Historic Core, Los Angeles
Historic Core | |
---|---|
Coordinates: 34°03′13″N 118°14′43″W / 34.05349°N 118.245319°W | |
Country | United States |
State | California |
County | Los Angeles County |
City | Los Angeles |
Named | 1990s |
Zip code | 90013 |
Streets | 3rd Street, 4th Street, Broadway, Hill Street, Main Street, Olympic Boulevard, Spring Street |
The Historic Core is a district within Downtown Los Angeles that includes the world's largest concentration of movie palaces,[citation needed] former large department stores, and office towers, all built chiefly between 1907 and 1931. Within it lie the Broadway Theater District and the Spring Street historic financial district, and in its west it overlaps with the Jewelry District and in its east with Skid Row.
The Historic Core falls into two business improvement districts, Historic Core (south of 4th St.) and Downtown LA (from 2nd to 4th Street). The total Historic Core is thus composed of:[1][2][3]
- Los Angeles Street from 2nd to 6th streets,
- Spring Street and Main Street from 2nd to 7th streets,
- Broadway from 2nd to 9th streets,
- Hill Street from 2nd to 10th streets
Please consult the articles about the individual streets and historic districts above for a full discussion of the architectural landmarks in the district.
History
The Historic Core was the central business district of the city from the first decade of the 1900s through the 1950s. Before 1900 the business center was further north, between the Plaza and about Third Street.[4][5] Starting in the 1950s what is now the Historic Core started to decline. Upscale shopping had moved west to the Seventh & Hope area starting in the 1920s, and to Mid-Wilshire by the 1930s. When consumers lived and worked near the prolific streetcar lines, it was relatively easy for them to reach downtown, the hub of both the Los Angeles Railway and Pacific Electric systems. Now, an ever increasing number of consumers had cars, lived further away from downtown, and due to the proliferation of suburban retail, were able to shop, dine, and go to the movies there without worries about downtown parking and traffic congestion. In addition, after World War II, financial institutions moved several blocks to the west, ending up on Figueroa Street, Flower Street, and Grand Avenue. In the 1950s the Historic Core became the center of Latino retail and entertainment in the city, e.g.: the Million Dollar Theatre featured the biggest names in the Spanish language entertainment world. This paralleled the general white flight occurring in Central Los Angeles at the time, which saw Broadway become a major center for Latino life in the city.
Although prostitution and drug dealing had occurred in the area as far back as the early 1920s, they became epidemic in the 1960s. The area's movie palaces, built between 1911 and 1931, became grindhouses. The last of them closed in the 1990s; the Orpheum Theatre recently underwent a complete restoration at a cost of several million dollars, and is now used for major movie premieres (such as "Collateral" in 2005), celebrity events (Michael Jackson's birthday party), comedy shows (Bill Burr), fashion shows, concerts (Opeth), and plays. Most of the older buildings have stores that cater to the Latino immigrant working class.
The developing street gang problem in Los Angeles which began to worsen at the end of the 1960s and got considerably worse in the late 1970s, also hurt traditional commercial activity in the area, as it did much of downtown. While the LAPD indicates that the area is a sort of neutral zone, which has not been claimed by any single gang and random gang violence is rare, the area remains one of the major areas for street drug sales in Los Angeles.
Redevelopment
In 1999, the Los Angeles City Council passed an Adaptive Re-Use Ordinance, allowing for the conversion of old, unused office buildings to apartments or "lofts." Developer Tom Gilmore purchased a series of century-old buildings and converted them into lofts near Main and Spring streets, a development now known as the "Old Bank District." Other notable redevelopment projects in the Historic Core have included the Eastern Columbia Building, Broadway Trade Center, Higgins Building, The Security Building, the Pacific Electric Building, The Judson, and the Subway Terminal Building. As of 2005, redevelopment projects in downtown Los Angeles have been divided about evenly between rentals and condominiums; though projects near the Staples Center arena in the South Park neighborhood have been overwhelmingly dedicated to condominiums.
Map of landmarks
Landmarks are shown on the following street grid of the Historic Core of Downtown Los Angeles.
Abbreviations
Text, colors etc.
