noirish Los Angeles - Page 2491

ethereal_reality · #**49801** Posted **Dec 3, 2018, 8:36 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by odinthor

Sadly, AL, the Virginia Hotel was long gone by the time my eyes came into the world. Closed in 1932, razed in 1933. Originally, as I understand, it was to have a circular ballroom at the top; but a construction accident put an end to that plan.

Very interesting odinthor. I've never heard about the circular ballroom.

Snix · #**49802** Posted **Dec 3, 2018, 9:45 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

At first, this was a mystery home...

1986 santa monica library

since then...I've found out that it's the old Kyte(?) House that once stood at the corner of Washington Blvd. and Ocean Avenue in Santa Monica.

In 1973 it was moved to 2640 Main Street, Santa Monica.

I believe the home is behind the trees in this GSV.

GSV

I could only get a side-view of the house.

FROM MAIN STREET

The home was built by wealthy dowager Mary Kyte in 1894.

I searched NLA for "Kyte" but nothing turned up. Has anyone heard of this woman before?

__

The "Heritage Square" project in Santa Monica was conceived at the time of the city's centennial in 1975 (LAT 7/16/81) and involved moving two houses from Ocean Avenue to Main Street: This home and the adjacent "First Roy Jones" house. It was hugely controversial throughout the mid 1970s.
http://www.smconservancy.org/propert...y-jones-house/

While the Jones house was restored as a museum (now the California Heritage Museum), the other was to house a restaurant - originally a branch of the Chronicle from Pasadena - and as the original post pointed out, that one is not as well documented. The restaurant opened January 23, 1978 (LAT 2/9/78)

The Santa Monica Historic Resources Inventory says it was built in 1892 and doesn't give it a name:
https://www.smgov.net/uploadedFiles/...0Resources.pdf

Gerhard and Winter calls it the Trask house, attributes it to Hunt and Eggers, and dates it to 1903:
https://books.google.com/books?id=WW...monica&f=false

and as originally shown, the library photo calls it the Kyte house, with no additional info
http://digital.smpl.org/cdm/singleit.../id/2741/rec/1

I hope this leads to more facts being uncovered.

odinthor · #**49803** Posted **Dec 3, 2018, 10:14 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

Very interesting odinthor. I've never heard about the circular ballroom.

Apparently, even as construction began, enthusiasm grew among the backers, and plans were repeatedly changed to suit new fancies. Alas, e_r, any published reference to this is eluding me at the moment; but my recollection is that the ballroom idea was for the circular ballroom to be built on the top floor, looking out over the beach and ocean, between the two main wings of the H-shaped building. What I read--quite some time ago--included a contemporary drawing of the plan . . . and I recall recoiling at its ugliness. It looked as if a Flying Saucer had docked on the building. The construction tragedy, which occurred at 9:45 a.m. on November 9, 1906, sobered up the whimsies of the backers, and the ballroom plan was discarded, especially I suppose since the location in the building of the ballroom would have been about where the construction collapse had taken place. The collapse is also why the name was changed from the originally-intended Bixby Hotel (or perhaps Hotel Bixby) to the Virginia Hotel (they didn't want name association with a tragedy).

ethereal_reality · #**49804** Posted **Dec 3, 2018, 11:10 PM**

Thanks odinthor.

We've no doubt covered this terrible tragedy before but it had somehow slipped my mind. (as most of you know by now, I have a really bad memory

) *sad*

Here's a photograph after the collapse.

https://socalarchhistory.blogspot.com/2015/09/

the small type is too blurry to read-sorry

https://socalarchhistory.blogspot.com/2015/09/

Green cement?

I believe they're referring to fresh cement, right?

Now we need to find the architectural plans that show the circular rooftop ballroom.

_

GaylordWilshire · #**49805** Posted **Dec 4, 2018, 12:51 AM**

I'm pretty much done slow-binging many seasons of Perry Mason...one observation is that the series never lost its early creakiness in terms of scripts and sets and oftentimes, acting. The clear exception to that was Raymond Burr--truly brilliant in this role, as focussed as an actor as the character is at law. Definitely enjoyable to hang with Della & Paul and dozens of actors who turn up over the years on every CBS series from that era. The cars are a pleasure, of course. My main enjoyment in watching the episodes again is that I am reminded of how much of a feel they gave me a a kid for a distant city when I was a kid, the domestic architecture in particular.

