Water and Power Associates Informing the Public about Critical Water and Energy Issues facing Los Angeles and California

Historical Notes

While Dodger Stadium was under construction, the Dodgers played in the league's largest capacity venue from 1958 through 1961 at their temporary home, the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, which could seat in excess of 90,000 people.

Despite their inept play and seventh-place finish, the Dodgers drew a record 1,845,556 fans in their first year in Los Angeles when they played at the Coliseum.*

Historical Notes

The Green Bay Packers defeat the Kansas City Chiefs 35-10 in the first Super Bowl, played at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. At halftime, the Chiefs were only behind 14-10, but the Packers took over in the third quarter.^^*

Super Bowl I was the only Super Bowl in history that was not a sellout in terms of attendance, despite a TV blackout in the Los Angeles area (at the time, NFL games were required to be blacked out in the market of origin, even if it was a neutral site game and if it sold out). Of the 94,000-seat capacity in the Coliseum, 33,000 went unsold.  Days before the game, local newspapers printed editorials about what they viewed as a then-exorbitant $12 price for tickets, and wrote stories about how to pirate the signal from TV stations outside the Los Angeles area.*^

Historical Notes

The prominent street running diagonally up from the lower right corner is Temple Street coming from the intersection with Broadway (barely seen, lower right corner). This baroque rooftop in the bottom of the image is the Hall of Records which reaches through from Spring Street all the way to Broadway. Court Street can be seen running directly away from the camera near the left edge. At lower-left, can be seen Court Flight running from the eastern terminus of Court Street down to Broadway (out of view). Mount Lee and the Hollywood Hills are seen in the distance where the elongated white smudge near the top of the ridge is the Hollywoodland Sign.^#^^

Historical Notes

In 1955, Los Angeles city planners decided that Bunker Hill required a massive slum clearance project. There were a couple of major political events which led to the "removal of the blight" and redevelopment of Bunker hill. The California Community Redevelopment Law of 1945, the Federal Housing Act of 1946 and 1949, the creation of the Community Redevelopment Agency in 1948, and also the Bunker Hill Urban Renewal Project in 1959.

The California Community Redevelopment law of 1945 allowed counties and cities to create and implement these agencies to help deal with the redevelopment of local cities. Until 2011, these Agencies held much power and were still around, until Governor Jerry Brown signed into law two bills to dissolve them.

Along with those political factors, other things which led to the conclusion of the blighted neighborhood came from some of the government offices. The LAPD called the area a "high frequency crime area", due to the fact that the area's apartments catered to known offenders. The Health department of Los Angeles also called the area a health hazard for its city. It wasn't until the CRA had won an ongoing court case against the residents of Bunker Hill. This loss for the residents of Bunker Hill led to the displacement of many families and removal of many of the low income residents of the area. This victory for the CRA led to them being able to buy land to redevelop as they saw fit. Within the plans for the redevelopment, there was a section for the rehabilitation of the buildings of Bunker Hill. The section was slated to preserve the historical buildings of Bunker Hill, but instead were demolished since there was no actual rehabilitation planned.*

Historical Notes

On the morning of July 25, 1964, the Dome burst into flames.  The building would be razed later that year to make room for a parking lot which existed until 2014 when construction began for the Broad Contemporary Art Museum (completed in 2015).

Historical Notes

Today, Flower Street curves to the right at 3rd Street and merges with Hope Street at 2nd Street.

Cinnabar Street, seen at upper-right between Flower Street and Hope Street, no longer exists today.

Bunker Hill Tower would be constructed across from the DWP building in 1968.

Historical Notes

The Department of Water and Power Building was built between 1963 and 1965.  Click HERE to see more.

Historical Notes

Click HERE to see more early views of the western portal of the 3rd Street Tunnel.

Historical Notes

Since the previous photos, the Bunker Towers have been constructed. Built in 1968, the 32-story Bunker Hill Tower was one of the original buildings in the extensive Bunker Hill Redevelopment Project.

Historical Notes

The ARCO Towers were built on the site of the Richfield Building (1928, demolished 1968), an Art Deco masterpiece.

Upon completion in 1972, the ARCO Plaza towers were the tallest buildings in the city for one year before being overtaken by Aon Center, and were the tallest twin towers in the world until the completion of the World Trade Center in New York City. The towers are the tallest twin buildings in the United States outside of New York City, where the 55-floor Time Warner Center stands at 750 ft.*

Historical Notes

The beautiful Queen Anne style residence on the left was the Koster House. It was located at 507 W. Second Street. On the right is the mansared-roofed Argyle Hotel/Apartments located on the NE corner of Olive and 2nd streets.

Historical Notes

The Argyle Hotel, the oldest hotel on Bunker Hill, built in the 1870s and located on the northeast corner of 2nd and Olive Streets. It was demolished along with the two beautiful homes to its left in the 1960s to make way for a parking lot which still exist today (Click HERE for contemporary view).

Historical Notes

The above street light is a Union Metal UM-1747 "Pacific" model with GE Form 18-B lanterns. They were found all over Bunker Hill until the neighborhood was bulldozed into oblivion. Only one Bunker Hill example survives as of 2021. It's on the East side of Olive Street, just South of 4th Street.

Click HERE to see more 'Pacific' UM 1747 dual-lamp streetlights (Contemporary Views)

Historical Notes

For nearly seventy years the pair of Queen Anne Victorian buildings were two of the most stunning structures on the Hill, but the Richelieu always stood in the shadow of its counterpart. The Melrose once played host to President McKinley, was memorialized by artists like Leo Politi, and was covered by local press when the wrecking crews came. The Richelieu on the other hand, was far less celebrated but no less important, making its small mark on the history of a neighborhood that no longer exists.^

Historical Notes

The 'Castle', in foreground, and the 'Salt Box', both built before 1890, were the only two buildings saved from the bulldozer when the entirety of Bunker Hill was leveled to make way for the future. With their move in 1969 to the new Heritage Square Museum the last remnants of old Bunker Hill were gone.