|
Architectural styles
|
Architects
|
|
H I L L S T R E E T H I L L S T R E E T H I L L S T R E E T H I L L S T R E E T H I L L S T R E E T H I L L S T R E E T H I L L S T R E E T H I L L S T R E E T |
250 333 W. 3rd |
259 |
B R O A D W A Y B R O A D W A Y B R O A D W A Y B R O A D W A Y B R O A D W A Y B R O A D W A Y B R O A D W A Y B R O A D W A Y B R O A D W A Y B R O A D W A Y B R O A D W A Y B R O A D W A Y |
257 |
S P R I N G S T R E E T S P R I N G S T R E E T S P R I N G S T R E E T S P R I N G S T R E E T S P R I N G S T R E E T S P R I N G S T R E E T |
256 |
M A I N S T R E E T M A I N S T R E E T M A I N S T R E E T M A I N S T R E E T M A I N S T R E E T M A I N S T R E E T M A I N S T R E E T M A I N S T R E E T |
L O S A N G E L E S S T R E E T L O S A N G E L E S S T R E E T L O S A N G E L E S S T R E E T L O S A N G E L E S S T R E E T L O S A N G E L E S S T R E E T | |||||
THIRD ST. | THIRD ST. | THIRD ST. | THIRD (orig. MAYO) ST. | ||||||||||
301–313 |
300–310
312-6 |
301–311
Washington B. |
now Reagan State Bldg 1990 |
300–4 |
126–30 E. 3rd |
Toy District | |||||||
Angels Flight |
1897 JP Homer Laughlin B. |
318-22 |
337-41 |
Round House
|
312–324
Rotunda (rear) now 🅿️ | ||||||||
357–361 |
331–335
355–363 |
340 Trustee B. 1905 PB 350 O. T. Johnson Block 1895 It RBY 356 O. T. Johnson Bldg |
361 |
354 |
103 W 4th |
332–346 |
|||||||
FOURTH ST. | FOURTH ST. | FOURTH ST. | FOURTH ST. | ||||||||||
1915: 401–23 B'way, 414–34 Hill were joined as the:
The Broadway Department Store 1896–1973 |
400 |
Angelus Hotel 1901–56d JP[32] |
400
410 |
400 |
Toy District
| ||||||||
417 |
436–8 St. Clarenden H. |
443–7 |
424 |
433 |
416 Dog Park |
||||||||
(411 W. 5th) |
(515 W. 5th) |
Chester Williams B. 1926 |
453 |
460 |
451 |
121 E. 5th | |||||||
FIFTH ST. | FIFTH ST. | FIFTH ST. | FIFTH ST. | ||||||||||
PERSHING SQUARE |
Fifth Street Store ds |
518 Roxie Th. 528 Cameo Th. 534 Arcade Th. now retail |
501 |
510 |
514 |
500–2 |
501 | ||||||
538–546 Spring Arcade 537–543 543 |
514 |
545 |
550 | ||||||||||
550 |
555–61 |
556–558 |
(215 W. Spring) |
548 |
560 |
||||||||
SIXTH ST. | SIXTH ST. | SIXTH ST. | SIXTH ST. | ||||||||||
Consolidated
Sun Realty B. 1931 635
|
606
608 |
601-605
615 |
600–610
616
620 630 Palace Th. 1911 GAL RR
644
648 |
601
621
625
639 |
600
618
626
632–4 |
610
640 |
|||||||
651–7 |
Bullock's ds 1907 P&B |
656–666 (219 W 7th) |
215 W. 7th 651–3 |
now Jaide Lofts |
|||||||||
SEVENTH ST. | SEVENTH ST. | SEVENTH ST. | SEVENTH ST. | ||||||||||
701 |
703 State Th. |
700
720
722
740 |
701 |
700–4 |
700 |
||||||||
[37] 757–61 |
Union Bank |
756 |
755 |
756 Great |
|||||||||
EIGHTH ST. | EIGHTH ST. | EIGHTH ST. | EIGHTH ST. | ||||||||||
825 |
May Company B. |
802
Tower Th.
812
Rialto Th.
842
Orpheum Th. |
200 W. 8th |
810 |
824 | ||||||||
855 |
850 |
849 |
833 |
851 |
860 | ||||||||
NINTH ST. | NINTH ST. | NINTH ST. | |||||||||||
small retail |
912
939 |
901
1927 W&E/CHC SG 929 |
910 | ||||||||||
OLYMPIC BL. | (formerly TENTH ST.) | OLYMPIC BL. | |||||||||||
1000 53 fl 🏠 |
1026 S. Broadway Broadway Palace Apts 2017 S. Hill 1001–51 |
||||||||||||
1038 1927 SOC |
1023 1925 W&E BA |
||||||||||||
1061 |
1050 |
1060 |
|||||||||||
ELEVENTH ST. | ELEVENTH ST. | ELEVENTH ST. | |||||||||||
1111 |
(146 W. 11th St.) 1101 |
1100 |
1101 |
See also
Within Downtown Los Angeles
- Broadway (Los Angeles)
- Broadway Theater District
- Central Business District, Los Angeles (1880-1899)
- Old Bank District
- Spring Street Financial District
References
- ^ p.8, "Historic Core A Los Angeles Property-Based Business Improvement District Management District Plan", City of Los Angeles, May 14, 2018, retrieved October 15, 2020
- ^ ""Boundary Map", Historic Core Business Improvement District, retrieved October 15, 2020". Archived from the original on October 16, 2020. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
- ^ "DCBID Boundaries | Downtown LA". downtownla.com.
- ^ "Water and Power Associates".
- ^ "Los Angeles Fifty Years Ago: The Re-Creation of a Vanished City". Los Angeles Times. November 15, 1931. p. 90. Retrieved May 13, 2019.
- ^ "Carroll Herkimer Brown". PCAD. Retrieved October 24, 2024.
- ^ "Howard, Train and Williams, Architects". PCAD. Retrieved October 24, 2024.