Here's a last mystery house... looks sort of familiar... Beverly Hills or Holmby maybe.... Anyone recognize it?

Just for fun...a detail of a grandfather clock supposedly seen in the house above...

HossC's post from March 18, 2015 gives the story on the California Furniture Co: http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...ostcount=27047

CityBoyDoug · #**49806** Posted **Dec 4, 2018, 1:03 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

Mystery of the 'miniature church'.

Can anyone tell me what this little structure is that's sitting in the sand? The rounded tower makes it look like a tiny Russian Orthodox Church.

Old file

__

Ponies, dogs and such on the beach makes things get rather squishy between your toes.

ethereal_reality · #**49807** Posted **Dec 4, 2018, 2:37 AM**

We have discussed Nugent Chevrolet numerous times on NLA, but I believe this photograph is new to NLA.

Quote:

Originally Posted by GaylordWilshire

Nugent was selling Chevrolets at least by the late '20s at 627 S. La Brea (just down from Gillingham DeSoto), moving to 400 by 1934.

The pic shows the earliest location at 627 S. La Brea...which I don't believe we have seen before.

ebay / This is an original photograph, not a reproduction.

A fountain pen was used to write the information on the photograph.
Let's take a closer look.

GaylordWilshire posted a current photograph of 627 S. La Brea HERE

This old matchbook shows the later addresses. (428 & 435)

ebay

HossC posted a stunning night-time view of 428 S. La Brea HERE

__

ethereal_reality · #**49808** Posted **Dec 4, 2018, 8:09 AM**

I don't believe we have seen the Garfield Apartments on NLA.

The apartments were located in Alhambra. (possibly on Garfield Ave(?)

ebay / sold

It would be interesting to see if that over-sized stone marker is still in place........................

Here's a closer look. (I'm not sure what to call it)

To say it's substantial would be an understatement.

_

ProphetM · #**49809** Posted **Dec 4, 2018, 8:15 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

Wow! Thank you ProphetM

Here's an image of the powder magazine...in what looks like..the early stage of deterioration. {1900s?)

ipmg

hmmmm.....note the single 'window'. In later pics there are two larger windows.

as it appears today,

It makes me wonder if someone tried to convert it into a living quarters.

also.....too

The B & W pic. can't be showing this side. The door is in the wrong place.

See how sleuthy I am.

Maybe the B&W image is reversed.

ethereal_reality · #**49810** Posted **Dec 4, 2018, 8:26 AM**

And while I was in Alhambra looking for that unusual marker....I found another photo.

"Cabinet Photo ~ Alahambra CA Storefront Hall Clothing Co ~ Blue Blood Shoes"

Ebay

I don't believe I've ever heard of Blue Blood Shoes.

__

ethereal_reality · #**49811** Posted **Dec 4, 2018, 8:33 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ProphetM

Maybe the image is reversed.

If you go to GSV you'll see it isn't flipped ProphetM.

oops.
You meant the black n' white photograph. my bad.

HossC · #**49812** Posted **Dec 4, 2018, 1:34 PM**

Although a lot of the detail is covered by plaster in the B&W image, the large, light-colored stones in the pillar on the right appear to correspond perfectly.

Noir_Noir · #**49813** Posted **Dec 4, 2018, 5:38 PM**

Some more on the powder magazine at Drum Barracks.

Wilmington - Google Books

ethereal_reality · #**49814** Posted **Dec 4, 2018, 5:40 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by HossC

Although a lot of the detail is covered by plaster in the B&W image, the large, light-colored stones in the pillar on the right appear to correspond perfectly.