Historical Notes

By 1968, all of the once proud Victorians of Bunker Hill Avenue had been demolished, except for the Castle and the Salt Box. The two structures that had been constructed at the same time had been spared.  Once the CRA began pushing forward with their grand redevelopment plan in the mid-1950s, the writing was on the wall for the mansions in the neighborhood, and in an attempt to save a couple of the structures, the Salt Box was declared Historic Cultural Monument #5 in October in August 1962. Designation was soon bestowed upon the Castle which became HCM #27 in May 1964. The rest of the decade was spent trying to figure out a way to spare the two structures from the wrecking ball.*

Historical Notes

Both "The Castle" and "The Saltbox" were successfully relocated to Heritage Square in March 1969. Unfortunately, the area was not well protected, and both the Castle and the Salt Box were burned to the ground by vandals in October 1969.

Click HERE to see more on "The Castle" and "The Saltbox".

Historical Notes

The Capitol Records Building is in the middle foreground of this photo (it is the cylindrical shaped building whose shape is devised from the vision of a stack of records. 13 stories rise 150 ft. high to provide 78,000 square ft. of space). Architect for the Capitol Records building was Welton David Becket, contractor, C.L. Peck Co. It was built in 1954.*

Historical Notes

In 1952, state officials had originally identified Baldwin Hills as the site of a satellite campus for Los Angeles State College (now Cal State Los Angeles).  In reaction to the decision, Valley leaders organized to successfully overturn the legislation and to later ensure that a four-year college would be sited in the San Fernando Valley.  On December 21, 1954, advocates for a Valley four-year college hosted 23 legislators for dinner at the Brown Derby on Wilshire Boulevard.  Armed with demographic projections, they pitched the Valley as the only logical place for the next state college.  The pitch worked.  In 1955, state Assemblyman Judge Julian Beck sent the legislation for approval to pruchase land in the north San Fernando Valley for a new satellite campus to Los Angeles State College. #**#

Historical Notes

In fall 1956, the San Fernando Valley campus of the Los Angeles State College of Applied Arts and Sciences (later Cal State Los Angeles) was established on the present Northridge site. Soon after, the state Legislature passed Assembly Bill 971, which provided for the campus to separate from its parent college. On July 1, 1958, the founding date of the present university, the institution became San Fernando Valley State College, with about 3,300 students and 104 faculty.^*

Historical Notes

On June 1, 1972, the college was renamed California State University, Northridge, by action of the state Legislature and the Board of Trustees of the California State University.*^

Historical Notes

Click HERE to see more in Early Views of the San Fernando Valley.

Historical Notes

Angels Flight operated from 1901 until it was closed in 1969 when its location was redeveloped. The railway was relocated and reassembled at California Plaza in 1995.

Historical Notes

Angels Flight operated from 1901 until it was closed in 1969 when its location was redeveloped. The railway was relocated and reassembled at California Plaza in March of 1995 until it was closed in February of 2001 due to a serious accident. After a 9 year period, which included several safety modifications, Angels Flight reopened (2010) and is still in operation today.^

Historical Notes

Today, the Railway’s Top Station is located at California Plaza, 350 South Grand Avenue. The Lower Entrance is located at 351 South Hill Street, across from Grand Central Market.

Historical Notes

Today, the Railway’s Top Station is located at California Plaza, 350 South Grand Avenue. The Lower Entrance is located at 351 South Hill Street, across from Grand Central Market.

Historical Notes

In the 1960s, Angels Flight railway continued to serve thousands of passengers daily, although ridership had declined from its peak in the 1920s. The surrounding Bunker Hill neighborhood underwent significant urban renewal, leading to the demolition of many buildings. In recognition of its historical significance, Angels Flight was designated Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument #4 in August 1962. The railway's operation changed hands several times, with Oliver & Williams Elevator Company taking over in 1962. 

Historical Notes

The Bunker Hill redevelopment project, driven by the California Community Redevelopment Law and federal housing acts, involved clearing the land and selling it to private and public developers to build new high-rise buildings and other structures.

As part of the redevelopment, the Bunker Hill hill itself was lowered in elevation by around 30 feet, with steam shovels shaving down the summit.

Historical Notes

Valley Times photograph caption dated July 21, 1962 reads "The Angel's Flight Railway, a Los Angeles landmark for nearly 50 years, has been authorized by the State Public Utilities Commission to discontinue operation on or before Dec. 1. The Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Los Angeles has agreed to purchase the landmark for $35,000. It is expected the railway will be moved to Griffith Park's Travel Town or to the Hollywood Bowl, to make way for development of Bunker Hill. The line, on 315 feet long, has shuttled 100 million passengers up the steep incline along Third St. between Hill and Olive streets for a nickel a ride."

Historical Notes

In 1959 Angels Flight was destined for demolition as part of Bunker Hill Urban Renewal Project but loyal riders and enthusiastic supporters thwarted those plans, at least temporarily. During the next ten years the community of Bunker Hill changed dramatically as apartment houses were razed and residents dislocated by the redevelopment project.

Historical Notes

Ever decreasing numbers of commuters and tourists and lack of funding contributed to the inevitable. Even the designation of Historical Cultural Landmark could not save Angels Flight and she was dismantled in 1969.**

Historical Notes

The second Angels Flight location opened one half block south of the original location in 1996, with tracks connecting Hill Street and California Plaza. It was shut down in 2001, following a fatal accident, and took nine years to commence operations again. The railroad restarted operations on March 15, 2010.  It was closed again from June 10, 2011, to July 5, 2011, and then again after a minor derailment incident on September 5, 2013. The investigation of this 2013 incident led to the discovery of potentially serious safety problems in both the design and the operation of the funicular. Before the 2013 service suspension, the cost of a one-way ride was 50 cents (25 cents for Metro pass holders). After safety enhancements were completed, Angels Flight reopened for public service on August 31, 2017, now charging $1 for a one-way ride (50 cents for metro pass holders).

