El Greco Apartments

Last updated
El Greco Apartments
El Greco Apartments, Los Angeles.JPG
El Greco Apartments, June 2008
USA Los Angeles Metropolitan Area location map.svg
Red pog.svg
USA California location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Usa edcp location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Location817 N. Hayworth Avenue, Los Angeles, California
Coordinates 34°5′11″N118°21′44″W / 34.08639°N 118.36222°W / 34.08639; -118.36222 Coordinates: 34°5′11″N118°21′44″W / 34.08639°N 118.36222°W / 34.08639; -118.36222
Built1929
ArchitectPierpont, F. & Walter S. Davis
Architectural styleSpanish Revival, Spanish Colonial Revival, Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals
NRHP reference No. 88002017
LAHCM No.231
Significant dates
Added to NRHPNovember 03 1988 [1]
Designated LAHCMApril 09 1981 [2]

El Greco Apartments is a historic twelve-unit, Spanish Revival style apartment building located in the Fairfax district of Los Angeles, California. The building was built in 1929 as one of the original buildings in the Westwood Village section of Los Angeles. Located in the heart of Westwood, the building was the home of film celebrities, including Erich von Stroheim, Michael Curtiz, and Joel McCrea. In the 1980s, the owner planned to demolish the building to erect a new condominium building. Met by tenant protests, the owner agreed to pay to have the building moved to another location. The building was ultimately moved to the Fairfax district where it was converted to low-income housing for senior citizens.

Contents

Construction and architecture

Self-portrait of El Greco, 1604 El Greco - Portrait of a Man - WGA10554.jpg
Self-portrait of El Greco, 1604

The Spanish-Mediterranean style El Greco was built from 1929 to 1930 and was one of the original buildings in Westwood Village. [3] The two-story, 12-unit structure was designed by architect Clara Bertram Humphrey, and modeled after the home of artist El Greco in Toledo, Spain. [4] [5] [6] The structure is credited with having strongly influenced the architectural style of Westwood Village, with its elegant, Spanish-style buildings. [5] [7] The red tile roof and brick courtyard of the El Greco became a trend that was followed in many other structures in Westwood Village. [4]

Once located in the heart of Westwood Village, the El Greco was the first hotel in Westwood Village and was reportedly the home to international film personalities, including Erich von Stroheim (Austrian director of the silent film classic Greed , among other works), Michael Curtiz (director of films such as The Adventures of Robin Hood , Angels with Dirty Faces , Casablanca , Yankee Doodle Dandy and White Christmas ), and Joel McCrea (star of films including Alfred Hitchcock's Foreign Correspondent and Preston Sturges', Sullivan's Travels and The Palm Beach Story ). [6]

In April 1939, the El Greco was purchased by A.J. Dolan for $37,500. [8]

Preservation efforts and relocation to Fairfax district

Erich von Stroheim was one of the early residents of the El Greco. Erich von Stroheim.lowrey.jpg
Erich von Stroheim was one of the early residents of the El Greco.

By the end of the 1970s, many of the old Spanish-Mediterranean style buildings in Westwood Village had been replaced with high-rises. Accordingly, controversy arose when the owner of the El Greco announced plans in 1979 to demolish the structure and replace it with condominiums. Tenants of the old building, who were served with 60-day notices to vacate, led the preservation effort. [9] Tenants including Leonard Nimoy's son Adam Nimoy and James Davidson, with assistances from City Councilman Zev Yaroslavsky, led an effort to have the building declared a historic monument by the city's Cultural Heritage Board. [4] [6] In February 1980, the building was declared a Historic-Cultural Monument (#231), putting demolition plans on hold. [10] Members of the Cultural Heritage Board referred to El Greco as "a stunning building ... that ought to be saved." [11] And in October 1980, the Los Angeles City Council voted 10-0 to prevent demolition of the building. [12]

With demolition halted, plans circulated to donate the building to the city for low-income housing, to relocate the structure to vacant land, or to sell the property to UCLA for use as affordable housing for young faculty members and their families. [11] None of those plans was accepted, and in 1984, the owner again moved forward with efforts to demolish the building. On this occasion, a group known as Alternative Living for the Aging came forward with a plan to move the building to vacant land in the Beverly-Fairfax district, where it would be converted to low-income housing for senior citizens. The City Council voted to withhold permission for demolition to allow time for the group to raise funds for the relocation and refurbishment. [5] The owner ultimately agreed to pay $55,000 for the cost of moving the building, and a combination of private and public funds totaling $600,000 was raised to pay for the cost of the land and refurbishment of the building. [4] Among other efforts, Leonard Nimoy (Spock in the 1960s television series Star Trek ) staged a fund-raiser for the effort to preserve the El Greco. [4]

In September 1985, the El Greco was carefully carved into four pieces and hauled from its original site in Westwood to its new location in the Beverly-Fairfax district. [13] Architect Peter de Bretteville, who was in charge of the move and refurbishment, noted:

