noirish Los Angeles

[ethereal_reality]

Excellent sleuthing Hoss and GW!



I finally found something on Lemberger.

"View of Crescenta Block on Downey Avenue at Truman Street, Los Angeles, ca.1885-1886"


usc digital archive

The owner of the Crescenta Block at the time was none-other than G.F. Lemberger.

further more....

Downey Avenue became N. Broadway and Truman Street became Ave. 23.

which places Lemberger's Crescenta Block very close to the Lemberger-Sigler House.


google_earth

I couldn't pinpoint the exact location of the Crescenta Block (upper left) because Ave. 23 stops short of N. Broadway (but both Ave. 22 and 24 are there)

(the small circle at lower right is the Lemberger-Sigler House)
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detailed description of the 1885-86 photograph:

The Crescenta Block on Downey Avenue (later North Broadway) at Truman Street (later Avenue 23), Los Angeles, ca.1885-1886.
The two-story wooden building with a sign reading "Crescenta Block, 1885" was owned by G.F. Lemberger, later became a Federal branch
of the California Bank. A horse-drawn wagon sits in front of the building. Across the street, at left center, the two-story brick building
was owned by James Hanley and occupied by Dr. Allan Schless as a drug store. At extreme left is the one-story Stockwell Brothers Grocery store.
A line of trees grows at right beside the Crescenta Block and across the street between the grocery store and drug store.
Perspective is from under the spreading branches of a large tree on the near side of the street. Legible signs include ..."Groceries", "Fish and poultry".

from usc archive

[Retired_in_Texas]

Originally Posted by CityBoyDoug

Rough-cut combined slides.


ER post previous

Not that it really matters at this point, but both slides have the same 1955 Ford station wagon visible.

[HossC]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

I finally found something on Lemberger.

"View of Crescenta Block on Downey Avenue at Truman Street, Los Angeles, ca.1885-1886"


usc digital archive

The owner of the Crescenta Block at the time was none-other than G.F. Lemberger.

...

The Crescenta Block on Downey Avenue (later North Broadway) at Truman Street (later Avenue 23), Los Angeles, ca.1885-1886.
The two-story wooden building with a sign reading "Crescenta Block, 1885" was owned by G.F. Lemberger, later became a Federal branch
of the California Bank. A horse-drawn wagon sits in front of the building. Across the street, at left center, the two-story brick building
was owned by James Hanley and occupied by Dr. Allan Schless as a drug store. At extreme left is the one-story Stockwell Brothers Grocery store.
A line of trees grows at right beside the Crescenta Block and across the street between the grocery store and drug store.
Perspective is from under the spreading branches of a large tree on the near side of the street. Legible signs include ..."Groceries", "Fish and poultry".

It looks like "Crescenta" is a small typo by USC - the sign actually says "Crecenta Block". The only mention I can find in the CDs is in 1886-1887, when it says:

EPISCOPAL-EAST LOS ANGELES.
Organized 1886 Meets in Crecenta Block, 3 P. M. Sunday School.

No address is given.

I think that "G.F. Lemberger" might also have a letter wrong. The hardware store at 520 Downey Avenue seems to have been run by Jacob Frank Lemberger (sometimes listed as "Jacob F" and sometimes as "J Frank"). His name is attached to the address until about 1890, and his home address is given as either 520 or 518 Downey Avenue during this period.

The Stockwell Bros were at 601 Downey Avenue. I couldn't find any listing for "Dr. Allan Schless", but there was a Dr A Schloss who was proprietor of the East Los Angeles Drug Store at 621 Downey Avenue. Ownership had passed to Louis P Collette by 1891. James Hanley was a harness and saddlery dealer at 613 Downey Avenue in the 1888 and 1890 CDs.

[ethereal_reality]

Originally Posted by HossC

The sign actually says "Crecenta Block

detail

By jove, you are correct Hoss. (not that i didn't believe you, but I had to take a look for myself )
__


"Cresenta Block on Downey Avenue (later North Broadway) at Truman Street (later Avenue 23), Los Angeles, ca.1885-1886."

I've been trying to figure out why Ave. 23 (Truman Street) no longer reaches N. Broadway (Downey Ave)




google_maps


I found some interesting information on the original street names in Lincoln Heights.

Here are Ave. 22, 23 and 24.



To see additional streets go HERE (it's really interesting)
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for search purposes:

LECOUVREUR ST.

HELLMAN ST.
__

update :

I just noticed that there used to be a Sigler Street as well.



Lemberger-Sigler House (one more time)

gsv

[ethereal_reality]

The LAPL city directories are down once again. (probably the 10th time within the last week)
Does anyone hold some sway at the library? (I'm not even a member)
---perhaps ask them what's going on...and when it will be corrected.

(I hope it's because they're adding more directories to the archive)

[ethereal_reality]

"Bill Tuckman (left) and Nate Roman (right) in the liquor dept. of the City Food Mart located on the southwest corner of Yucca & Argyle, 1942."


donated by Cate Roman to internet archive




The City Food Mart in 1947.


