Building History ~ City View Lofts in Downtown Los Angeles
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City
View Lofts are located on the westside of
Downtown Los Angeles, in an area known as City West or Westlake. There are 44 high-end,
live-work rentals and condo lofts that house a wide variety
of creative tenants, including artists, designers,
photographers, architects and clothing manufacturers (click here to view building features).
This western portion of Downtown LA is an up-and-coming neighborhood. As most other neighborhoods have been hit hard by the economic recession, new businesses continue to pop up along 7th Street. These flourishing businesses are bringing in more LA residents to Downtown LA.
The
building is a historical landmark and was
built in 1923 for Young's Market Company which
is a liquor distribution company still in
operation and located in Downtown Los Angeles. The
beautiful Italian designed building has housed
a wide range of occupants as it approaches
its 100th anniversary.
The
building has gone from being an emblem of
wealth and architectural prowess as the heart
of wine and spirits during the 20s and 30s,
to being the one-stop shop for Southern California
contractors in search of heavy duty hardware
and specials tools during the 50s and 60s,
to being an eclectic Latino swap meet during
the 80s and 90s, to sophisticated and premiere
modern Los Angeles lofts.
City
View Lofts is the newest rendition of this
timeless 5-story masterpiece. These lofts
feature amazing skyline views of Downtown
Los Angeles (including LA Live, the Staples
Center, and the LA Convention Center) and
the Hollywood Hills (including the world famous
Hollywood Sign and Griffith Park Observatory),
18- to 25-foot ceilings, polished concrete
floors, open live-work spaces, unique floorpans
and square footages, and private balconies
and rooftop patios.
These
lofts are stellar examples of live-work
spaces and are distinct in they respect the
true intention of loft living; spaces that
are large, open and capible of transforming
into what the tenant needs it to be, all the
while providing modern amenities like brand-new
kitchens with granite countertops and new
appliances, brand-new bathrooms with shower/tubs
and private water heats, central AC/Heat systems,
plenty of new outlets, ceiling fans, one freight
elevator and one regular elevator, two intercom
systems, 24-hour security cameras, evening
security, subterranean parking and much more.
Click on the map below (or click here) to view the many nearby restuarants and bars just minutes from the building:
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It All Started
In 1923, architect Charles F. Plummer began
laying out the plans to construct a living
masterpiece, one that would rival the elegance
and prestige of its European counterparts. A year later, Mr. Plummer and P.M. Young,
secretary of the famous Young's Market company,
announced to the world that they were out
to build something quite remarkable. A structure
rich not only in the extravagance of cultural
beauty, but one forged with the unyielding
foundation of entrepreneurial spirit set fourth
by the flourishing Young's Market company.
Constructed
as a testament to the Young's family business
achievement, the five-story structure was
built with the most prestigious materials
of the era. From the monumental roman pillars
lining the lobby, to the Indiana imported
limestone, and Minnesota granite façade,
to the detailed paintings on the roof interior,
the substantial reputation of the structure
is well deserved.
One of the most notable features of the architecture
is the genuine bronze and terra cotta Lucca
Della Robbia style frieze that wraps the building,
arguably the most striking terra cotta frieze
seen in the west. The beautiful Italian-renaissance
design is simply breathtaking, and it is easy
to understand how such a piece of history
has held fast in the face of both prosperity
and trying times.
The same building that welcomed the elite
businessman, with accommodations and amenities
that were unrivaled in its 1920s era, in 1992
witnessed some of the most destructive and
chaotic rioters of this era. The
Los Angeles riots marked the depths of hardship
suffered by the Young's Market building, when
angry looters pillaged the structure and set
it ablaze, scarring the very prestige that
its designers dreamt of creating. Despite
the near century of toils, neglect, ownership
changes, and decline, this structure has proudly
withstood the test of time being forever recorded
in history in 1969 upon its induction as a National
Historical Landmark.
It
would only seem appropriate for history to
repeat itself in the form of property developers, who, just like
Charles Plummer eight decades earlier, had
a grand vision for building something truly
remarkable. One of the most notable features of the architecture
is the genuine bronze and terra cotta Lucca
Della Robbia style frieze that wraps the building,
arguably the most striking terra cotta frieze
seen in the west.
This
time however, the building wouldn't be a symbol
of a company's business achievements, but
rather the awe-inspiring live/work lofts for
a very lucky 44 individuals. Enchanted by the unique history of the building,
they could instantly feel the charm of the
decades that had walked the floors before
them, and were convinced that the Young's
Market building deserved the be full of life
once again. |
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Multiple
Marble Columns |
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Lucca
Della Robbia Frieze |
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Intricate
Mosaic Tilework |
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Historic
Architecture |
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Sleek,
Modern Hallways |
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Freight
Elevator |
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Tenant
Subterranean Parking |
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