Template:Buildings along Broadway from Temple to 3rd streets

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Temple and Broadway[edit]

Cable cars of the Temple Street Cable Railway ran along Temple Street starting in 1886 and were replaced with Pacific Electric streetcars in 1902.[1][2]

Northwest corner of Temple and Broadway[edit]

  • The three-story brick Women's Christian Temperance Union building was erected in 1888 for $45,000.[3] Also known as the Temperance Temple, it has been demolished[4] and was replaced in 1957 by the Los Angeles County Central Heating and Refrigeration Plant.[5]

Southeast corner of Temple and Broadway (Pound Cake Hill, west side of New High St.)[edit]

This location was at the time known as Pound Cake Hill. The buildings located here faced New High Street to their east and Broadway to their west. They were as follows:[6]

  • Los Angeles High School, whose original location (1873-1887) was between New High on the west and Broadway on the east, south of Temple Street. It was moved to California and Sand streets, and in 1890 a new facility was built on Fort Moore Hill, immediately north of where Broadway today crosses the Hollywood Freeway. The Pound Cake Hill school was demolished and replaced by:
  • First, the Red Stone Courthouse (or "Red Sandstone Courthouse"), which took over the function of courthouse from the Clocktower Courthouse (also called the Temple Courthouse). It was damaged beyond repair by Long Beach earthquake of 1933 and was torn down in 1936.
  • The Los Angeles County Hall of Records was built next to (south of) the Red Sandstone Courthouse in 1911, After the 1971 San Fernando earthquake, it was determined to be unsafe and it was demolished in 1973. A new Hall of Records was built and opened in 1962, one block west on the south side of Temple between Broadway and Hill.

Currently on the site are:

  • Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center (Los Angeles County Grand Jury)
  • A portion of Grand Park, which stretches mid-block between Temple and First, from City Hall at Spring Street, to the Music Center at Grand Avenue.
Realignment of Spring Street (1925)[edit]

The Poundcake Hill buildings originally backed up to Broadway to their west, and faced New High Street to their east. New High Street (see Sanborn map above) was a north-south street that ran parallel to Broadway, and to Spring Street to its east. As part of the construction of City Hall in the early 1920s, New High Street was removed south of Temple, and Spring Street was realigned more towards a north-south orientation, parallel with Broadway, instead of running more northeasterly and meeting Main Street at Temple Street. As a result the Poundcake Hill buildings faced the newly aligned Spring Street until they were demolished.

Southwest corner of Temple and Broadway[edit]

Adjacent to the south, mid-block, is a portion of Grand Park.

First and Broadway[edit]

Northeast corner of First and Broadway[edit]

Northwest corner of First and Broadway[edit]

  • Site of the Tajo Building (1896–mid-20th c.).[8] Now the location of the Los Angeles County Law Library.[9]

Southeast corner of First and Broadway and east side of 100 block[edit]

  • Site of the Culver Block retail and office building.[10] Now the site of the Times Mirror Square 1973 Pereira Addition, so called because it was designed by William Pereira.
  • South of the Culver Block was the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce building, 128–130 S. Broadway, opened February 12, 1904,[11] a landmark at the time featured on postcards and in books. 6 stories, 4 floors. Ground floor offices included those of the Los Angeles Herald and Consolidated Bank.[12]

Southwest corner of First and Broadway[edit]

The southwest corner, during Victorian times the site of unremarkable retail and office buildings, was from 1958 the location of the State Office Building, (1958-60, architect Anson C. Boyd, razed 2006). It was named the Junipero Serra State Office Building, and this moniker would be transferred to the former Broadway Department Store building at 4th and Broadway when it was opened to replace this building in 1998.[13] It is now the location of the New U.S. Courthouse built in 2016, taking up the entire block between Broadway, Hill, First and Second.[14]

Just south of the southwest corner was the Mason Theatre, 127 S. Broadway. Opened in 1903 as the Mason Opera House, 1,600 seats. Benjamin Marshall of the Chicago firm Marshall & Wilson designed the building in association with John Parkinson. Marshall is known for designing the Iroquois Theatre in Chicago. Remodeled in 1924 by Meyer & Holler. Later, as the Mason Theatre, it showed Spanish-language films. Demolished 1955.[15]

145 S. Broadway,[16]site of the C. H. Frost Building, later known as the Haig M. Prince Building. Built 1898, architect John Parkinson,[17] Now the location of the new United States Courthouse built in 2016, taking up the entire block between Broadway, Hill, First and Second.[14]

Second and Broadway[edit]

Northeast corner of Second and Broadway[edit]

One of several “Hellman Buildings” across Downtown L.A. — not to be confused with the still-existing Hellman Building at Fourth and Spring — was located here (#138) from 1897 to 1959.[18] The site is now a parking structure, part of the Times Mirror Square complex.

