noirish Los Angeles

[Chuckaluck]

Thanks.

Hiding in plain sight. I knew I had seen it. Searched for it, but may not have used the best terms. So often the case.

1905-12 Cahuenga Pass, Improvements for the San Fernando Electric lines. (Practice for Bunker Hill?)
http://catalog.library.ca.gov/exlibris/aleph/a19_1/apache_media/37RVX69QH6P5DDPI4BGC1J6UMQG3A2.jpg

Psst. Heard about it at the Women's Club!

Here is a picture of construction work in the Mulholland section which should cause the prospective investor in real estate to pause and think.

1905-12 "The pay roll town of the San Fernando Valley" (?)




Source labels this as 1905-12 Pacific Highway. (Is this what later became the 101? Substantial construction for 1912!)
http://catalog.library.ca.gov/exlibris/aleph/a19_1/apache_media/UDXRG5LTTR89D1UD1RP6ASU279IFBV.jpg


Home fronting "Pacific Highway" near Mullholland development. (1905-12) (Telephone and Electrics?)
http://catalog.library.ca.gov/exlibris/aleph/a19_1/apache_media/574PY6B7K71VXVHGKSV22NAT91F5J6.jpg



Opening day - Mulholland 1912 (Keep that St. Francis Dam thing hush hush.)
http://catalog.library.ca.gov/exlibris/aleph/a19_1/apache_media/HN34B67YDKERJU6VPGCJXENEGIYU4Q.jpg


Opening day. ^^
http://catalog.library.ca.gov/exlibris/aleph/a19_1/apache_media/6JDJAJDNN69SFF7R5RLVVECJEADVNG.jpg

Opening day. ^^ (Sooner - boomer?)
http://catalog.library.ca.gov/exlibris/aleph/a19_1/apache_media/UFIS988I6MFHTDPC25KGAABVVES65Q.jpg
http://catalog.library.ca.gov/exlibris/aleph/a19_1/apache_media/8T3E4RXSQ4X9XHQ7L8KQIVGFJKRHHY.jpg

[ethereal_reality]

Interesting photographs ChuckaLuck! -thanks 4 posting them.
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Earlier today I came across noirish neon sign for the Zimba Room,


http://stripeycity.wordpress.com/




which led me to it's location at the old Hotel Lafayette at 2731 Beverly Boulevard.

GSV



Alas, the 'Zimba' sign is now painted over (in blue).


GSV/detail




ornate entrance/hotel lafayette inlaid in the sidewalk at doorway.




Hotel Lafayette est. 1927

http://www.you-are-here.com/






http://www.franklinhills.org/
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[Hollywood Graham]

http://catalog.library.ca.gov/exlibris/aleph/a19_1/apache_media/DSLK5S19Q626B95UIRUVA52AGER5AP.jpg[/QUOTE]

Lower right corner is one of LAPD's "B"Wagon's or in laymen's terms "Paddy Wagon" ready to clean up Main St.

[ethereal_reality]

Originally Posted by Chuckaluck

Home fronting "Pacific Highway" near Mullholland development. (1905-12) (Telephone and Electrics?)
http://catalog.library.ca.gov/exlibris/aleph/a19_1/apache_media/574PY6B7K71VXVHGKSV22NAT91F5J6.jpg

I especially like this photograph. I'd love to figure where this is located exactly.
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[ethereal_reality]

Does anyone remember the 'Dog House' across from MacArthur Park? It disappeared in the 1980s.


http://stripeycity.wordpress.com/
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[AlvaroLegido]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

for sale on ebay as we speak. -negatives & proof sheet.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/-1968-LOS-ANGELE...-NEGATIVES-PROOF-SHEET-L-A-/290952991917

Bunker Hill & Angels Flight December 1968.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/-1968-LOS-ANGELE...-NEGATIVES-PROOF-SHEET-L-A-/290952991917

The photo below right is a treasure. Could you enlarge it, E_R ? Tovangar once noticed that there are no decent full front views of the Angels Flight Station on Olive. And I don't remember seing one on the thread (or anywhere).

