noirish Los Angeles

[Martin Pal]

We've covered the NBC Radio City Building on Sunset and Vine many times.
Here's a few photos of their NBC Color City Studios in Burbank.


Photo by Frank Thomas 1958


NBC Color City on Alameda Ave. in Burbank - ca. 1960


The Monkees in front of NBC, from episode "The Audition" 1966


Postcard Photo by Ellis-Sawyer 1968/Ebay

[CityBoyDoug]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

Post-War housing by Spiros Ponty, 1947.


ebay

__

Thanks for the interesting post ER.

These nice little houses, in 2014, are now selling for around:.......$500,000.

......My aunt owned one like these from 1948 till it was paid off in 1978. Her monthly payment was about $50. We sold it in 1987 for $110K and divided the proceeds 5 ways. The neighbors thought our selling price was outrageously high. I wonder what they think now?

These late 1940s tract homes were very nice. They were all lath~plaster with beautiful hardwood floors. They had large garages with storage space. For their time and day, they were modern and up-to-date. As my mother once said, '' those houses are like pearls on a necklace."

[radio63]

Originally Posted by Martin Pal

I don't recall seeing this particular photo on NLA before, though the area around Sunset and Vine has been
extensively covered. It's taken from the southeast corner under the neon canopy of Carpenter's Drive-In.
We see Wallich's, Capitol Records, Coffee Dan's, the Gruen Watch Time billboard and NBC among others.
(Feel free to name them!)

DWP/LAPL

The photo is dated c.1940's. Do you agree with that? I know TV came into fruition in the late 1940's
but I didn't think Wallich's was that early with their store "TV" advertising.

What a fantastic photo! Never seen one taken from this angle before. The photo is definitely from the 50s. I would guess mid to later 50s. The NBC building has the sign installed in front for KNBH channel 4, and also the light-up board at the roofline of the building that was installed later in the building's life which I have always guessed was some kind of a running electric billboard. Not to mention Wallich's extensively advertising television.

[Arch2000]

Does anyone have, or remember seeing on this thread or elsewhere, any vintage (really any time period) of the corner of 3rd Street & Main? There are many impressive/historic buildings around this area (Bradbury bldg & Douglas bldg to the West, St. Vibiana to the North, etc). There is a small one-story building on the NW corner, with some dive bars and a Mean Streets Cross-Fit gym in it that has so far escaped the areas' gentrification.

Walking around the building the otherday, I could see traces of mosaic tile floor and a more impressive facade that's been covered up with ugly 70's aluminum slats. It appears the building might have been something bigger and more impressive back in the day, and was wondering if anyone knew anything about it?

[HossC]

Flyingwedge wrote extensively about that building at 3rd and Main in post #21015. It also quotes a previous post by Noircitydame.

[Arch2000]

Originally Posted by HossC

Flyingwedge wrote extensively about that building at 3rd and Main in post #21015. It also quotes a previous post by Noircitydame.

Yes, I found that after I posted. Since I couldn't do a search in-site, I figured out how to do a google search for the webpage, and found that. A trove of information, to be sure. So interesting that it used to be a taller building, I wonder why it was cut off at the knees?

Curious if anyone else was able to dig up anything since Flyingwedge's post.

[unihikid]

Originally Posted by radio63

What a fantastic photo! Never seen one taken from this angle before. The photo is definitely from the 50s. I would guess mid to later 50s. The NBC building has the sign installed in front for KNBH channel 4, and also the light-up board at the roofline of the building that was installed later in the building's life which I have always guessed was some kind of a running electric billboard. Not to mention Wallich's extensively advertising television.

I say early 50s,remember capitol tower wasn't completed til 55', also i spy an early gm convt.

[unihikid]

Originally Posted by CityBoyDoug

Thanks for the interesting post ER.

These nice little houses, in 2014, are now selling for around:.......$500,000.

......My aunt owned one like these from 1948 till it was paid off in 1978. Her monthly payment was about $50. We sold it in 1987 for $110K and divided the proceeds 5 ways. The neighbors thought our selling price was outrageously high. I wonder what they think now?

These late 1940s tract homes were very nice. They were all lath~plaster with beautiful hardwood floors. They had large garages with storage space. For their time and day, they were modern and up-to-date. As my mother once said, '' those houses are like pearls on a necklace."

Funny you should say aunt city, my aunt and uncle own a house that looks very similar to the style here,its kinda near carhtay circle area but further south on the 1900 block of sterns, my uncle bought it with his first wife around 1967 and has lived there since. the house next door to them went for 900k a few yrs ago! they are mainly 3 beds,2 bath and a smaller size yard. now down the street on venice and fairfax,they are planning to build some new houses on the old KRTH 101 tower property......when completed they are asking 1 mil,and im sure they will have no yard.