Southwest corner of Second and Broadway and the west side of the 200 block[edit]

The west side of the 200 block of South Broadway had a key place in the retail history of Los Angeles from the 1893 through 1917, as it was home to several prominent early department stores such as the Ville de Paris, Coulter's department store from 1905–1917, and J. W. Robinson's "Boston Dry Goods" store from 1895–1915. All three stores would move to Seventh Street when it became the upscale shopping street between 1915 and 1917.

  • On the southwest corner of 2nd and Broadway was Judge O'Melveny's house, built in 1870. This was replaced by the American National Bank (later California Bank) Building, which one turn was replaced by the California Building in 1911. Nos. 201-213 Broadway are now known named the Broadway Media Center.

Further south on the west side of Broadway, was 207–211, location of the:

  • YMCA Building (#207–209–211), Romanesque Revival architecture, opened in July 1889, demolished in 1903.
    • The YMCA operated here at #207 from 1889 until 1903,
    • City of London opened here in August 1891, run by Messrs. Hiles and Niccolls, who came from the City of Paris department store. It carried curtains, window shades, comforters, and the like.[19] It operated here until August 1895, when it moved next door to the Potomac Block at #213.[20]

The YMCA Building was demolished to make way for the:

  • Merchants Trust Co. Building.[21]
Coulter's complex: Potomac and Bicknell blocks[edit]

The adjacent Potomac Block and Bicknell Block originally housed prominent retailers of the day, then were joined together in 1906 by Coulter's department store to form a complex, opening it as a new, 157,000 sq ft (14,600 m2) store in June, 1905.[22][23][24]

Potomac Block[edit]

The Potomac Block, 213–223 S. Broadway, was from 1905 to 1917 known as the B. F. Coulter Building. It was originally developed by lumberyard and mill owner J. M. Griffith. It was designed in 1888 by Block, Curlett and Eisen in Romanesque architectural style[25] and opened on July 17, 1890.[26]

Tenants included:

  • Ville de Paris department store (at 221–223, from 1893 through 1906),[25]
  • City of London Dry Goods Co., which moved here from next door at #211 in August 1895 and advertised for this location through August 1899.[20]

It was the first time major retail stores opened on South Broadway, in what would be a shift of the upmarket shopping district from 1890 to 1905 from around First and Spring to South Broadway. In 1904, Coulter's bought the Potomac Block, and combined it with the Bicknell block to create its new store that opened in 1905.

After Coulter's moved:

  • 215 continued as a branch of Coulter's through 1927. Then, 215–217 was home to the Pacific Furniture House in the 1940s.
  • 219 housed Fisch's Department Store in the 1940s.

The building was demolished in 1953 and is still the site of a parking lot.[27]

Bicknell Block[edit]

The Bicknell Block (or Bicknell Building) at 225–229 S. Broadway, with back entrances at 224–228 S. Hill Street. was part of Coulter's from 1905 from 1917. After Coulter's moved in 1917, it housed the Western Shoe Co. (through 1922), later known as the Western Department Store (1922–1928). Lettering covered the face of the building from top to bottom through the end of the 1950s: "THE LARGEST SHOE DEPT. IN THE WEST".[28]

Further south on Broadway[edit]
  • 231-235, the Harris Newmark Building (1899, Abram Edelman), Bartlett Music Co. (#233), annex to J. W. Robinson's (#235); Goodwill Industries store (#233-235, 1950s–60s). The building still stands, but all floors except the ground floor have been removed.
  • 237-241, the Boston Dry Goods Building (completed 1895, demolished, architects Theodore Eisen and Sumner Hunt, designer of the Bradbury Building)[29][30] The building was home to J. W. Robinson's "Boston Dry Goods" store from 1895 to 1915, Scott's Department Store (239–241, 1920s), Third Street Store (237–241, 1950s–60s). Demolished, currently the site of a parking lot.
  • 251 was home to the I. Magnin speciality department store, which opened here on January 2, 1899;[31] starting 1904, I. Magnin announced that the store would be known by the name of its manager, Myer Siegel.[32]