Historical Notes

Angels Flight Railway was designated Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument No. 4 on August 6, 1962. 

It was also added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 13, 2000.

Click HERE to see Earlier Views of Angels Flight

Historical Notes

The Vincent Thomas Bridge is the first suspension span ever to be built on steel piles — 990 of them were sunk to hold it up, instead of the more traditional concrete supports. And it is the first to be built entirely without rivets; the steel is welded together. ##*^

Before the bridge was built, hundreds of cannery and shipyard workers made their daily passage from San Pedro to Terminal Island aboard ferry boats. State Assemblyman Vincent Thomas thought the ferry system inadequate, and proposed the bridge to replace it.^^

Historical Notes

The bridge is 6,060 feet long, 52 feet wide, 365 feet tall.  Its longest span is 1,500 feet, and the clearance below is 185 feet.^*

Construction of the bridge required: 92,000 tons of Portland cement; 13,000 tons of lightweight concrete; 14,100 tons of steel; and 1,270 tons of suspension cable.

The main span of the Vincent Thomas Bridge is 1,500 feet long as compared to the Golden Gate Bridge at 4,200 feet long.**#^

Historical Notes

California Assemblyman Vincent Thomas, who represented San Pedro, spent 19 years beginning in 1940 arguing for the 16 different pieces of legislation that were necessary for its construction. When the bridge opened in 1963, Thomas was the longest-serving assembyman. In 1961, the legislature passed a special Concurrent Resolution 131 in order to name it after him while he was still serving.^*

Historical Notes

The Vincent Thomas Bridge officially opened on November 15, 1963 and ferry service discontinued after 22 years of operations. ##*^

Historical Notes

The Volkswagen Beetle, or informally the Volkswagen Bug, was produced from 1938 until 2003. The need for this kind of car, and its functional objectives, were formulated by Adolf Hitler, leader of Nazi Germany, wishing for a cheap, simple car to be mass-produced for the new road network of his country. He contracted Porsche in 1934 to design and build it to his exacting standards. Ferdinand Porsche and his team took until 1938 to finalize the design.

This is one of the first rear-engined cars. With over 21 million manufactured in an air-cooled, rear-engined, rear-wheel drive configuration, the Beetle is the longest-running and most-manufactured car of a single design platform, worldwide.^*

Historical Notes

Skeptics predicted it would serve fewer than 2,000 vehicles a day and that it would take taxpayers 40 years to pay for the $21-million structure. In its first month of operation, however, the bridge served a daily average of 9,631 vehicles. And most of the debt was paid off within 20 years.^^

Historical Notes

When the Bridge opened in 1963, a 25-cent toll was collected in each direction. On grand opening day, Assemblyman Thomas paid the first toll. In 1983, the toll increased to 50 cents for westbound traffic and was free for eastbound traffic.  In 2000, the Bridge was considered “paid for” and the toll was repealed.**#^

Historical Notes

The Vincent Thomas Bridge now carries 26,500 vehicles a day. It is widely credited with providing a crucial transportation link to the Port of Los Angeles and of aiding the port’s phenomenal growth.^^

Historical Notes

The World Cruise Terminal at the Port of Los Angeles (passenger and cargo ternminals at Berth 93), opened in 1963. It was designed by AIA award-winning architect Edward H. Fickett, F.A.I.A. 

The terminal which hosted the original Love Boat TV series from 1977 to 1986 was modernized and expanded in 2010-11 to accommodate the most modern megaships. ##*^

Historical Notes

Located in the San Pedro District beneath the Vincent Thomas Bridge, the World Cruise Center is th largest cruise ship terminal on the West Coast.  It has three passenger ship berths and transports over 1 million passengers annually.^*

Cruise lines served: Carnival Cruise Lines, Celebrity Cruises, Crystal Cruises, Cunard Line, Disney Cruise Line, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean International, Seabourn Cruise Line, Silver Sea Cruises. ##*^

Historical Notes

Mount Olympus is a prominent neighborhood in the Hollywood Hills area of the city of Los Angeles. A community of single family residences founded by developer Russ Vincent, it is bounded by Hollywood Boulevard, Laurel Canyon Boulevard, Willow Glen Road, and Nichols Canyon Road.^*

Historical Notes

Work on the Santa Monica Freeway progressed slowly, and in stages. It was not until October 1964 that it extended west to La Cienega Boulevard, and on January 29, 1965--several years after residents in the freeway's path were displaced--a Goodyear blimp helped cut the ribbon on the 4.5-mile segment between La Cienega and Bundy Drive.^^^*

Historical Notes

Local opposition immediately coalesced against the Santa Monica Freeway when state highway planners announced a major part of its route in August 1955. The entire route -- known originally as the Olympic Freeway -- would span 16.6 miles between the East L.A. Interchange in Boyle Heights and Pacific Coast Highway in Santa Monica, barreling through quiet bedroom communities on its path to the sea.

Hundreds of churches, homeowners groups, and other community organizations rallied against the proposal, focusing their opposition on the 6.6-mile stretch west of La Cienega Boulevard.

In April 1956 planners revised their original route in the face of community opposition. But while the new route saved 47 homes, it largely shifted the freeway away from the domains of its most vocal opponents and into new neighborhoods. Local opposition persisted, but the highway commission held firm.^^^*

Historical Notes

The Miracle Mile is an area in the Mid-Wilshire and Mid-City West regions consisting of a 1.5-mile stretch of Wilshire Boulevard between Fairfax and Highland Avenues.  The May Company Building, now LACMA West, marks the western border of Miracle Mile's "Museum Row".

Historical Notes

In the 1930s, Wayne McAllister, the originator of the circular drive-in, designed circular Simon's Drive-in Restaurants in the Streamline Moderne style with a three-layer roof and neon advertising pylon; this style was copied throughout the country. Click HERE to see more Early LA Drive-in Restaurants.

