Merritt Building
Merritt Building | |
 The building in 2014 | |
  Location within the Los Angeles metropolitan area | |
| Location | 761 S. Broadway and 301 W. Eighth Street, Los Angeles, California |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 34°02′39″N 118°15′18″W / 34.04406°N 118.25488°W |
| Built | 1915 |
| Architect | Reid & Reid |
| Architectural style | Neoclassical / Italian Renaissance / Beaux Arts |
| Part of | Broadway Theater and Commercial District (ID79000484) |
| Designated CP | May 9, 1979[1] |
The Merritt Building is a historic building located at 761 S. Broadway and 301 W. Eighth Street in the Jewelry District and Broadway Theater District in the historic core of downtown Los Angeles.
History
[edit]The Merritt Building was built by Reid & Reid in 1915 and was named after its owner Hulett C. Merritt. Merritt originally wanted the building to contain 23 stories at a height of 233 feet (71 m), but Los Angeles City Council refused to waive the city's 180-foot (55 m) building height ordinance, and so Merritt built a 9-story (plus one below-ground story), 144-foot (44 m) building instead. Upon completion, the building contained ground-floor retail with offices above, with the top floor reserved for Merritt himself.[2][3]
In December 1956, Home Savings and Loan Association purchased the building, after which they modernized the lower floors and added a Millard Sheets–designed entrance on Broadway.[3][4]
In 1979, the Broadway Theater and Commercial District was added to the National Register of Historic Places, with Merritt Building listed as a contributing property in the district.[1]
In 2016, the building was purchased by Bonnis Properties for $24 million.[5][6]
Architecture and design
[edit]Merritt Building is made of concrete and steel with a Yule Marble facade. It was designed in the Neoclassical/Italian Renaissance/Beaux Arts style and features ionic columns and heavy cornice that create a rendition of the Temple of Minerva on a three-story plinth. Each floor is separated by a prominent belt course, and the building's second story originally featured prominent rustication; however, this was covered by smooth masonry when the building was modernized following its purchase by the Home Savings and Loan Association.[1][2][3][4]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- 1 2 3 "California SP Broadway Theater and Commercial District". United States Department of the Interior - National Park Service. May 9, 1979.
- 1 2 "Merritt Building". Emporis. Archived from the original on June 29, 2021. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
- 1 2 3 "Early Los Angeles Historical Buildings (1900 - 1925)". Water and Power Associates. p. 4. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
- 1 2 Michelson, Alan. "Merritt, Hulett C., Sr., Building, Los Angeles, CA". University of Washington Pacific Coast Architecture Database. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
- ↑ Khouri, Andrew (November 2, 2016). "Downtown's Merritt building sells for $24 million, a premium price". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 15, 2017.
- ↑ Barragan, Bianca (July 14, 2017). "DTLA's Merritt Building to become offices and retail". Curbed Los Angeles. Archived from the original on July 15, 2017. Retrieved July 15, 2017.