Los Angeles Jewish Grocers



I realize we have visited this building before but there might be some new information in the description below.

"City Food Mart was originally constructed in 1934 by architect J.A. Murrey and Wesco Construction Company for HE Bartlett, Inc.
The land was part of the Bartlett Estate, affectionately know as the "Bartlett Foothills of Hollywood." Streamline Moderne in style
with a festoon tower, the market provided services for the surrounding community. Records show that Vons transferred the business license
for the market to the Roman Brothers in 1936.

The open front market provided produce, groceries, meat, liquor, deli foods as well as sundries, newspapers, magazines and comic books.
Serving the entertainment industry, City Food Mart was used in multiple photo sessions promoting motion pictures of that era.

Located at the corner of Yucca and Argyle in Hollywood, City Food Mart was the neighborhood market for the area
that included the Pantages and the Hitching Post movie theaters, the original Dupar's Restaurant, and the Knickerbocker Hotel.

The Roman Bros ran this market from 1936 to 1950 before moving the name and sign to Huntington Park."


OK...I don't believe I have heard about the sign being moved to Huntington Park.

info from Los Angeles Jewish Grocers

(the link also includes two brief video interviews) -one of them the daughter of the man on the right in the top photograph. -her name is Cate (she donated the photo)
__




'mystery' vantage point.

Can anyone figure out the photographer's vantage point? -where he took this photo

enlarged to gather more clues


detail


__

[Retired_in_Texas]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

internet archive




The City Food Mart in 1947.

I realize we have visited this building before but there might be some new information in the description below.

"City Food Mart was originally constructed in 1934 by architect J.A. Murrey and Wesco Construction Company for HE Bartlett, Inc.
The land was part of the Bartlett Estate, affectionately know as the "Bartlett Foothills of Hollywood." Streamline Moderne in style
with a festoon tower, the market provided services for the surrounding community. Records show that Vons transferred the business license
for the market to the Roman Brothers in 1936.

The open front market provided produce, groceries, meat, liquor, deli foods as well as sundries, newspapers, magazines and comic books.
Serving the entertainment industry, City Food Mart was used in multiple photo sessions promoting motion pictures of that era.

Located at the corner of Yucca and Argyle in Hollywood, City Food Mart was the neighborhood market for the area
that included the Pantages and the Hitching Post movie theaters, the original Dupar's Restaurant, and the Knickerbocker Hotel.

The Roman Bros ran this market from 1936 to 1950 before moving the name and sign to Huntington Park."


OK...I don't believe I have heard about the sign being moved to Huntington Park.

info from Los Angeles Jewish Grocers

(the link also includes two brief video interviews) -one of them the daughter of the man on the right in the top photograph. -her name is Cate (she donated the photo)
__




'mystery' vantage point.

Can anyone figure out the photographer's vantage point? -where he took this photo

enlarged to gather more clues


detail


__

Not hard at all to locate the photographer's vantage point. It would have been atop whatever building occupied the space now the location of the Kimpton-Everly Hotel. City Mart sat next to what is now parking area for the Capital Records building. The building itself obscures the location of the Melody Lane Coffee Shop at the corner of Hollywood and Vine, as well as the front of The El Capitan theater (later known as the Hollywood Palace and now Avalon).

For anyone to have described that architectural mess as being "Streamline Modern" they would have had to have had one heck of an imagination. The lot where it sat is now vacant but the sidewalk still reflects the angle that would have been beneath the sign. Doubtful there will ever be anything other than a parking lot there as it is within 300 feet of a recorded fault line.

[Flyingwedge]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

"View of Crescenta Block on Downey Avenue at Truman Street, Los Angeles, ca.1885-1886"


usc digital archive

The owner of the Crescenta Block at the time was none-other than G.F. Lemberger.

further more....

Downey Avenue became N. Broadway and Truman Street became Ave. 23.

which places Lemberger's Crescenta Block very close to the Lemberger-Sigler House.


google_earth

I couldn't pinpoint the exact location of the Crescenta Block (upper left) because Ave. 23 stops short of N. Broadway (but both Ave. 22 and 24 are there)

(the small circle at lower right is the Lemberger-Sigler House)
__

The Crecenta Block is a little hard to see on the 1888 Sanborn (where it is labeled as such), so here it is on the
1894 map on the SW corner of Downey Avenue (now N. Broadway) and Truman Street (now S. Avenue 22):



1894 Sanborn @ ProQuest via LAPL

[GaylordWilshire]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

detail

Originally Posted by Retired_in_Texas

For anyone to have described that architectural mess as being "Streamline Modern" they would have had to have had one heck of an imagination.

The Streamline reference obviously refers to the façade, not to the whole building--much as the Pan-Pacific was basically just a Streamline front to a utilitarian box.


lapl




LAT Sept 16, 1934

[ethereal_reality]

Originally Posted by Retired_in_Texas

Not hard at all to locate the photographer's vantage point. It would have been atop whatever building occupied the space now the location of the Kimpton-Everly Hotel.

