labeling, "...the five-story Marion R. Gray Building at 824 South Los Angeles, has just been purchased from its namesake by Arthur L. Gerry." Is this my Gerry?

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-F...2520PM.bmp.jpgUSCDL

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-L...2520PM.bmp.jpgGoogle Street View
Unless the downtown gentrification is much more advanced than I realize, somehow I don't
think that the Top-Shop on Los Angeles Street is the same as the trendy British chain....

:previous: OK, I have to come clean. Since Gaylord_Wilshire had the balls to say he wasn't aware of the Gerry Building...I have to admit that I didn't know it existed either. I bent the truth in saying I had forgotten about it. My bad. :(

A very DTLA Saturday
 

Yesterday and I and a friend (a lurker who has read this whole thread but has not posted) made a day of it downtown and had a fantastic time.

We started by joining the L.A. Conservancy's Historic Downtown tour, one of many that are regularly scheduled. The guide was extremely knowledgeable; we thoroughly enjoyed it and learned so many great things about L.A. history. Highlights were seeing the Bradbury Building (our first time inside) and the Edison Building (aka One Bunker Hill), which was absolutely amazing! A great way to spend 2 1/2 hours on a Saturday morning, and I hope to do more of their tours. Here's a link: http://www.laconservancy.org/tours/tours_main.php4

After the tour we had lunch at Coles, again a first for both of us. The interior is certainly steeped in history and it was a great place to spend some time. In the hallway by the rest rooms, almost as an afterthought, some very old posters hang from the walls including one that advertised trips to Mt. Lowe (next weekend's destination). The hostess was nice enough to show us the "Mickey Cohen table" down at the end of the bar. Probably the least comfortable table in the place, but was fun to see it.

I liked their French Dip better than Phillipe's and the pecan pie was excellent, but the service was a little indifferent and prices seemed a tad high. I understand that there's a sort of "secret" bar near the back, but it wasn't open at the time. Still a tasty and enjoyable lunch.

After that we walked up to MOCA (past the Rosslyn so I could get a couple more outside shots) and saw the Weegee exhibit, which is outstanding! I thoroughly enjoyed all of it and the time passed quickly. This one is really a winner and MOCA has done a great job of putting it together. Lots of wonderfully amusing images, a fair bit of L.A. Noir, and there's an old 7 minute film of Weegee walking around Hollywood & Vine, talking about his techniques and generally goofing around.

We took the Red Line from NoHo, a bit of a freak show, but it was a good way to start and end the day.

I thoroughly recommend the Conservancy Group tours and the Weegee exhibit to all!

I know the feeling, e_r, wanting so much to know all there is to know about the city ... but that's the great thing about Los Angeles. Iin spite of all that has been lost, it just keeps giving. And I do firmly believe that there is a tremendous amount awaiting discovery east of Main Street. It's a whole 'nother L.A. I know this is true from my West Adams researches--there is so much east of what we consider West Adams today--vast tracts of intact Victorian cottages, for instance. There isn't much in the way of vintage photography, so it's hard to conjure what these areas were like when newer, but these neighborhoods are still there, and lived in by Angelenos....

The Gerry Building seems to be something of an enigma. LAPL has only one photograph and the wrong address.

http://img833.imageshack.us/img833/4...istakelapl.jpg
http://photos.lapl.org/carlweb/jsp/D...wdate=&hidate=





below: The sexy lines of the Gerry Building at 910 S. Los Angeles Street.


http://img513.imageshack.us/img513/7...ingdetail2.jpg
google street view







http://img814.imageshack.us/img814/9...detail910s.jpg
google street view


To see intact curved glass in this neighborhood is remarkable. Long live the Gerry Building!

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Sounds like a fantastic Saturday 3940dxer! Did you take photographs for us poor slobs outside the city? ;)

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Bradbury Building Interior
 

Well, my mediocre camera and lame photographic skills were hardly up to the task, but here are a few inside shots from the Bradbury. The "bird cage" elevator still operates. One Bunker Hill is pretty dark inside and all that incredible marble is so reflective that I had really had no way of getting anything good, but I hope to go back with a pro photog friend one day.

http://dkse.net/david/Bradbury/100_5823.JPG


http://dkse.net/david/Bradbury/100_5824.JPG


http://dkse.net/david/Bradbury/100_5826.JPG


http://dkse.net/david/Bradbury/100_5828.JPG


http://dkse.net/david/Bradbury/100_5829.JPG

My photos

:previous: WOW I think your photographs are great 3940dxter. It's much more beautiful than I imagined.
Is the elaborate wrought iron actually blue, or is that an issue with your camera?

