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.