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Old Posted Feb 4, 2011, 10:05 PM
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Beaudry Beaudry is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sopas ej View Post

Undated photo of area near Olympic Auditorium, from the USC Archive:


This was obviously taken when the Hollywood sign still said "HOLLYWOODLAND" and before the I-10/Santa Monica Freeway was built, which is just a block north from the building formerly known as the Olympic Auditorium today. I've always wondered what was torn down to make way for the freeway. Looks like it was once an interesting area, a mish-mosh of architectural styles, residential buildings and businesses, churches, garages...

http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/search...=1296853575049
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Malumot is talking about the Young Apartments. Which I love, as I love much of this area, since I would roam about in it ca. 1983 as a wayward youth frequenting punk rock shows at the Olympic.

mine

Surprised we haven't mentioned the Young. It's a nice slice of remaining early LA. Never been inside; it having been a slum for so long means it's either remarkably intact, or horribly butchered. I need to check it out. Largest ballroom? Disappearing beds? Mahogany?

proquest July 28 1912

Of course there is assorted drama over the course of its long life.

proquest
(Vilalee Goddard was despondent because her husband George cruised off to visit his mother in Walnut Park on New Year's Eve. New Year's! [1938] So Vilalee, 38, takes a .38 and commits suicide, or so ruled County Autopsy Surgeon Wagner. But twice in the chest and THEN one through the head? Damn.)

The Young became vaguely famous in the early 80s for being owned by former San Diego councilman graduated to notorious LA slumlord Michael Schaefer. Schaefer was in court lots, and thus in the papers, for his rubble-filled, rodent-infested apartments. Tenants in his structures (including the Young) faced eviction as Schaefer elected not to pay DWP et al. utility bills for the properties.

proquest

He wouldn't install smoke detectors or repair fire doors and was sentenced to 45 days in jail; served ten. The building is sold to one Bradley Thrasher, who doesn't do much better -- in 1985 he gets a million-dollar loan from the CRA to fix life-threatening problems, doesn't, and thereafter faces six months/$1,000 fine for code violations. In 1986 the Young lights on fire, and 40 tenants had to be rescued from the fire escapes by hook n' ladder because the fire escape drop-downs didn't work. Thrasher serves 60 days concurrent with other code violations at the Young.

That said, a few months later in January 1987, it is made LA Historic-Cultural Landmark #317.

Again, no idea as to its interior awesomeness. Its exterior never ceases to delight when heading to that 110 onramp.

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