[CityBoyDoug]

Originally Posted by unihikid

Funny you should say aunt city, my aunt and uncle own a house that looks very similar to the style here,its kinda near carhtay circle area but further south on the 1900 block of sterns, my uncle bought it with his first wife around 1967 and has lived there since. the house next door to them went for 900k a few yrs ago! they are mainly 3 beds,2 bath and a smaller size yard. now down the street on venice and fairfax,they are planning to build some new houses on the old KRTH 101 tower property......when completed they are asking 1 mil,and im sure they will have no yard.

Most interesting Uni. Most tract houses in the late 1940s were 2 bedrooms, a den and only one bath. By today's standards, they're a bit lacking in certain areas.

[MichaelRyerson]

Originally Posted by Arch2000

Does anyone have, or remember seeing on this thread or elsewhere, any vintage (really any time period) of the corner of 3rd Street & Main? There are many impressive/historic buildings around this area (Bradbury bldg & Douglas bldg to the West, St. Vibiana to the North, etc). There is a small one-story building on the NW corner, with some dive bars and a Mean Streets Cross-Fit gym in it that has so far escaped the areas' gentrification.

Walking around the building the otherday, I could see traces of mosaic tile floor and a more impressive facade that's been covered up with ugly 70's aluminum slats. It appears the building might have been something bigger and more impressive back in the day, and was wondering if anyone knew anything about it?

I feel as though this may have been posted before but maybe not...

Looking north on Main Street from 3rd, 1939

USC digital archive/Dick Whittington Photography Collection, 1924-1987

[HossC]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

Now this is amazing...the Westwood Observation Tower, shown here in 1928.

"Built by the Janss Investment Corporation in the 1920s, this oddly shaped tower
was located on the northeast corner of Wilshire and Beverly Glen Boulevards.

It stood at 420 feet above sea level, making it the highest point on Wilshire Boulevard at the time
and was used primarily as a landmark advertisement. At night, the lightning bolts along the sides
and the 'WESTWOOD' sign would light up and be seen for miles.

Potential home owners were allowed to climb the tower to get a better view of the new community
and identify the lot they would like to purchase."



Now to find some photographs taken from the observation deck showing the surrounding area and development!
You know they must exist somewhere. It's now my quest.

Views from the observation deck are proving elusive, but I did find the tower mentioned in these adverts in a book called 'Westwood' by Marc Wanamaker. Sadly, much of the small text is unreadable in the source images. The captions are taken directly from the book.

Westwood Hills/University Entrance Park Advertisement, 1925. This advertisement about "Westwood's Crowning
Glory" - the development of the new UCLA campus - warned potential buyers that Westwood property was selling
out quickly. Note the drawing of the Westwood Observation Tower (above center, far left).


books.google.com

University Park Unit, East, 1929. This advertisement announced that the east end of the University Park Unit was
50 percent sold out. Located across Wilshire Boulevard from the Country Club, both units were adjacent to the Los
Angeles Country Club, making them highly desirable. Note the Westwood Observation Tower prominently featured
at left in the advertisement.


books.google.com

I'd love to see a picture of the tower at night .

[Godzilla]

Originally Posted by MichaelRyerson

I feel as though this may have been posted before but maybe not...

Looking north on Main Street from 3rd, 1939

USC digital archive/Dick Whittington Photography Collection, 1924-1987

I was just reading about another Arrow Theater housed in the May Co. (née Hamburger's) building. http://ladailymirror.com/2013/07/08/...movie-theater/ The feature Arrow later became the Linda Lea Theater and currently exists in a substantially remodeled form.




~1937
https://discoverdtla.files.wordpress...7/00097519.jpg


'50s
http://viewfromaloft.typepad.com/pho.../linda_lea.jpg




1939 Arrow Theater, Main St.

http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/si...id/20001/rec/6

[Godzilla]

1930 - XMAS-Holiday Season Garnished Oil Derrick ("Ho Ho Uh Oh" - No obvious fire hazard?)


http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/co.../id/951/rec/10

[HossC]

Originally Posted by Godzilla

I was just reading about another Arrow Theater housed in the May Co. (née Hamburger's) building. http://ladailymirror.com/2013/07/08/...movie-theater/ The feature Arrow later became the Linda Lea Theater and currently exists in a substantially remodeled form.

~1937
https://discoverdtla.files.wordpress...7/00097519.jpg

The former Arrow Theatre is now the Downtown Independent. According to Wikipedia, "In April 2007, crews began construction on the site of the former Linda Lea theater at 251 South Main Street. The Downtown Independent is an ultra-modern one-screen movie house that shows independent films and holds special events ranging in genre from musical performances to rooftop fashion shows. In March the developer, Costa Mesa-based Cinema Properties Group, demolished all but the exterior walls of the rundown 1924 theater. Hodgetts + Fung Associates designed the sleek, glass and steel cube-shaped cinema which had its grand opening gala on December 1, 2007." That might explain why one of the reviewers on yelp.com described it as "Totally modern and clean. It's like IKEA built a movie theatre!"


avanteur.com

[Godzilla]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

originally posted by BifRayRock:


LAPL

I've often wondered what was previously on the site of Tower Records Store. That is one charming little building.