"The difficult relocation was accomplished by dividing the apartment into four separate sections, preserving all of the structure's Spanish roof tiles and other elements of the charming brick and tile courtyard, including its central fish pond, which was recreated to its original appearance on the new site. The haul from Westwood required a great deal of preparation on the site, careful planning and finally settling of the structure on the new site. We worked within certain budget constraints and we tried to intrude as little as possible on the structure itself. I believe we came up with a good compromise." [6]

When the old structure was removed, construction began on a new $7.5 million, 112-unit apartment complex on the original site. [14]

Current operation as alternative living for seniors

The relocated El Greco opened in December 1986 as housing for senior citizens. [6] The building provides "alternative living" for seniors who do not need institutionalized care, but who choose not to live alone. Each resident is paired with another resident as "buddies" who check up on each other on a daily basis. Columnist Jack Smith profiled the novel facility in 1989, noting: "ALA screens every applicant for his or her compatibility degree. They must be clear-headed and without debilitating health problems. ... It doesn't hurt to be good at Scrabble and Trivial Pursuit." [15]

In 1988, the original building was listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

See also

Related Research Articles

Westwood, Los Angeles Neighborhood of Los Angeles in California, United States

Westwood is a commercial and residential neighborhood in the northern central portion of the Westside region of Los Angeles, California. It is the home of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Bordering the campus on the south is Westwood Village, a major regional district for shopping, dining, movie theaters, and other entertainment. From the 1930s through the 1980s, it was the most popular such district on the Westside.

Wilshire Boulevard Thoroughfare in Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, and Los Angeles, United States

Wilshire Boulevard is a 15.83 miles (25.48 km) boulevard in the Los Angeles area of Southern California, extending from Ocean Avenue in the city of Santa Monica east to Grand Avenue in the Financial District of downtown Los Angeles. One of the principal east-west arterial roads of Los Angeles, it is also one of the major city streets through the city of Beverly Hills. Wilshire Boulevard runs roughly parallel with Santa Monica Boulevard from Santa Monica to the west boundary of Beverly Hills. From the east boundary it runs a block south of Sixth Street to its terminus.

Mid-Wilshire, Los Angeles Neighborhood of Los Angeles in California, United States

Mid-Wilshire is a neighborhood in the central region of Los Angeles, California. It is known for the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Petersen Automotive Museum, and the Miracle Mile shopping district.

Parkmerced, San Francisco

Parkmerced is a neighborhood in San Francisco, California, designed by architects Leonard Schultze and Thomas Dolliver Church in the early 1940s. Parkmerced is the second-largest single-owner neighborhood of apartment blocks west of the Mississippi River after Park La Brea in Los Angeles. It was a planned neighborhood of high-rise apartment towers and low-rise garden apartments in southwestern San Francisco for middle-income tenants. It contains 3,221 residences and over 9,000 residents, and is one of four remaining privately owned large-scale garden apartment complexes in the United States. The complex is located south of SFSU, west of 19th Avenue, and east of Lake Merced and the Harding Park Golf Club. The far western boundary of the neighborhood extends to Lake Merced Boulevard, and the neighborhood is popular with students and faculty at San Francisco State University because of its proximity. The property was purchased in October 2005 for approximately $687,000,000 by a joint venture between Stellar Management and Rockpoint Group from a JP Morgan Chase and Carmel Partners joint venture entity.

Overdale Neighbourhood in Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Overdale was a small residential district in downtown Montreal that became a famous symbol of the struggle between urban conservationists and land developers.

Hollywood Tower United States historic place

Hollywood Tower, originally known as La Belle Tour, is a large apartment building in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California. The tower, built in 1929, was a popular residence for entertainment industry employees for many years and has often been cited as the inspiration for Disney's Twilight Zone Tower of Terror attractions. The real-life Hollywood Tower was listed in the National Register of Historical Places in 1988.

Granada Shoppes and Studios United States historic place

Granada Shoppes and Studios, also known as the Granada Buildings, is an imaginative, Mediterranean Revival and Spanish Colonial Revival style block-long complex consisting of four courtyard-connected structures, in Central Los Angeles, California. It was built immediately to the southeast of Lafayette Park in the Westlake District, in 1927.

El Cabrillo United States historic place

El Cabrillo is a two-story, ten-unit Spanish-style courtyard condominium building located at the southeast corner of Franklin Avenue and Grace Avenue in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California. The Spanish Colonial Revival style building was designed by architects Arthur and Nina Zwebell and built in 1928 by movie mogul Cecil B. DeMille. El Cabrillo is the only building designed by the Zwebells using brick, a superior construction material as compared to their other courtyard buildings constructed using stucco and wood. It became one of the most fashionable addresses in Hollywood in the late 1920s and 1930s and was more recently in HBO's remake of "Perry Mason", Ryan Murphy's "Hollywood", Fox's summer hit show "911" and as the home of the main character in the television series Chuck. It has been designated as a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument and listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Chateau Colline United States historic place

Chateau Colline is an historic eight-unit apartment building on Wilshire Boulevard in the Westwood section of Los Angeles, California.