[Johnny Socko]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

Interesting photographs ChuckaLuck! -thanks 4 posting them.
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Earlier today I came across noirish neon sign for the Zimba Room,


http://stripeycity.wordpress.com/




which led me to it's location at the old Hotel Lafayette at 2731 Beverly Boulevard.

GSV



Alas, the 'Zimba' sign is now painted over (in blue).


GSV/detail




ornate entrance/hotel lafayette inlaid in the sidewalk at doorway.




Hotel Lafayette est. 1927

http://www.you-are-here.com/






http://www.franklinhills.org/
__

Great find! THANK YOU for posting this. In case anyone is not familiar with the area, the Lafayette is located on the north side of Beverly, roughly between Lafayette Park Place (which terminates at Beverly), and Occidental Boulevard -- which happens to be the street on which I reside.

The south end of Lafayette Park Place terminates at Lafayette Park. Lafayette Park was originally called Sunset Park, and thus the street was originally called Sunset Place. The neighborhood was developed roughly around the turn of the 20th Century, concurrent with the development of Wilshire Blvd west of Westlake Park. I have not determined exactly when Sunset Park and its street were re-named, but obviously it provided an opportunity for that "other" street to be named Sunset.

I have been wanting to do a grand post on my neighborhood for ages, but it would involve some actual legwork for which I never seem to have the time. Perhaps someday...

[J.T.]

Since I haven't seen any comments on ethereal reality's photo of Vermont Ave. at Christmas time, I thought I would lend my two cents worth. It appears to be taken in the first few blocks north of Manchester Ave. looking north. My parents shopped in that area in the late 40s and early 50s. They bought my first puppy at a hardware on the north side Manchester Ave. several shops west of Vermont. I have lived in LA area all my life and enjoy noirish LA as offen as I can.............J.T.

[GaylordWilshire]

Originally Posted by Johnny Socko

Great find! THANK YOU for posting this. In case anyone is not familiar with the area, the Lafayette is located on the north side of Beverly, roughly between Lafayette Park Place (which terminates at Beverly), and Occidental Boulevard -- which happens to be the street on which I reside.

The south end of Lafayette Park Place terminates at Lafayette Park. Lafayette Park was originally called Sunset Park, and thus the street was originally called Sunset Place. The neighborhood was developed roughly around the turn of the 20th Century, concurrent with the development of Wilshire Blvd west of Westlake Park. I have not determined exactly when Sunset Park and its street were re-named, but obviously it provided an opportunity for that "other" street to be named Sunset.

I have been wanting to do a grand post on my neighborhood for ages, but it would involve some actual legwork for which I never seem to have the time. Perhaps someday...

Johnny--

From the Times of January 3, 1919:


LAT


Actually, Lafayette Park Place starting north of the park was originally Andrews Boulevard. (I don't know if it might have been Sunset Place before that, but I haven't seen evidence of it yet.) Today's Lafayette Park Place on the east side of the park from 6th to 7th was originally Benton Way, part of Gaylord Wilshire's original Wilshire Boulevard Tract. There is a Sunset Place today, however--it's a block long between Hoover and Wilshire Place. It was/is the spine of the 54-lot Sunset Park Tract, a rectangle (with a cut-out at the southeast corner) between Hoover St and the Wilshire Place Tract. Facing Wilshire there are 14 lots in the tract that once contained 9 houses, 1 of which actually still stands and 8 of which are described here: http://wilshireboulevardhouses.blogspot.com/

(2902 at the Hoover corner, 2914, 2910, 2932, 2942, 2966, 2976 and 3006 at Wilshire Place)

[Johnny Socko]

Originally Posted by Flyingwedge

And the outside:

Huntington Digital Library -- http://hdl.huntington.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/p15150coll2/id/2790/rec/10

The street number looks to me like 4543, not 4643:


And now for a 2011 drive-by in the Googlemobile. Not many buildings have so much decorative detail down the side:

GSV


GSV


GSV


GSV


GSV

This is Los Feliz Manor (1929, Jack Grundfor), in my opinion one of the finest examples of Art Deco architecture extant in Los Angeles. I have always admired this building, so you can imagine my excitement when I got to accompany my mother when she went there to view an apartment circa 1993.