Southeast corner and east side of Broadway from 2nd to 3rd[edit]

The southeast corner of 2nd and Broadway was the site of

  • The First Presbyterian Church was located here in 1894.[33] The church was replaced sometime before 1906 by the:
  • Nolan, Smith and Bridge Building, #200-4 S. Broadway, stores and a restaurant.[34]
  • Now the corner is the site of the Historic Broadway underground light rail station, under construction.

Mid-block were:

  • Crocker Building, #212–6[35] Home to Victor Clothing from 1920 to 1964
  • B'nai B'rith Temple (1873), 214 S. Broadway (post-1890 numbering), the city's first synagogue, razed to make way for the Copp Building, 218–224 S. Broadway, home to the original (1908) Pig 'n Whistle candy shop and tea room.[36] The Pig 'n Whistle would open locations at 7th and Broadway and in Hollywood, where it would become a landmark restaurant that still operates today.
  • City Hall (1888–1928; opened 1888, demolished 1929; 228–238 S. Broadway, architect Solomon Irmscher Haas, Romanesque Revival). Now a parking lot. Three stories, it had a 150-foot (46 m) campanile. Red and brown brick. Housed the Los Angeles Public Library for a time until it moved to the new Hamburger's department store building at Eighth and Broadway in 1908.[37] The site is now part of the "(213) S. Spring" parking garage.[9]
  • #240-246 the Hosfield Building, location of the Natatorium (indoor swimming pool) in 1894 and the Imperial Restaurant in 1906.[35] After 1964, location of Victor Clothing, notable for its changing murals reflecting local Chicano culture. Victor Clothing operated here until 2001, and was known i.a. for its frequent ads on Spanish-language television.[38]

Third and Broadway[edit]

Northwest corner of Third and Broadway[edit]

The corner is home to one of the oldest buildings outside the Plaza area, the 1895 Irvine Byrne Block or Byrne Block; now called the Pan American Lofts. The architect was Sumner Hunt. It was built in a hybrid Spanish Colonial Revival/Beaux-Arts style.

The building was home to the renowned I. Magnin clothing store that opened here on January 2, 1899;[39] on June 19, 1904, I. Magnin announced that the Los Angeles store would henceforth be known as Myer Siegel.[32] After a fire at the Irvine Byrne Building destroyed its store on February 16, 1911, Myer Siegel moved further south on Broadway.

It was modernized and converted to lofts in 2007 and given its present name. The halls and staircase have appeared in many of Alfred Hitchcock's movies, Brad Pitt's Se7en, Fight Club, Blade Runner, and other TV shows and commercials.[40]

From Third Street south to Olympic Blvd. (originally Tenth St.), and from Hill Street east to Los Angeles Street, including Broadway, is the Historic Core district, the city's main commercial and entertainment area in the first half of the 20th century.

Northeast corner of Third and Broadway[edit]

On this corner:[41]

  • Originally the J. C. Graves house stood here; Graves bought the property in 1879 for $2,250. The house was sold and removed to 10th and Hope streets in 1888.
  • Rindge Block (1898, sold in 1899 for $190,000 to Frederick H. Rindge, the "King of Malibu"), 248–260 S. Broadway, commercial building; the top floors were removed and only the ground floor remains.

Southwest corner of Third and Broadway[edit]

Southeast corner of Third and Broadway[edit]