Also notice the stop signs. At first glance I thought it was one of those historic cameo real bells.
Why the light on top? I don't recall seeing that (a lit stop sign) in other areas of Los Angeles.

-just color me curious.
__

And the answer was . . . Dolores. http://skyscraperpage.com/forum/show...ostcount=15330

http://www.wehoville.com/wp-content/...5602854_n1.jpg




Was this stretch of Sunset Blvd. ever officially marked: "Sunset Strip?" "Sunset Strip or The Sunset Strip?" Next to Book Soup was once a mortuary owned by Mickey Cohen 8814 Sunset http://www.playgroundtothestars.com/...-sunset-strip/


1961 - Above the Sunset Strip. (Bottom left corner would have been 8844 Sunset Boulevard (Jerry's; Classic Cat; Tower Video) Hard to tell if the area is all parking lot - before construction - or "rooftop" parking.)

http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/si...id/21825/rec/1





http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/si...id/21825/rec/1




http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/si...id/21825/rec/1




Tower Video
http://s.lnimg.com/photo/poster_768/...a5d7a10ecc.jpg
http://blog.wfmu.org/.a/6a00d83451c29169e2014e89d5c9f2970d-pi

[Godzilla]

Originally Posted by GaylordWilshire

As seen on several blogs, new street signs are appearing downtown, starting at ground zero of Los Angeles addresses:

forums.signaltraffic.com

forums.signaltraffic.com
Time flies: I didn't realize that the current blue trapezoidal sign was first used in 1985, but I do remember on its introduction lamenting the loss of what
to me are the iconic "shotguns", which I've also seen referred to as "pistols". (Once upon a time, both NYC and LA seemed to have great continuity in
municipal signage--now it seems to be a race to see who can have the greatest variety of street signs.) Perhaps the new signs with the city seal will
remain confined to downtown, but it still seems a little odd to introduce yet another design, especially with so many shotguns still in place--NOT that
I'm complaining about that! Anyway, it seems I needn't really have worried about the passing of the 'guns, since a casual cruise around town, from
Boyle Heights to Pacific Palisades, reveals that, 26 years later, plenty of them, for whatever reason, are still in place--often, oddly, with newer signs
on the same corner:


Google Street View

Google Street View

Google Street View

Google Street View

forums.signaltraffic.com


forums.signaltraffic.com

forums.signaltraffic.com

forums.signaltraffic.com

laobserved.com

Recent LAT article on LA street sign history: http://www.trbimg.com/img-53eeca18/t...15/700/700x394


http://www.trbimg.com/img-53eeca18/t...15/700/700x394





A bona fide old time Angeleno was reminiscing about semaphore traffic signals and also mentioned blue street signs with yellow lettering, similar to California's yellow-on-blue license plates and the LA Rams uniforms. Could I have seen them too, perhaps in the once unincorporated, West Hollywood, or maybe some other LA County community? Or perhaps the signs were temporary props, or they appeared in other areas of the State or Country? Surprisingly, there seems to be a dearth of yellow-on-blue street signage.


https://foreshock.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/432.jpg




Pacific Fence, circa 1938 (previously at 1223 N. Highland; eventually moved to 2840 San Fernando Rd )
http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NjEzWDE1OT...UREUs/$_57.JPG


http://www.antiquesnavigator.com/eba...0791203586.jpg

http://saferoutescalifornia.files.wo...pg?w=232&h=139

http://www.davesclp.com/39ca.jpg

http://ts1.mm.bing.net/th?id=HN.6080...214387&pid=1.7

[Godzilla]

Could have sworn I'd seen both images on NLA. Hiding in plain sight?


"Better than some and as good as the best."


Per source -1910 - The Vendome Movie House (Somewhere on or near Vendome Street, in Silverlake? Not to be confused with the Vendome Hotel? 364 E. First Streethttp://skyscraperpage.com/forum/show...postcount=2699, nor The Vendome Cafe on 6666 Sunset? )


(1912 - Young Wild West from the Nestor Co. ??)
http://jpg1.lapl.org/pics42/00040820.jpg



6666 Sunset Blvd. The Vendome Cafe -
http://imgzoom.cdlib.org/Converter?i...=0&w=797&h=491

[Hollywood Graham]

[IMG][/IMG]http://s597.photobucket.com/user/cal...tml?sort=3&o=3 federal government regulated the use of signs for traffic including street name signs. All new signs must have reflective material n them and the font must be a certain size. For a city like L.A. to change all of their signs would cost millions. When the economy tanked it was near impossible to do it but it is getting back on track. As far as the lighted stop sign pictured on the Sunset Strip it is in the county and they differed from the city in lighting stops. Pictured here is a Stop that was located in front of the Ambassador Hotel and has street directions on the back. The lighted front was fairly common along with another style in the city.

[Hollywood Graham]

[IMG][/IMG]
Anbody have photos of this sign when it was posted in front of the Ambassador?

[Godzilla]

Originally Posted by Hollywood Graham

[IMG][/IMG]
Anbody have photos of this sign when it was posted in front of the Ambassador?

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...ostcount=21718