- ^ "Loy L. Smith". PCAD. Retrieved October 24, 2024.
- ^ "Five-Story Building. Eighty-Thousand Dollar Block to Go Up on Hill Street". The Los Angeles Times. February 6, 1901. p. 9.
- ^ "Conservative Life Insurance Company, Office Building, Los Angeles, CA". PCAD. Retrieved October 24, 2024.
- ^ "That Big Block to Go Up on Hill and Third Streets". The Los Angeles Times. February 7, 1901. p. 8.
- ^ "Hill Street Improvement". The Los Angeles Times. June 12, 1904. p. 35.
- ^ Reagh, William (1979). "F.P. Fay Building". Calisphere. Retrieved October 24, 2024.
- ^ Counter, Bill. "Los Angeles Theatres: Central Theatre". Los Angeles Theatres. Retrieved October 24, 2024.
- ^ "Washington Building, Downtown, Los Angeles, CA". PCAD. Retrieved October 24, 2024.
- ^ a b c "Image 11 (Plate 130), Sanborn Fire Insurance Map, Los Angeles, 1906". Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA. 1906. Retrieved October 27, 2024.
- ^ a b c "Sanborn Fire Map of Los Angeles 1906-Jan. 1950 vol. 2, 1906-June 1950, Sheet 130". Los Angeles Public Library. 1906–1950. Retrieved October 27, 2024.
- ^ "Lankershim Building, 3rd Street and Spring Street, Downtown, Los Angeles, CA". PCAD. Retrieved October 27, 2024.
- ^ "The Building Boom". Los Angeles Herald. December 23, 1906. Retrieved October 27, 2024.
- ^ "Citizens' Securities Company, Citizens' National Bank Building #1, Downtown, Los Angeles, CA". PCAD. Retrieved October 27, 2024.
- ^ Sanborn Fire Map of Los Angeles, v.2, plate 130 (Map). 1906.
- ^ a b "Los Angeles 1909 (map)". Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA. Retrieved October 27, 2024.
- ^ Main St & 3rd St (Map). Retrieved October 27, 2024.
- ^ "Cozy Theatre". Los Angeles Theatres. Retrieved October 24, 2024.
- ^ "Blackstone's Disciples". Los Angeles Herald. February 21, 1897. p. 5.
The Law Students' association of this city has selected permanent rooms in Pridham block, No. 317 South Main street.
- ^ "Panoramas in Los Angeles", The Velaslavasay Panorama
- ^ Counter, Bill. "Los Angeles Theatres: Panorama / Adolphus / Hippodrome Theatre". Los Angeles Theatres. Retrieved October 27, 2024.
- ^ Baist Real Estate Atlas. Los Angeles: Baist. 1920. p. Plate 2. Retrieved October 7, 2024.
- ^ "A Credit to Los Angeles". Los Angeles Herald. January 3, 1897.
- ^ Sanborn Fire Map of Los Angeles, Volume 2, Plate 144 (Map). 1906.
- ^ "Mason Building Sold". Los Angeles Evening Express. Los Angeles, California. February 11, 1922. p. 19.
- ^ "Angelus Hotel". PCAD. Retrieved October 8, 2024.
- ^ "Notice of Receiving Bids for Bedell Co. of California". The Los Angeles Times. October 31, 1931. p. 13.
- ^ "Downtown Broadway Store Leased in $1,000,000 Deal". The Los Angeles Times. February 11, 1940. p. 63. Retrieved October 9, 2024.
- ^ "Smith, Loy L., Architect". PCAD. Retrieved October 24, 2024.
- ^ "Strolling on 7th Street: Downtown's Historic Thoroughfare (folder)" (PDF). Los Angeles Conservancy. Los Angeles Conservancy. 2010. Retrieved October 26, 2024.
- ^ "Parcel Profile". Dept. of Building and Safety, City of Los Angeles. Retrieved November 7, 2024.
- ^ Nathan Nirenstein. "Los Angeles, Cal. (Business Real Estate Locations, c.1928-30)" (Map). David Rumsey Map Collection. Springfield, Massachusetts: Funk & Wagnalls Company. Archived from the original on November 7, 2024. Retrieved November 7, 2024.
- ^ "What's New in DTLA? Exciting Developments for 2024 | Industry Insight | Joe's Auto Parks, DTLA". Joes Auto Parks. June 2, 2024. Retrieved October 8, 2024.
- ^ "Historic downtown Los Angeles high-rise sold to Canadian investors". Los Angeles Times. October 15, 2014. Retrieved May 22, 2021.
- ^ "Spring Street Housing Tower Sells for $43 Million". Los Angeles Downtown News - The Voice of Downtown Los Angeles. Retrieved May 22, 2021.
- ^ "PCAD - City Club Building, Los Angeles, CA". pcad.lib.washington.edu.
- ^ "PCAD - White Log Coffee Shop, Los Angeles, CA". pcad.lib.washington.edu.
- ^ "Skyscraper with condos and a hotel proposed for downtown Los Angeles". Los Angeles Times. April 10, 2020.