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e_r, I'm surprised you haven't seen interior photos before...but then, I hadn't either! I would say the wrought iron is matte black, and maybe the bluish tint was caused by the sunlight being filtered by the ceiling glass. You can also see this on some of the upper edges of the terra cotta (I think that's terra cotta.) In any case yes, the place is totally mind boggling. The guide explained that supposedly, the architect's vision was inspired by a science fiction book he'd read that described life in the year 2000 and was striving for a "futuristic" look. The building dates to 1893! (Gasp.)

The lobby of One Bunker Hill is quite astounding too...I had NO idea. Not sure if anything has ever been posted here before but if not, maybe there are some public images that could be added, while I wait for a chance to go down there with my friend.

:previous: 3940dxer, I've seen photographs of the interior before but they were mostly from movie or t.v. productions that were shrouded in darkness and shadows. No straight forward 'tourist' photos per se (except for mediocre examples on flickr and other photo sharing sites).
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:previous:

3949dxer: I agree with ethereal_reality. These are the nicest interior shots of the Bradbury that I have seen. I did not know there was so much detail in the iron, stone, and wood work. Of course I'm mainly going by Blade Runner, where it was all kind of dark and wet.

Wow. Thanks for the pics GW! Believe it or not, I was actually trying to find a picture of Blessed Sacrament that showed the entrance of the old pedestrian tunnel seen at the very left of the LAPL picture. I remember it still being around for a while when I attended Blessed Sacrament school. The gate was locked throughout the week and was rarely unlocked on Sundays. I remember running through it once as a child. It was dark, smelled like urine, and had graffiti all over the walls. My older siblings, which also attended Blessed Sacrament, don't remember the pedestrian tunnel and thought I might be going crazy when I brought it up. :koko: I'm glad I stumbled across your post, which proves I haven't lost it yet. :haha:

The pedestrian tunnel has long been sealed off. Unfortunately, I don't remember exactly when that happened... :shrug:

Stop, please, e-r... you're making me crazy. Those curves!


johnjohn: Welcome to the thread. I hadn't noticed the subway fence at the left. Thanks for pointing it out, and for the memories. I went looking for any evidence of the subway entrances in Google Street View--hard to see any that way. (But I did notice an oddity there--see the bottom photo here.)

Now 3940... Would you please take your jackhammer and try to get into the Blessed Sacrament tunnel? And let me say--great Bradbury pictures...I don't know about the camera, but you're wrong about your skills as a photographer-- I love seeing the detail you shot, especially the perforated iron bracing holding up the staircase flooring. Fantastic. There have always been stories about the architect and his interest in science fiction and how it might have inspired his design--a novel set in the future and a Ouija were somehow involved.

----------------------

When I went looking for the pedestrian subway in street view, I noticed this place. I love the sign over the door.... What's it all about?

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Q...2520AM.bmp.jpgGoogle Street View

more stuffs.
 

I really dig the gerry building, at night especially with the way its lit up, on such a dead street with no activity whatsoever (except the bum in his wheelchair rolling backwards down the sidewalk asking me if I would sell him a cigarette as I was taking pictures).

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...tulio-/003.jpg

Also, there was talk of one bunker hill. I could not get into the lobby (due to the fact I go out to take pictures at unholy hours), but I got a few here (taken around christmas time).

The chandelier at the entry way...
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...tulio-/046.jpg

the door, and a semi ok view of the lobby (sorry about the reflection)
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...tulio-/044.jpg

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...tulio-/045.jpg

During the december artwalk (which if you have never checked out, you really should, even if art isnt your thing, many of the buildings are open to the public, and you can just walk right on in. 2nd thursday of each month), I went into cliftons cafeteria, as it seems to be open on artwalk nights only, as they are still renovating it (the big cheese grater on the front is still there sadly). They were not serving food, they just had a bar in the back, so I decided to take a few pictures, but it wasnt easy, since it was very dark inside. Anyways...

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...tulio-/005.jpg

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...tulio-/004.jpg

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...lio-/006-1.jpg

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...tulio-/007.jpg

Also from that december artwalk night...

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...tulio-/010.jpg

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...tulio-/011.jpg

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...lio-/012-1.jpg

And for the hell of it, a quick view from inbetween the blinds out my window.

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...lio-/003-1.jpg

I am going to go out this minute and take some more pictures, in particular, "brack shops", they have been restoring a chandelier inside, Ive been meaning to take pictures, since the ceiling has a fantastic mural (what is brack shops anyways? 7th st between olive and grand)

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...tulio-/028.jpg

All photos by me.