I knew that RiT.

I hoped someone could tell me what building used to be there and perhaps provide a photo.

The building caught my eye because of the interplay of shadows on the roof and the chimney with the three flues. (if I'm looking at it correctly, the flues are lined up from small to large)

__

[ethereal_reality]

Originally Posted by Flyingwedge

The Crecenta Block is a little hard to see on the 1888 Sanborn (where it is labeled as such), so here it is on the
1894 map on the SW corner of Downey Avenue (now N. Broadway) and Truman Street (now S. Avenue 22):



1894 Sanborn @ ProQuest via LAPL

Thanks for this Flyingwedge.

& of course I have a couple questions.

#1 What does the black rectangle represent?
#2 Is that circle really a huge Kettle...or am I reading that wrong?
_

[Retired_in_Texas]

Originally Posted by GaylordWilshire

The Streamline reference obviously refers to the façade, not to the whole building--much as the Pan-Pacific was basically just a Streamline front to a utilitarian box.


lapl




LAT Sept 16, 1934

The hallmark of Streamline Modern is roundness to project a aerodynamic appearance and/or nautical appearance. Absolutely nothing of the building that housed City Food Mart indicates either. Some Art Deco leanings but even those are marginal. I am prone to describe it as Planned Parenthood Modern because it was simply an abortion. It's one of those things that one can easily say: "thank God it is gone." There are yet standing many outstanding and wonderful examples of Streamline Modern designs built in Los Angeles and around the country from the 1930's forward. The building in question was not among them.

On another note, the building apparently housed several businesses in addition to City Food Mart as is indicated by the signage above what was apparently the corner entrance to the building. Among them a music school, a cafe, and maybe a real estate office.

[GaylordWilshire]

Actually, the primary hallmark of Streamline Modern is horitzontal lines.

Btw, love the Planned Parenthood sideswipe. Really? Here?

[HossC]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

I hoped someone could tell me what building used to be there and perhaps provide a photo.

The building caught my eye because of the interplay of shadows on the roof and the chimney with the three flues. (if I'm looking at it correctly, the flues are lined up from small to large)

On the 1948 aerial (below, left), the only building that looks high enough is the one I've arrowed. The area looks very different just four years later in 1952 (below, right). City Food Mart is the dark square on the south-west corner of the intersection.


Historic Aerials

When I looked at the freeway construction aerial, I realized that the two apartment buildings along Yucca, including the one I arrowed above, had survived. As far as I can tell, they're still there today. So was the photographer at the back of the one on the right?


GSV

Originally Posted by Retired_in_Texas

The lot where [City Food Mart] sat is now vacant but the sidewalk still reflects the angle that would have been beneath the sign. Doubtful there will ever be anything other than a parking lot there as it is within 300 feet of a recorded fault line.

The December 2016 GSV image below shows construction progressing on whatever's replacing City Food Mart.


GSV

[Martin Pal]

Originally Posted by Retired_in_Texas

Doubtful there will ever be anything other than a parking lot there as it is within 300 feet of a recorded fault line.

Or...

Article: HERE.

LOS ANGELES – Los Angeles building officials approved plans to build a 1 million-square-foot complex of skyscrapers, stores and restaurants in the heart of Hollywood, agreeing with the developer that an earthquake fault underneath the property is too old to be considered active. The Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety signed off Monday on geology reports that found that no active earthquake fault runs under the site of the Millennium Hollywood development — even though the California state geologist last year concluded there was one.

GOOD LUCK!

[Flyingwedge]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

Thanks for this Flyingwedge.

& of course I have a couple questions.

#1 What does the black rectangle represent?
#2 Is that circle really a huge Kettle...or am I reading that wrong?
_

The black rectangle could represent a steam boiler, or it could show a "frame special," although
the map doesn't show anything special (e.g., a church or business) at that location:



1894 Volume 1 Sanborn Map Key @ ProQuest via LAPL


And, yes, that's a big kettle at 514-1/2 Downey Ave. I will render the opinion that it was part
of the meat market at 514.

[GaylordWilshire]

Originally Posted by HossC

The December 2016 GSV image below shows construction progressing on whatever's replacing City Food Mart.


GSV

As of June, "anything other than a parking lot" was close to topping out...



BuildGroup

[ethereal_reality]

Originally Posted by GaylordWilshire

"anything other than a parking lot"

GW's comment reminded me of this photograph I believe is new to NLA.


posted by Michael Lee Price on Vintage Los Angeles

This snapshot shows a vast parking lot (or is it two?) and the Capital Records Bldg. construction in 1955.

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[ethereal_reality]

Originally Posted by Flyingwedge

1894 Volume 1 Sanborn Map Key @ ProQuest via LAPL

Thanks for this FW. I'm going to print it out and glue it to my forehead.

_

[tovangar2]

LA Curbed remembers Hugh Hefner for helping to save the Hollywood Sign...twice:


american visa