Since 1955, a Googie-style structure, occupied by Romeo's Times Square and later Johnie's Coffee Shop, has been present on the northwest corner seen here.

Historical Notes

In 1965, just a few years after the above photo was taken, a new facility for the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) opened in the section of Hancock Park seen on the left.

Historical Notes

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) was established as a museum in 1961. Prior to this, LACMA was part of the Los Angeles Museum of History, Science and Art, founded in 1910 in Exposition Park near the University of Southern California. Early trustee Howard F. Ahmanson Sr. made the lead donation of $2 million, convincing the museum board that sufficient funds could be raised to establish the new museum. In 1965, the museum moved to a new Wilshire Boulevard complex as an independent, art-focused institution, the largest new museum to be built in the United States after the National Gallery of Art.^*

Historical Notes

Before William Fox built his studio here in 1928, the 176-acre site that would one day become Century City was first the personal ranch of movie cowboy legend Tom Mix.

By 1935, Fox—producers of the famous Movietone Newsreels—had merged operations with Daryll Zanuck’s 20th Century Pictures to form what would become one of the truly great studios of the American cinema’s Golden Age—20th Century Fox Pictures.

But by 1957, with box office receipts down and filmmakers shooting more on location, 20th Century Fox decided to either develop part of their extensive 260-acre back-lot or sell it off entirely. Ultimately, in 1961, the Aluminum Co. of America (Alcoa) purchased 260 acres from 20th Century Fox for $43 million, with 80 acres to remain in use by the film company for its studios. +^^

Historical Notes

At the southern edge of Century City, a small community of office buildings, bungalows and sound stages is all that remains of the once grand and sprawling 20th Century Fox Studios.

Historical Notes

In 1961, developer William Zeckendorf and Alcoa bought about 180 acres from 20th Century Fox after the studio had suffered a string of expensive flops, culminating in the box-office disaster Cleopatra. The new owners conceived Century City as "a city within a city" with the arc-shaped, 19-story, 726-room Minoru Yamasaki-designed Century Plaza as the centerpiece of the new city.^*

Historical Notes

A shopping center (Century Square Shopping Mall) is seen in the lower right-hand corner. Construction began in 1960. Architects: Charles Luckman, Welton Beck, Minoru Yamsaki, et al. Boundaries were: N-Santa Monica Blvd. ; S-Olympic Blvd. ; E-Century Park-East ; W-Century Park-West.

Historical Notes

Completion of the new ABC Entertainment Center was finalized in 1972, offering a movie complex that screened Cabaret as its first film. That same year, as part of Century City’s cultural center, the Shubert Theatre opened with Follies starring Alexis Smith. For the next thirty years, the theater would bring Broadway productions to West Los Angeles, including Sly Fox with George C. Scott, A Chorus Line, Chicago, Ragtime, Cats, Les Miserables, Sunset Boulevard and the Shubert’s longest running hit Beauty and the Beast. +^^

Historical Notes

The ABC Entertainment Center was designed by Henry George Greene, and completed in 1972; the Century Plaza Towers were designed by Minoru Yamasaki and built between 1969 and 1975. The Shubert Theatre was demolished in 2002 and the ABC Entertainment Center was demolished in 2003.

Historical Notes

The ABC Entertainment Center, designed by Henry George Greene was completed in 1972 and demolished in 2003; the Century Plaza Towers, designed by Minoru Yamasaki was built between 1969 and 1975. Playing at the Shubert, the theater of the complex, is "42nd Street," and "Scarface", starring Al Pacino. Minoru Yamasaki's two soaring towers with triangular floor plans rise behind Greene's Brutalist theatre complex in this view. At the time, the complex had the world's largest underground parking garage with 5600 parking spaces.

Historical Notes

1975 marked the end of The Golden Age of Century City development, with the completion of the Century Plaza Towers, which majestically loomed above The ABC Entertainment Center. Designed by Minoru Yamasaki, the two 44- story triangular towers became an instant showpiece for Alcoa, with its aluminum siding that shimmered in the sun for miles around. The following year, on May 17, 1976, the Shubert Theatre hosted the 28th Annual Emmy Awards using the Century Plaza Towers as two large 44-storied neon signs that could be seen from an airplane. Boasting the largest underground parking structure in the world, both The Century Plaza Towers and The ABC Entertainment Center became the heart of Century City. +^^

The Entertainment Center was demolished in October 2002 to make way for the 2000 Avenue of the Stars office building.

The Plaza Towers' prominence in the Century City skyline has been reduced in recent years with the addition of new skyscrapers that partially block their view. Nevertheless, the Century Plaza Towers remain the tallest buildings in Century City and the tallest skyscrapers in Southern California outside of downtown Los Angeles.

Historical Notes

In 1940, Howard Hughes purchased 380 acres of the Ballona Wetlands just west of Culver City for $500,000. Hughes recognized the area as one of the few large tracts of remaining undeveloped land in Los Angeles. The high water table made it necessary to sink 50' pilings into the wetlands to support Hughes’ buildings & reroute the course of the Centinela River, which flowed through the site every spring & flooded it. On his new land Hughes constructed a 60,000 square foot air conditioned, humidity-controlled aircraft plant with an adjacent grass runway.*#*#

Little known fact: The Los Angeles River was originally alluvial, meaning its banks and bed were formed from loose sediments and rock that allowed it to change its path depending on water flow and season. Up until the early 1800's, the river actually flowed into the Pacific near Marina Del Ray (Ballona Wetlands), but a particularly severe flash flood in 1825 diverted the river all the way to Long Beach, where it has remained since.^^^*

In 1943, Hughes built the world’s longest private runway at the Hughes Airport. Runway 5/23 was 9,600' long - nearly 2 miles in length. It was not paved for its first few years, because Hughes believed that paved runways imparted unnecessary stress on an aircraft's landing gear. He reportedly had to add fill regularly to keep the ground solid.*#*#