It was a large single (as in, about as large as my current 2-bedroom apartment, which I'd peg at about 1100 sf), beautifully appointed. I wanted her to take that unit so bad, but she and my stepdad eventually took a 2+2 in a modern building nearby on Finley Ave, between Vermont & Hillhurst. (Nice enough place, but the neighbors were horrible.)

Interestingly, this is the only building I have found that is credited to Jack Grundfor as architect. I would think it's rare to have such a standout building as the only example of an architect's work (the Bradbury being the exception that proves the rule?). Perhaps our intrepid sleuths in the forum can dig up more information on Mr. Grundfor.

[Johnny Socko]

Originally Posted by GaylordWilshire

Johnny--

From the Times of January 3, 1919:


LAT


There is still a Sunset Place--it's a block long between Hoover and Wilshire Place. It was/is the spine of the 54-lot Sunset Park Tract, a rectangle (with a cut-out at the southeast corner) between Hoover St and the Wilshire Place Tract. Facing Wilshire there are 14 lots in the tract that once contained 9 houses, 1 of which actually still stands and 8 of which are described here: http://wilshireboulevardhouses.blogspot.com/

(2902 at the Hoover corner, 2914, 2910, 2932, 2942, 2966, 2976 and 3006 at Wilshire Place)

Thanks as always, GaylordWilshire. From now on, I'll just go straight to you with these questions.

I found this quote from the cited article somewhat ironic:

Recently it was suggested that Westlake Park be named Lafayette Park in honor of the French hero, but many persons living in the vicinity of the park objected.

Obviously the city learned its lesson, and years later applied some sleight-of-hand to rush through the renaming of Westlake Park to MacArthur, thus doing an end-run around the inevitable protests. *sigh* This is one tiny piece of LA history that I wish had never happened. And no, I don't care about the bloody "MacArthur Park" song that resulted.

[ethereal_reality]

Originally Posted by AlvaroLegido

The photo below right is a treasure. Could you enlarge it, E_R ? Tovangar once noticed that there are no decent full front views of the Angels Flight Station on Olive. And I don't remember seing one on the thread (or anywhere).

AlvaroLegido, I didn't purchase the negatives so I can't enlarge it. -sorry I wish I could. (They're still for sale though)

I think Tovanger2 meant a photograph of the upper Angels Flight station before the columns and canopy to the left of the small office were destroyed. The black and white negatives are dated 1968 so that part of the station would be long gone.


below: The engaged columns you see on the office used to extend north (to the left in this photo) as real columns holding up a somewhat elaborate canopy that matched the station.

1968 or 69

ebay
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[ethereal_reality]

Originally Posted by J.T.

Since I haven't seen any comments on ethereal reality's photo of Vermont Ave. at Christmas time, I thought I would lend my two cents worth. It appears to be taken in the first few blocks north of Manchester Ave. looking north. My parents shopped in that area in the late 40s and early 50s. They bought my first puppy at a hardware on the north side Manchester Ave. several shops west of Vermont. I have lived in LA area all my life and enjoy noirish LA as offen as I can.............J.T.

Thanks for the information J.T.

ebay

What did you name your puppy?
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[ethereal_reality]

originally posted by FlyingWedge



This is one of my favorites buildings. Believe it or not, there are new structures on the roof that hide cell-phone antennas.

http://la.curbed.com/



This is an example of how you do something right.

http://la.curbed.com/




plugged into the vintage structure

http://la.curbed.com/






from la curbed.

http://la.curbed.com/
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-a glimpse inside.

the lobby

http://www.trulia.com/CA/Los_Angeles/






with it's beautiful ceiling.

http://www.trulia.com/CA/Los_Angeles/
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[ethereal_reality]

"Seventy miles of service tunnels beneath the streets of L.A." -read on.



brochure/ebay



Is this proof that a subterranean network of tunnels still exists beneath downtown Los Angeles? (click on the youtube link below)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpe0A1NyxXs

(Yes, I know....in the first few seconds they make the mistake of placing The Trocadero downtown)



interesting comment

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpe0A1NyxXs



for reference: King Edward Hotel map

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showpost.php?p=5970222&postcount=11513

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[Chuckaluck]

Mulholland Townsite (?) http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showpost.php?p=6214228&postcount=15803

"There's the townsite, buy it?"

