ER - The L.A. Library has this photo dated 1962. According to them, the viaduct was considered an eyesore and was soon to be torn down.

http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p...ps0561c03a.jpg
LAPL

Anyway, by 1972, it was gone.

http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p...ps49e7098d.jpg
http://www.historicaerials.com/aeria...4207&year=2005

ER - I think you are right about the location. He was probably right around these three gas holders (they used
to be next to the 101 Freeway) and the railroad tracks.

http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p...ps4dd1b5f4.jpg
http://www.historicaerials.com/aeria...4207&year=2005

I mentioned the viaduct when I posted pictures of the Pico & Rimpau Loop recently - it's just visible on the left of this aerial, although I can't see the smokestack.

http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/z...icoRimlau1.jpg
USC Digital Library

An article I found on pacificelectric.org dates the demolition of the viaduct to around January 1963. It contains the following quote:

"The job had been scheduled to take 8 weeks, but dragged on for more then 14 weeks. The bridge did not give up as easily as the contractor had thought it would."

http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/z...n.jpg~original
www.pacificelectric.org/Ralph Cantos


Previous posts on the viaduct:

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...postcount=5381

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...postcount=7534

Here's the StreetView image. Is it just me, or do the balloons take the noirish edge off the picture? :)

http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/z...AWallE5th2.jpg
GSV

For comparison, here's the image originally posted by e_r, although I've grayscaled it and tweaked the levels to try and bring out the detail.

http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/z...AWallE5th1.jpg
eBay/original posted by e_r

Nearby at 2801 Wabash Avenue is the well-preserved Malabar Branch Library, built in 1927...

http://jpg1.lapl.org/pics37/00038173.jpgLAPL


https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-_...2520AM.bmp.jpgGSV

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-_...2520AM.bmp.jpgGSV
Where's my chainsaw?

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-n...2520AM.bmp.jpgGSV
Could the hanging lamp still be there?

:previous: I wasn't aware of the Malabar Branch Library GW. Thx for bringing it to my/our attention.


Los Angeles 1920s
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/640...0/842/6tz3.jpg
http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...ostcount=21341

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/640...0/838/4ynb.jpg
http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...ostcount=21341

The two intriguing photographs were taken by 20 year old amateur photograph George Hodel.
(yes, that George Hodel...the Black Dahlia murder suspect)
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-not sure if we've seen this early pc on NLA. (worth a second look anyway)

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/845/jq3l.jpg
ebay

This is the same building that housed the subterranean Dragon's Den. (seen in the classic noir 'Criss Cross')

earlier post here:
http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...ostcount=12112

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/640...0/836/q4yg.jpg

Compare the two arched windows and the two and a half basement windows with the earlier postcard.
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I can't find any previous mentions of the Wilcrest Apartment Hotel at 611-619 S Normandie Avenue. It's just north of Wilshire, and right next door to the Chateau La Martine mentioned recently by e_r (see here). The seller dates the postcard as 1940s.

http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/z...AWilcrest1.jpg
http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/z...AWilcrest2.jpg
eBay

The sign outside now appears to say something like "Normandie Garden Apartments", but Googling that gives a different building. Have you still got that chainsaw handy, GW? ;)

http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/z...AWilcrest3.jpg
GSV

:previous: -beautiful postcard scan
I like that the 'concave' center entrance has survived. (we've discussed this apt. before, but like you HossC, I wasn't able to find an earlier post)


We've seen many photographs of the Hollywood Hotel over the years on NLA. Here's a photograph showing the aging hotel's
Highland Avenue side in 1952.

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/841/lhov.jpg
ebay

-those first two cars need to turn into the nearest car wash.




Here's a similar view, also dated 1952. -originally posted by ChuckaLuck
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/102...0/836/q32m.jpg
http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...postcount=7998

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Shriner's Hospital, 3160 Geneva Street

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/102...0/842/vo92.jpg
ebay

I found this earlier this afternoon on ebay.

1920s
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/102.../836/m5067.jpg

I'm struck by the unique building on the left. It doesn't appear to fit any one architectural style.
The bottom columns look as if they could have been inspired by Egyptian tombs, while the third floor with it's deeply recessed windows
looks almost bunker-like. All that said, the second floor is probably the most intriguing with it's hard to describe 'blocky' design.

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Tinker to Evers to _ _ _ _ _ _
 

Frank Leroy Chance, "The Peerless Leader," player-manager of the Chicago Cubs (1905-12) and manager of the Los Angeles Angels (1916-17), built the Frank L. Chance Building in Glendora (20 miles east of Pasadena) on the NE corner of Glendora Ave. and Foothill Blvd. (then Michigan and Minnehaha Avenues) in 1912. Chance and teammates Joe Tinker and Johnny Evers, immortalized in a bit of doggerel by Franklin P. Adams, were all inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1946.

c. 1912; note The Cub Grocery on the left and Cub Pharmacy on the right:
http://i1165.photobucket.com/albums/...d.jpg~original
LAPL -- http://jpg1.lapl.org/00076/00076287.jpg

c. 1913:
http://i1165.photobucket.com/albums/...1.jpg~original
LAPL -- http://jpg1.lapl.org/00076/00076286.jpg

Chance died September 15, 1924, at Good Samaritan Hospital in Los Angeles; below is part of the LA Times article on his death the next day. The St. Maxon referred to in the article was at 653 S. Burlington, on the SW corner of Wilshire, where there is now a school.
http://i1165.photobucket.com/albums/...2.jpg~original
LA Times

But the Frank L. Chance Building is still standing:
http://i1165.photobucket.com/albums/...3.jpg~original
GSV

:previous: Very interesting FW. That's a nice looking survivor.





this one turned up on ebay this afternoon as well.
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/102...0/845/2oo7.jpg
ebay
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..and from the opposite direction.
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/102...0/841/szwi.jpg
ebay

Stumbled across this: The Alex Theatre (Alex Film Society, it's a .org so I assume it's ok to post this) in Glendale, is running a film noir double feature July 26, 2014; "Gun Crazy" and "The Lineup." Here's the link, should the noir classics types be interested:

http://www.alextheatre.org/event/ale...razythe-lineup

Having gown up in Atwater (Village), I frequented the Alex Theatre (A historic landmark) as a kid/teen. If you've never been, it's worth the visit regardless of what's being screened.

Andys

crash!

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/102...0/842/v7nz.jpg
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/102...0/841/eqb7.jpgebay

The Merritt Building has caught your interest before. :)

Wowzers!
 

This here is a good reply to this :P -----> http://youtu.be/FONN-0uoTHI

lol. I didn't recognize it by seeing only the bottom three floors.
Here I thought I had discovered some architectural anomaly. ha

I looked again at that large photo of the Merritt Building. Were the rounded columns on the first floor still there at that point in time?
I don't see them, and the entire first floor looks much darker.

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/102...0/838/qib6.jpg

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/102...0/843/k8n0.jpg

See what I mean. The first floor looks entirely different when compared to the 1920s photograph.
(of course this happens to a majority of vintage buildings)
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:previous:

Here's a better view of the Merritt Building's original look. There's some history of the building and its redesigns in an article I found on blogdowntown.com.

http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/z...ttBuilding.jpg
LAPL