Historical Notes

After an often strange & reclusive life, Howard Hughes died in 1976.  After the dust of Hughes’ estate had settled, the Culver City property was in the hands of Summa Corporation. Summa proposed a mega-development, with 29,000 people in 13,000 units, and an additional 20,000 employed by an on-site world-class motion picture studio. The project was called "Playa Vista." *#*#

During the late 1990s, DreamWorks failed in its attempt to build a studio in Playa Vista.*^

Historical Notes

California Federal Bank, often abbreviated to "Cal Fed", was a savings and loan bank in California with the corporate headquarters being located at 5670 Wilshire Boulevard, in Los Angeles. It existed from 1926 until 2002, when its parent company, Golden State Bancorp, was acquired by Citigroup, resulting in the bank being merged into Citibank. Cal Fed first ceased to be an independent banking company after its acquisition in 1997 by First Nationwide Bank of San Francisco, California. First Nationwide Bank changed the name of the new merged banking entity to CalFed Bank due to the appeal of the CalFed brand name. A few years later the bank was bought out by Citigroup.^*

Historical Notes

California Federal Bank's historic building, opened in 1965, on Wilshire was one of the original bank corporate headquarters in the Miracle Mile area.^*

Historical Notes

The Crocker-Citizens Plaza was designed by William L. Pereira & Associates and completed in 1968 (Click HERE to see more).

Historical Notes

The 1923-built Biltmore Hotel was designated a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument No. 60 in 1969. Click HERE to see the LA Historic-Cultural Monument List.

As of 2009, the Los Angeles Biltmore is operated as part of the Millennium & Copthorne Hotels chain as the Millennium Biltmore Hotel. From its original 1500 guestrooms it now has 683, due to room reorganization.^*

Click HERE to see more Early Views of the Biltmore Hotel.

Historical Notes

Upon completion in 1972, the ARCO Plaza Towers were the tallest buildings in the city for one year before being overtaken by Aon Center (originally United California Bank Building) , and were the tallest twin towers in the world until the completion of the World Trade Center in New York City. ^*

Historical Notes

Located on the NW corner of Fifth Street and Grand Avenue, the One Bunker Hill building opened on March 20, 1931 as the Southern California Edison Company corporate headquarters. Originally known as the Edison Building, it was one of the first all-electrically heated and cooled buildings constructed in the western United States. The Art Deco building, located at 601 W. 5th Street, was designed by James and David Allison.

Historical Notes

1924 photo was taken after the demolition of the State Normal School (precursor to UCLA) to make way for the Central Library.

Historical Notes

Aon Center was originally named the United California Bank Building from its completion in 1973 until 1981, when it became First Interstate Tower. It was the tallest building west of the Mississippi River when built, until 1982 when it was surpassed by the Texas Commerce Tower in Houston. Upon its completion in 1973, the building was the tallest in the world outside of New York and Chicago. It remained the tallest building in Los Angeles until 1989, when Library Tower (now U.S. Bank Tower) was completed. Between 1998 and 2005, there were no logos on the building.^*

Historical Notes

Prior to the late 1950s the Charter of the City of Los Angeles did not permit any portion of any building other than a purely decorative tower to be more than 150 feet. Therefore, from its completion in 1928 until 1964, the City Hall was the tallest building in Los Angeles, and shared the skyline with only a few structures having decorative towers, including the Richfield Tower and the Eastern Columbia Building.^*

Historical Notes

Built just a few years earlier, both the ARCO Towers and the Bonaventure Hotel (background) are present. A redesigned Grand Avenue (right) running through Bunker Hill has been completed, but other construction in that corridor has not yet begun.^

Historical Notes

Built in 1952, the Statler Center was hailed as the first major downtown hotel to be developed since the Biltmore in 1923.  The hotel later operated as the Statler Hilton, Los Angeles Hilton, and lastly the Wilshire Grand Hotel.  The building was demolished in 2013 and replaced with a new Wilshire Grand, designed by AC Martin. It is the tallest building on the West Coast.* 

Historical Notes

Only one building in the above photo has survived to this day, although modified. The 1949-built General Petroleum Building (Mobilgas sign), designed by Welton Becket, was claimed to be the largest office building in the city at the time of its construction in 1948, only to be swiftly dwarfed by its new neighbors. On the right is the Statler Hotel (later Wilshire Grand Hotel) built in 1952.  Today it’s the site of the new Wilshire Grand Center, tallest building in Los Angeles.  To the left is the 1912-built Rex Arms Apartments, demolished in 1976 to make way for a 22-story office building (915 Wilshire).

The General Petroleum Building was vacated in 1994 and converted into 322 apartments in 2003.  The apartment building was, and remains, operated under the name Pegasus in tribute to the flying red horse that was displayed for decades atop the structure.  The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places based on architectural criteria in 2004.

Historical Notes

The AT&T Madison Complex Tandem Office seen in the distance is a 17-story building located at 420 South Grand Avenue. It was completed in 1961 and designed by architects John B. Parkinson and Donald D. Parkinson.
Originally, the building had a microwave tower on the roof, bringing its overall height to 449 ft, making it the 29th tallest building in Los Angeles at the time. This microwave tower was used for telecommunications purposes until 1993.

Click HERE to see more early views of the AT&T Madison Complex building.

Historical Notes

Seen at center-right is the Westin Bonaventure Hotel, designed by John C. Portman Jr. and completed in 1976. This iconic architectural landmark is known for its futuristic design featuring five cylindrical glass towers and a central atrium. With over 1,300 guest rooms, multiple dining options including a revolving rooftop bar, and extensive amenities, it stands as one of the largest hotels in LA. Its unique structure has made it a popular filming location and a significant influence in modern architecture. Centrally located, the hotel has played a key role in the economic and cultural development of downtown Los Angeles.