"One more thing. The powder magazine still stands about four blocks away from the Drum Barracks. It is Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument No. 249.
If you’re at all interested in seeing it, I recommend you do it soon. It’s located on private property, and the owner is itchy to have it removed in order
to build on the site. It’s in pretty sad shape."

bigorangelandmarks

corriganville · #**49815** Posted **Dec 4, 2018, 6:41 PM**

[QUOTE=GaylordWilshire;8398126]

I'm pretty much done slow-binging many seasons of Perry Mason...one observation is that the series never lost its early creakiness in terms of scripts and sets and oftentimes, acting. The clear exception to that was Raymond Burr--truly brilliant in this role, as focussed as an actor as the character is at law. Definitely enjoyable to hang with Della & Paul and dozens of actors who turn up over the years on every CBS series from that era. The cars are a pleasure, of course. My main enjoyment in watching the episodes again is that I am reminded of how much of a feel they gave me a a kid for a distant city when I was a kid, the domestic architecture in particular.

Here's a last mystery house... looks sort of familiar... Beverly Hills or Holmby maybe.... Anyone recognize it?

This was the George Lewis mansion, designed by architect Albert Farr, and was erected on 10 acres of land in Benedict Canyon, next door to the Thomas Ince estate (which was located at 1051 Benedict Canyon Drive in Beverly Hills). Unfortunately, the mansion was eventually torn down. It used to appear fairly regularly in the 1930s and 1940s films, such as the 1949 Columbia serial "Batman and Robin".

GaylordWilshire · #**49816** Posted **Dec 4, 2018, 8:27 PM**

Thanks, corriganville-- I guess I should have recognize it, since I've posted about it myself after ER's first post...

from post 33636, 2016

I think I posted about the house as it was used in Sabrina (1954)...

Pic from The Country House, April 6, 2015

Ed Workman · #**49817** Posted **Dec 4, 2018, 8:41 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

Thanks odinthor.

Green cement?

I believe they're referring to fresh cement, right?

Now we need to find the architectural plans that show the circular rooftop ballroom.

_

Green concrete has not yet reached its design strength
[ceee-mint is just the glue that holds the aggregates together, unless one is talking about sidewalks and patio slabs]
If I could read it I'd be able, perhaps, to comment more.
Is that article from LA Herald, many issues which are available on the UCR website?
Historically , there have been several construction failures due to poor shoring, and that may be what is being referred to as 'support failure'
Concrete normally requires several days to achieve sufficient strength to support itself

HossC · #**49818** Posted **Dec 4, 2018, 9:19 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

I don't believe we have seen the Garfield Apartments on NLA.

The apartments were located in Alhambra. (possibly on Garfield Ave(?)

ebay / sold

It would be interesting to see if that over-sized stone marker is still in place........................

The stone marker has gone, but the apartments are still there. They're now billed as the "Historic Garfield Inn, Established 1904". The number over the sign suggests that it's 341 N Garfield Avenue, but further searches have led nowhere.
BTW I found another copy of the postcard above on Pinterest (linked to an ebay sale in April, 2018) which suggests that it dates from 1918.

Across Los Angeles on Twitter

odinthor · #**49819** Posted **Dec 4, 2018, 11:07 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ed Workman

Green concrete has not yet reached its design strength
[ceee-mint is just the glue that holds the aggregates together, unless one is talking about sidewalks and patio slabs]
If I could read it I'd be able, perhaps, to comment more.
Is that article from LA Herald, many issues which are available on the UCR website?
Historically , there have been several construction failures due to poor shoring, and that may be what is being referred to as 'support failure'
Concrete normally requires several days to achieve sufficient strength to support itself

The article is from the Los Angeles Times of November 10, 1906. Here is the major part of that article, easier to read, compacted by me, shorn of its two illustrations, and much edited (most of the final fifth is gone, as just milking the event). It is still so long that it takes two images for this article (all in this posting from Los Angeles Times via ProQuest via CSULB Library).

Second part of the same article (oops, I see that I repeated the last line of part one):

And here's an edited, compacted version of an article about the Coroner's Jury report, published November 13, 1906:

GaylordWilshire · #**49820** Posted **Dec 4, 2018, 11:10 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by HossC

The stone marker has gone, but the apartments are still there. They're now billed as the "Historic Garfield Inn, Established 1904". The number over the sign suggests that it's 341 N Garfield Avenue, but further searches have led nowhere.
BTW I found another copy of the postcard above on Pinterest (linked to an ebay sale in April, 2018) which suggests that it dates from 1918.

Across Los Angeles on Twitter

A little minor antique noir on the Garfield Aprtments (presuming that the "431" cited in the article is a typo...)