Some cursory research suggests that Mulholland townsite was short lived and is now known as Pacoima. (Would expect contemporary newspaper reports might answer many of the questions raised by this post.)

For many years, Pacoima’s fertile soil produced abundant crops of olives, peaches, apricots, oranges and lemons. In fact, the Pacoima Chamber of Commerce was originally called the Pacoima Chamber of Farmers. That was in 1916, a couple of years after the city had briefly changed its name to Mulholland. http://www.pacoimachamber.com/pacoimas-history/

The date and reason for the Pacoima name change are fuzzy. Mulholland officially turned on "the Owens Valley faucet" on November 5, 1913. One can guess that prior to that date, i.e., the purported dates of the Mulholland Townsite photos 1905-12, the Mulholland name was a political lightning rod. This (or Mayor Shaw's mustache) may have had something to do with the water engineer's name being dropped in favor of Pacoima.

This is the first photo I have seen actually evidencing the name.
http://catalog.library.ca.gov/exlibris/aleph/a19_1/apache_media/HN34B67YDKERJU6VPGCJXENEGIYU4Q.jpg

People exploring the Mulholland townsite on its "opening day."
http://catalog.library.ca.gov/exlibris/aleph/a19_1/apache_media/VPAYE5XJ6G8NHKBJSAIKD8LHIFV84N.jpg


Six images depicting "orchards, town of Van Nuys in background, Los County Rock Crusher (source of rock used for roads in Los Angeles County), townsite of Mulholland, mountains in background."


(Dates offered are ~1905-1912)
http://catalog.library.ca.gov/exlibris/aleph/a19_1/apache_media/ASSLK96GDELGMFUC6PC63VQ3DIT33H.jpg

http://catalog.library.ca.gov/exlibris/aleph/a19_1/apache_media/YIRACNQBGARBPMSK91SPUPGDY464V7.jpg


Guessing this photo captures the rock crushing apparatus.
http://catalog.library.ca.gov/exlibris/aleph/a19_1/apache_media/SDX7DAECLUY9YMVLLTK3ND1KRMAETL.jpg

http://catalog.library.ca.gov/exlibris/aleph/a19_1/apache_media/TQD7QCX5SD29Q3HM8MAGH87VSCYACS.jpg

http://catalog.library.ca.gov/exlibris/aleph/a19_1/apache_media/K4D9N772LG1BXE6UTRF938SRRI6GM7.jpg

http://catalog.library.ca.gov/exlibris/aleph/a19_1/apache_media/KABR3RSAT6J64LJ34EX9C1UA5R61GJ.jpg




Van Nuys in 1911 "The payroll town."

http://catalog.library.ca.gov/exlibris/aleph/a19_1/apache_media/P7YMQRQ28RDMQJNIQRSTHCXECR2QI1.jpg


http://catalog.library.ca.gov/exlibris/aleph/a19_1/apache_media/GT4SBP24KF82LD4TD4FM93NMC4J3C1.jpg


This housing development is not specifically identified except as "Richardson Tract on road to Mulholland." Unclear if it is Van Nuys or another development, or whether it is also along what has amorphously described by the source notes as "'Pacific Highway' boulevard." Interestingly, the utility poles are described as telegraph poles.
http://catalog.library.ca.gov/exlibris/aleph/a19_1/apache_media/2JM4I95HRD5EG4NRLXGXMD7U8LSAAU.jpg


1920 - From Topanga Summit - you might see what was briefly called Mulholland.
http://catalog.library.ca.gov/exlibris/aleph/a19_1/apache_media/BJTGKMBHAMB9YHHNY92QXTHCD419TQ.jpg

More photos of the developing San Fernando Valley here -> http://waterandpower.org/museum/Early_Views_of_the_San_Fernando_Valley.html (But you already knew that!)