Historical Notes

The Union Bank Building (the edge seen on the right) was the first high-rise built in the Central Business District after the 1920s, completed in 1967. It was among the first skyscrapers erected after the 150-foot height limit was repealed in 1957 and the first building taller than City Hall. Additionally, it was the first structure completed as part of the Bunker Hill redevelopment project, marking the beginning of a new era of skyscraper construction in the Central Business District.

Historical Notes

The Union Bank Building at upper-left was the first high-rise built (1967) in the Central Business District after the 1920s. It was one of the first skyscrapers erected after the 150’ height limit was repealed in 1957 and the first building taller than City Hall. It was also the first structure to be completed as part of the Bunker Hill redevelopment project that began an era of skyscraper building in the Central Business District.

Historical Notes

The nine-story Rex Arms Apartments (seen at center-right of photo) opened in 1912 at 945 Orange Street, developed by F. O. Engstrum, whose firm was also behind the magnificent Bryson Apartments near MacArthur Park. At the time, the Rex was one of Los Angeles’ largest and grandest residential buildings, held up by the great ambitions of the city’s elites. After Orange Street was renamed Wilshire Boulevard, a portion of the Rex’s main facade was demolished during the avenue’s widening in the early 1930s.

Historical Notes

Los Angeles saw its largest construction boom in downtown during the 1980s. This period marked significant growth and development in the Central Business District, characterized by the construction of numerous high-rise buildings and skyscrapers. The boom was fueled by a combination of factors, including economic growth, changes in zoning laws, and a renewed focus on urban development. This era transformed the skyline of Los Angeles, introducing iconic structures such as the U.S. Bank Tower (formerly the Library Tower), which was completed in 1989 and remains one of the tallest buildings in the city. The 1980s construction boom played a pivotal role in shaping the modern landscape of downtown Los Angeles.

Historical Notes

The Union Bank Building was the first high-rise built (1967) in the Central Business District after the 1920s. It was one of the first skyscrapers erected after the 150’ height limit was repealed in 1957 and the first building taller than City Hall. It was also the first structure to be completed as part of the Bunker Hill redevelopment project that began an era of skyscraper building in the Central Business District.

Historical Notes

In the southern end of the Bunker Hill redevelopment zone, in what’s typically thought of as the Financial District, the 40-story, 157 meter tall Union Bank Plaza became the first skyscraper to be built as part of the Bunker Hill Redevelopment Project.

Historical Notes

The Community Redevelopment Agency of the city of Los Angeles undertook the Bunker Hill Redevelopment Project in 1955, a massive clearance project that leveled homes and cleared land for future commercial skyscraper development. This period saw the clearing and upzoning of the entire neighborhood.

Historical Notes

Atop the actual Bunker Hill (but generally thought of as lying within the Civic Center) are two of the first buildings to follow the neighborhood’s redevelopment, the beautiful John Ferraro Building (formerly known as the Department of Water and Power’s General Office Building), completed in 1964, and the Los Angeles Music Center’s Dorothy Chandler Pavilion (1964), Ahmanson Theater (1967), and Mark Taper Forum (1967).

Historical Notes

Built in 1968, the 32-story Bunker Hill Tower was one of the original buildings in the extensive Bunker Hill Redevelopment Project. The project was proposed by the City of Los Angeles in 1955 and is scheduled to end in 2015.

Historical Notes

The above photograph was also used for article dated March 10, 1985; the caption reads, "Mayor Bradley cites downtown boom as his major feat, but critics say redevelopment funds would have been better spent for low-and moderate-income housing."

Historical Notes

The connection between downtown Los Angeles and Bunker Hill has been tenuous since the widespread demolition of Bunker Hill's early buildings in the 1960s. Since then, new construction has sprouted skyward. Even as the area's density neared pre-redevelopment levels, it never quite seemed to link back up to the older downtown.  The Bunker Hill Steps, cascading from Hope Street down to Fifth Street, are a thoughtful attempt to remedy the situation.

Designed by architect Lawrence Halprin, the Bunker Hill Steps were completed in 1990. A sign at the top of the 103 steps claims that they “were modeled in theory on the Spanish Steps in Rome but more pleasingly asymmetrical in execution”. *

Historical Notes

The masive concrete staircase provides a pedestrian route from Bunker Hill to the Los Angeles Central Library. It passes just to the west of the U.S. Bank Tower (formerly Library Tower) and is heavily used by local office workers to negotiate the five-story grade between Fifth and Hope.

The Bunker Hill Steps is Los Angeles' architectural translation of Rome's Spanish Steps and, indeed, are often referred to as the "Spanish Steps."

Historical Notes

The stairway is divided in two by a simulated mountain stream of rock-like concrete forms, its water originating in a round fountain in a plaza at the top and ending in a small basin. Robert Graham's 1992 sculpture of a woman offering the bounty of water stands in the middle of the fountain. The stairway is punctuated by a series of terraces and landings containing small cafes, shops, and dining areas, lending it the feel of an urban street. Flowering trees and other vegetation line the stairway's edges, which curve past artwork and a wall of sculptured grottoes and fountains. An escalator on the west side ensures the pedestrian route is accessible to all.*

Historical Notes

Halprin likened the role of a landscape architect to that of a choreographer, aiming to guide human movement through the environment in positive ways. As a monumental landscape feature linking two spheres together, his Bunker Hill Steps have proven to be a successful and visually striking path for moving people between old and new Los Angeles.*

Historical Notes

This former site of the Southern Pacific Transportation Company's River Station (1876−1901) is considered the "Ellis Island of Los Angeles" where new arrivals from the East first disembarked. Corn leaking from train cars and sprouting along the tracks gave rise to the nickname The Cornfield. The 32-acre site was established as a California state park in 2001.

The Southern Pacific Railroad site developed into a major rail yard with facilities for maintaining locomotives and rolling stock, becoming Los Angeles' largest employer with about 300 workers by the 1890s. However, operations moved across the Los Angeles River in 1903, leading to the yard's decline and eventual abandonment by 1992, turning it into a neglected brownfield known as "The Cornfield."