Los Altos Apartments United States historic place

The Los Altos Apartments is a Mission Revival style apartment building on Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles, California.

Fox Theater, Westwood Village

The Fox Theatre, Westwood Village, also known as the Fox Village Theatre, is a historic, landmark cinema in Westwood, Los Angeles, California, in the Westwood Village. It is located in the heart of Westwood and only a couple of minutes from UCLA. It is currently operated by Regency Theaters under the name Regency Village Theatre. The theater has been one of the leading film premiere theaters in the history of cinema.

Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument Heritage designation of the city of Los Angeles, California

Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monuments are sites which have been designated by the Los Angeles, California, Cultural Heritage Commission as worthy of preservation based on architectural, historic and cultural criteria.

Boyle Hotel – Cummings Block United States historic place

The historic 1889 Boyle Hotel is across the street from the Mariachi Plaza at the corner of Boyle Avenue, First Street and Pleasant Avenue in the East Los Angeles community of Boyle Heights. The building was formerly a hotel and commercial shops line the first floor of this Queen Anne Style building. In 2007 the building was declared a Los Angeles Cultural Monument.

Sheats Apartments Historic building in Los Angeles, California, United States

The Sheats Apartments, also known as L'Horizon and sometimes mistakenly as the Sheets Apartments, is a historic eight-unit, multi-family building located at 10919 Strathmore Drive, in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. It is colloquially referred to as The Treehouse by UCLA students.

Elkay Apartments Building in California, United States

The Elkay Apartments is a historic five-unit two-story multi-family building located at 638-642 Kelton Avenue, in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California.

Kelton Apartments Building in Los Angeles, California, United States

The Kelton Apartments is a historic 4-unit 2-story multi-family building located at 644-648 Kelton Avenue, in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California.

Strathmore Apartments Historic building in Los Angeles, California, United States

The Strathmore Apartments is a historic 8-unit multi-family complex located at 11005-11013 1/2 Strathmore Drive in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. Notable past residents, amongst others, include John Entenza, Charles Eames, Ray Eames, Luise Rainer, Clifford Odets, and Orson Welles.

Landfair Apartments Residential complex in Los Angeles, California, United States

The Landfair Apartments is a historic two-building multi-family complex located on the southwest corner of Landfair Avenue and Ophir Drive in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. They were colloquially known as The Glass House and was renamed Robison Hall after UCHA member Everett Robison was drafted and killed in action in World War II.

Lincoln Place Apartment Homes United States historic place

Lincoln Place Apartment Homes is a historic apartment community owned by a subsidiary of Apartment Investment and Management Co. (Aimco). Inspired by the garden city movement, it is located at 1050 Frederick Street on a 35-acre site in the Venice community of Los Angeles, one mile east of Venice Beach. Built from 1949-1951, the property is just off Lincoln Boulevard, bound by Lake Street and Penmar Avenue with Elkgrove Avenue and Elkgrove Circle within its interior.

Beverly Grove is a neighborhood within the Beverly–Fairfax neighborhood in the Mid-City West area of Los Angeles, California.

References

  1. ↑ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. April 15, 2008.
  2. ↑ Los Angeles Department of City Planning (2007-09-07). "Historic - Cultural Monuments (HCM) Listing: City Declared Monuments" (PDF). City of Los Angeles. Retrieved 2008-06-15.
  3. ↑ "Building Becomes Historic Monument". Los Angeles Times. 1980-07-01.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 James Rainey (1984-12-09). "Serving Past and Present: Plans May Save Historic Apartment Building, Provide Housing for Seniors". Los Angeles Times.
  5. 1 2 3 Barbara Baird (1985-02-14). "Unanimous Council Vote Spares Historic El Greco Apartments". Los Angeles Times.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 Evelyn DeWolfe (1986-12-14). "Buddy System Living: Preserved Older Building Will Be Haven for Elderly". Los Angeles Times.
  7. ↑ Jean Merl (1980-02-10). "El Greco for Faculty Housing: Giving Apartments to UCLA Proposed". Los Angeles Times.
  8. ↑ "El Greco Apartments Sold for $37,500". Los Angeles Times. 1939-04-09.
  9. ↑ Lynn Voedisch (1979-12-13). "Tenants Try To Stop Razing of 'El Greco'". Los Angeles Times.
  10. ↑ Peggy Rinard (1980-02-17). "Formed in '62: Heritage Board Guards Legacy". Los Angeles Times.
  11. 1 2 Jean Merl (1980-02-10). "El Greco For Faculty Housing: Giving Apartments to UCLA Proposed". Los Angeles Times.
  12. ↑ Josh Getlin (1980-10-05). "'Preserve El Greco' Group Wins Battle". Los Angeles Times.
  13. ↑ "Westwood". Los Angeles Times. 1985-09-12.
  14. ↑ "Agreement Paves Way for Westwood Rentals". Los Angeles Times. 1985-09-15.
  15. ↑ Jack Smith (1989-06-06). "A New Way of Living for Senior Citizens". Los Angeles Times.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.