[Chuckaluck]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

"Seventy miles of service tunnels beneath the streets of L.A." -read on.

Is this proof that a subterranean network of tunnels still exists beneath downtown Los Angeles? (click on the youtube link below)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpe0A1NyxXs

(Yes, I know....in the first few seconds they make the mistake of placing The Trocadero downtown) *

At approx. 1:34 "70 miles."

Wonder about the basis for this pronouncement. Cubic feet, linear miles or both? Even 7 or 17 linear miles would be impressive.


*With 70 miles of tunnels - maybe the Troc had a service tunnel too. Connecting it with Monkey Island.

[ethereal_reality]

Originally Posted by chuckaluck

with 70 miles of tunnels - maybe the troc had a service tunnel too. Connecting it with monkey island.

LoL

[srk1941]

Originally Posted by Johnny Socko

This is Los Feliz Manor (1929, Jack Grundfor), in my opinion one of the finest examples of Art Deco architecture extant in Los Angeles. I have always admired this building, so you can imagine my excitement when I got to accompany my mother when she went there to view an apartment circa 1993.

It was a large single (as in, about as large as my current 2-bedroom apartment, which I'd peg at about 1100 sf), beautifully appointed. I wanted her to take that unit so bad, but she and my stepdad eventually took a 2+2 in a modern building nearby on Finley Ave, between Vermont & Hillhurst. (Nice enough place, but the neighbors were horrible.)

Interestingly, this is the only building I have found that is credited to Jack Grundfor as architect. I would think it's rare to have such a standout building as the only example of an architect's work (the Bradbury being the exception that proves the rule?). Perhaps our intrepid sleuths in the forum can dig up more information on Mr. Grundfor.

Jack Grundfor did a few other Southern California buildings I was able to dig up in a quick search. One was the auditorium for a Glendale municipal recreation center, in 1935. Another was the Church of Latter Day Saints at Ripple and Newell. A church still stands at that site, though now it's Catholic. Must be the same. He is listed as J. A. Grundfor for both projects. A quick search of J. A. Grundfor turns up some work in Salt Lake City in the 1910s.

His full name was John A. Grundfor, born October 15, 1888, and died in July 1979. It looks like he worked in Salt Lake City from 1915 through around 1924, and designed the Salt Lake City Cemetery gates.

We know he was in L.A. by 1929, the earliest reference I could find to him in the LA Times was a mention in 1933 that he had been named a Building Inspector for the unincorporated areas of Los Angeles. His 1940 census entry still lists him as building inspector. He lived in Glendale with his wife Nola.

[srk1941]

Originally Posted by srk1941

Jack Grundfor did a few other Southern California buildings I was able to dig up in a quick search. One was the auditorium for a Glendale municipal recreation center, in 1935. Another was the Church of Latter Day Saints at Ripple and Newell. A church still stands at that site, though now it's Catholic. Must be the same. He is listed as J. A. Grundfor for both projects. A quick search of J. A. Grundfor turns up some work in Salt Lake City in the 1910s.

His full name was John A. Grundfor, born October 15, 1888, and died in July 1979. It looks like he worked in Salt Lake City from 1915 through around 1924, and designed the Salt Lake City Cemetery gates.

We know he was in L.A. by 1929, the earliest reference I could find to him in the LA Times was a mention in 1933 that he had been named a Building Inspector for the unincorporated areas of Los Angeles. His 1940 census entry still lists him as building inspector. He lived in Glendale with his wife Nola.

One more clue... in 1927 he was listed as chief draftsman for the Fidelity Construction Company. Might they have built the apartment building? Richard Neutra worked briefly for Fidelity Construction at about the same time, according to Thomas Hines.