After 1985, Southern Pacific Railroad began selling most of the site, and by 1999, plans to redevelop it into warehouses were opposed by community activists. Their advocacy ultimately led to the creation of the Los Angeles State Historic Park, preserving the site's historical significance and providing a recreational space for the community.

Historical Notes

The transformation into a state park began in 2001 when the land was purchased to prevent industrial development. In 2005, an art project called "Not a Cornfield" temporarily planted corn on the site as a nod to its nickname. The park officially opened to the public in 2006, though development has been gradual due to budget constraints.

Today, Los Angeles State Historic Park serves as an important green space in the heart of the city, offering recreational opportunities and preserving the area's rich cultural and natural history.

Historical Notes

This 32-acre parcel of land, once part of the Southern Pacific Railroad Yard, was transformed into a temporary public art project. Artist Lauren Annenberg Bon, an Annenberg Foundation Trustee and heiress, turned the industrial brownfield into a cornfield for one agricultural cycle at the cost of $3 million. The multi-billion dollar Philadelphia-based Annenberg Foundation provided the funds for this project. As of 2006, this field, located just north of Chinatown and within half a mile of El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument, became known as Los Angeles State Historic Park. The City of Los Angeles dedicated it as Cultural Monument #82 for its role as the Southern Pacific's River Station railroad yard. Corn stalks, looking green and vibrantly lush, form the base for a Downtown backdrop.

Historical Notes

Click HERE to see more early views of the old Southern Pacific Railroad Yard and the original Southern Pacific River Station.

Historical Notes

Chinatown is a neighborhood in Downtown Los Angeles that became a commercial center for Chinese and other Asian businesses in Central Los Angeles in 1938. The area includes restaurants, shops and art galleries but also has a residential neighborhood with a low-income, aging population of about 20,000 residents.

The original Chinatown developed in the late 19th century, but it was demolished to make room for Union Station, the city's major ground-transportation center.  A separate commercial center, known as "New Chinatown," opened for business in 1938.

Street and natural limits of the Chinatown neighborhood are: north, Beaudry Avenue, Stadium Way, North Broadway; east, the Los Angeles River; and southwest, Cesar Chavez Avenue.  Chinatown beyond the concentrated business center is flanked by the Elysian Park to the north, Lincoln Heights to the east, Downtown to the south and southwest and Echo Park to the west and northwest.

Historical Notes

The City West development in Downtown Los Angeles, also known as Central City West or The West Bank, has seen significant transformation through various projects aimed at revitalizing the neighborhood. The Edward R. Roybal Learning Center, located in this area, was built to address educational needs and alleviate overcrowding at nearby schools. City West's development includes luxury residential spaces, office buildings, and high-tech research facilities, reflecting the dynamic changes in Downtown Los Angeles.

Historical Notes

Echo Park is a neighborhood that is flanked by Elysian Valley to the north and northeast, Elysian Park to the east, Chinatown and Downtown to the southeast, Westlake to the southwest and west, and Silver Lake to the northwest.

Boundaries are the Golden State Freeway–Glendale Freeway interchange at the north apex, Riverside Drive on the northeast, Elysian Park on the east, Stadium Way and Beaudry Avenue on the southeast, the south apex being Beaudry Avenue and West Second Street and the west limit being an irregular line consisting of Second Street and Beverly Blvd, then moving upward north along Benton Way and the Glendale Freeway. *

Historical Notes

Echo Park Lake began life as one of the City of Los Angeles' water reservoirs in 1868 and it was later developed into one of the city's early parks.

Historical Notes

The Spanish Colonial boathouse and 35 foot tall lighthouse were built in 1932 (renovated in 2014).

Historical Notes

US Bank Tower is seen under construction. Opened in 1989- Designed by Henry N. Cobb & Partners (1,018 feet/73 floors) Formerly called 'The Library Tower'.

Historical Notes

One of Echo Park’s most beloved icons is the statue of a female figure standing near the eastern edge of Echo Park Lake.

Sculpted in the Art Deco style by artist Ada Mae Sharpless, the statue’s official name is “Nuestra Reina de Los Angeles” (Queen of the Angels). But most people refer to the statue as the “Lady of the Lake." ^

Click HERE to see more Early Views of Echo Park.

Historical Notes

Echo Park Lake's center fountain was added in 1986.

Historical Notes

Angelus Temple was dedicated on January 1, 1923. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1992, Building #92001875. On July 2002 the historic Temple completed major renovations, returning it to the classic and elegant look of the 1920's while also making it modern enough to have contemporary services suitable for today, without changing its historic elements. Nearly century-old homes, hillside bungalow courts, apartment buildings and pubic stairways also surround the landmark Echo Park. The visible street running along Angelus Temple and Echo Park is Glendale Boulevard.

Downtown Skyline

(1989)* - View showing the Library Tower, under construction, center, which surpassed the First Interstate Building, left, as the tallest building in downtown Los Angeles. LA Times Photo Date: April 14, 1989.

(2005)++ – View of downtwon Los Angeles at dusk looikng southeast across the Harbor (110) Freeway. Photo by Michel Anzaldua

Historical Notes

As of 2015 the tallest building in Los Angeles is the 73-story U.S. Bank Tower (center-top), which rises 1,018 feet in Downtown Los Angeles and was completed in 1989. It also stands as the tallest building in the state of California, tallest building west of the Mississippi, and the 11th-tallest building in the United States. The second-tallest skyscraper in the city and the state is the Aon Center (right), which rises 858 feet.  Seven of the ten tallest buildings in California are located in Los Angeles.^*

Historical Notes

In 1992, Pershing Square was closed for a major $14.5-million redesign and renovation by Mexican architect and landscape architect Ricardo Legorreta and U.S. landscape architect Laurie Olin. The redesigned park opened in 1994 with a 10-story purple bell tower, fountains, and a walkway representing an earthquake fault line (by artist Barbara McCarren), concert stage, and perimeter seating. Pavement covered almost the entire block, with copses of trees placed in raised planters.^

Historical Notes

Currently located on the east side of Pershing Square, the statue used to be closer to the west side. I faced north, across from the old Philharmonic Hall. It's been moved several times since 1932 and last moved during Pershing Square's major update in 1992.