  1. ^ "Map of Temple Street Cable Railway, via Metro (Los Angeles County)".
  2. ^ "Temple Street Cable Railway (1886)". www.erha.org.
  3. ^ "New Buildings: A Splendid Showing for the Future Los Angeles". Los Angeles Times. May 13, 1888. p. 3.
  4. ^ "Water and Power Associates".
  5. ^ "Los Angeles County Central Heating and Refrigeration Plant". Calisphere.
  6. ^ "Water and Power Associates". waterandpower.org.
  7. ^ "Water and Power Associates". waterandpower.org. Retrieved 2021-05-22.
  8. ^ "PCAD - Tajo Building, Downtown, Los Angeles, CA". pcad.lib.washington.edu.
  9. ^ a b search for the location, Google Maps, retrieved October 20, 2020
  10. ^ "Water and Power Associates".
  11. ^ "BEgins New Era of Achievement: Chamber of Commerce Welcomes Public to Magnificent Home, with Brilliant Reception — Annual Reports Show Splendid Progress". The Los Angeles Times. 1904-02-13. p. 13. Retrieved 2020-11-10.
  12. ^ "PCAD - Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce Building, Downtown, Los Angeles, CA". pcad.lib.washington.edu.
  13. ^ "Junipero Serra State Office Building #1", Pacific Coast Architecture Database
  14. ^ a b "New Los Angeles US Courthouse". www.gsa.gov.
  15. ^ "Mason Theatre in Los Angeles, CA - Cinema Treasures". cinematreasures.org.
  16. ^ "2nd Street and Broadway" Huntington Digital Library
  17. ^ Marques Vickers, Reinventing Broadway, p.52
  18. ^ "Water and Power Associates".
  19. ^ "Broadway to the Front". Los Angeles Evening Express. August 7, 1891. p. 8.
  20. ^ a b "Advertisement for City of Paris". Los Angeles Times. August 6, 1895. p. 10.
  21. ^ "Merchants Trust Company Building, ca.1910". Calisphere.
  22. ^ "Great Store for Coulter". Los Angeles Times. August 2, 1904. p. 13.
  23. ^ Hill, 224-6-8 S. (2 November 1906). "Coulter's location 1906 225–229 S. Broadway". The Los Angeles Times. p. 19.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  24. ^ "Ad for Coulter's new store opening". Los Angeles Times. May 31, 1905.
  25. ^ a b "Potomac Block :: Los Angeles Public Library Photo Collection". tessa.lapl.org.
  26. ^ "Potomac Block. The Work of Building Up a Great City". Los Angeles Herald. July 18, 1890.
  27. ^ "Potomac Block & Bicknell Block – Romanesque Revival Downtown – PocketSights". pocketsights.com.
  28. ^ "Western Shoe Company – Western Department Store – 227 S Broadway". Los Angeles Evening Express. 1922-05-26. p. 14. Retrieved 2021-05-22.
  29. ^ "The Boston Dry Goods Store". Los Angeles Times. 1 January 1895. p. 29. Retrieved 3 May 2019.
  30. ^ "The New Boston Store:Los Angeles' Finest Commercial Structure Is Complete". Los Angeles Herald. 4 October 1895. p. 5.
  31. ^ "31 Dec 1898, 4 – Los Angeles Times at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com.
  32. ^ a b "19 Jun 1904, 12 – Los Angeles Times at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com.
  33. ^ Sanborn Map of Los Angeles: 1894, vol. 1, plate 8, via Library of Congress.
  34. ^ Sanborn Map of Los Angeles: 1906, vol. 2, plate 131, via Library of Congress.
  35. ^ a b Sanborn Maps of Los Angeles: 1894, vol. 1, plate 8; 1906, vol. 2, plate 131.
  36. ^ "Pig 'n Whistle opens 224 S. Broadway". The Los Angeles Times. Dec 10, 1908. p. 22 – via newspapers.com.
  37. ^ "CityDig: This Was L.A.'s City Hall for 39 Years". Los Angeles Magazine. May 8, 2014. Retrieved 16 May 2019.
  38. ^ Maese, Kathryn. "The Victor No Longer". Los Angeles Downtown News - The Voice of Downtown Los Angeles. Retrieved 2020-08-11.
  39. ^ "I Magnin moves from Spring to Broadway 1". Los Angeles Times. Dec 31, 1898. p. 4 – via newspapers.com.
  40. ^ Flynn, Kathleen Nye. "Mixing the Old With the New". Los Angeles Downtown News – The Voice of Downtown Los Angeles. Retrieved 2021-05-22.
  41. ^ "Business Property Deal: Nearly Two Hundred Thousand Dollars for a Good Corner". March 22, 1899.
  42. ^ "22 Sep 1989, 19 - The Los Angeles Times at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2018-10-13.
  43. ^ a b "Bradbury Building | Los Angeles Conservancy". www.laconservancy.org.
  44. ^ "The Opening of North Broadway". Los Angeles Times. October 9, 1895. p. 6.