The statue, by sculptor Arnold Foerster in 1932, was dedicated William Andrews Clark Jr. who was founder of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra.  Clark, a senator's son and copper baron, had founded the Philharmonic in 1919. An amateur violinist, he would often sit in with musicians as they played. In 1928, a testimonial concert honoring Clark had raised money for a memorial, and in 1932 plans were started for the commissioning of a statue of Clark's favorite composer, Beethoven. The Philharmonic would use the testimonial concert funds to make the statue and then donate it to the city, so that it could sit in Pershing Square, eternally staring at the Philharmonic Auditorium, imposingly standing directly across.*

Historical Notes

Renamed the Rosslyn Lofts in 2006, it currently provides both market-rate lofts and low-income housing.

Historical Notes

The 1913-built Hotel Rosslyn has a history unique in all of the city of Los Angeles.  Once the tallest building in LA, the 12-story Rosslyn boasted in it's large rooftop sign as being the "Fireproof Million Dollar Hotel."

Click HERE to see more Early Views of the Rosslyn Hotel and Annex.

Historical Notes

For over 75 years, the planetarium has been used to present astronomical programs overseen by a lecturer. The view reveals a variety of buildings, homes and the numerous skyscrapers located in Downtown L.A. in the background. This photograph was taken not long after the observatory reopened on November 3, 2006, after having been closed since 2002 for an extensive renovation. John C. Austin and Frederick M. Ashley were the original architects of the Art Deco structure.^

Historical Notes

After low level flyovers above NASA and civic landmarks across the country and in California, Endeavor was delivered to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on September 21, 2012. The orbiter was slowly and carefully transported through the streets of Los Angeles and Inglewood three weeks later, from October 11–14 along La Tijera, Manchester, Crenshaw, and Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevards to its final destination at the California Science Center in Exposition Park.

Historical Notes

The Colburn School is a performing arts school with a focus on music and dance located in downtown Los Angeles adjacent to the Museum of Contemporary Art and across the street from the Walt Disney Concert Hall and Broad Museum. Informally referred to as Colburn, the school consists of four divisions: the Conservatory of Music, the Music Academy, Community School of Performing Arts, and Dance Academy.^

Historical Notes

The Colburn School was originally established in 1950 as a preparatory arm of the USC Thornton School of Music, and was located across the street from the Shrine Auditorium, in a warehouse that had been converted into extra USC practice rooms, rehearsal halls, and dance studios. It later broadened its mission and changed its name to the Community School of Performing Arts. In 1980, it finalized its split with USC and branched out on its own. In 1985, the school received a significant endowment from Richard D. Colburn, and it was renamed in his honor. It moved from its original location near the USC campus to its current location in 1998. ^

Historical Notes

The sculpture seen above in the reflecting pool is called "Colpo d'ala"(wing-beat) by Arnaldo Pomodoro.  It was donated to the U.S. as gratitude from Italy for assistance provided under the Marshall Plan.

Historical Notes

"Colpo d'ala"(wing-beat) by Arnaldo Pomodoro, is distinguished from other public monuments in downtown by remembering a national as well as an international endeavor. The Marshall Plan was an historic effort in which the United States, motivated by a mix of high-minded altruism and national self-interest, financed the restoration of Europe's war ravaged economies.

In gratitude for the $1.5 billion Italy received between 1948 and 1952, Italian Prime Minister Ciriaco De Mita presented the six ton bronze sculpture to the United States on December 12, 1988 at dedication ceremonies commemorating the 40th anniversary of the Marshall Plan. Los Angeles was selected as the site for the gift because the city represents the "the model American city of the Space Age."^

Historical Notes

Victor Heights is named after Victor Beaudry. Also, Victor Street, a short two block span between Temple Street and Bellevue Ave that is bisected by the 101 Freeway.

Canadian brothers Victor and Prudent Beaudry helped construct LA’s early water works system in the late 1800’s. They were also successful in local real estate.  Prudent would go on to develop Bunker Hill. He also became Los Angeles' thirteenth mayor from 1874 to 1876. Beaudry Avenue was named after him.

Historical Notes

*The Gold Line is a 31-mile light rail line running from Azusa to East Los Angeles via Downtown Los Angeles serving several attractions, including Little Tokyo, Union Station, the Southwest Museum, Chinatown and the shops of Old Pasadena. The line, which is one of six in the Metro Rail system, entered service in 2003.^

Historical Notes

*Los Angeles State Historic Park is a California State Park within the Chinatown neighborhood of Los Angeles. Also known as the Cornfield, the former brownfield consists of a long open space between Spring Street and the tracks of the Metro Gold Line. Located outside the main commercial and residential area in the northeast portion of Chinatown, the area is adjacent and southeast of the Elysian Park neighborhood.

This former site of the Southern Pacific Transportation Company's River Station (1876−1901) is considered the "Ellis Island of Los Angeles" where new arrivals from the east first disembarked. Corn leaking from train cars and sprouting along the tracks gave rise to the nickname The Cornfield. The 32-acre site was established as a California state park in 2001.^

Historical Notes

Los Angeles went through a large building boom that lasted from the early 1960s to the early 1990s, during which time the city saw the completion of 30 of its 32 tallest buildings, including the U.S. Bank Tower, the Aon Center, and Two California Plaza. The city is the site of 25 skyscrapers at least 492 feet (150 m) in height, more than any other city in the Pacific coast region. As of July 2011, there were 505 completed high-rises in the city.

As of May 2011, there were 60 high-rise buildings under construction, approved for construction, and proposed for construction in Los Angeles. 37 of these 60 buildings are over 100 meters tall.^*