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Hollywood Boulevard Commercial and Entertainment District

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Coordinates: 34°06′06″N 118°19′58″W / 34.10167°N 118.33278°W / 34.10167; -118.33278
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Hollywood Boulevard Commercial and Entertainment District
Broadway Hollywood Building (center), Hollywood Plaza Hotel (left), and Hallmark Building (right) viewed from the northeast corner of Hollywood and Vine, 2016
Hollywood Boulevard Commercial and Entertainment District is located in the Los Angeles metropolitan area
Hollywood Boulevard Commercial and Entertainment District
Location in Los Angeles
Hollywood Boulevard Commercial and Entertainment District is located in California
Hollywood Boulevard Commercial and Entertainment District
Location in California
Hollywood Boulevard Commercial and Entertainment District is located in the United States
Hollywood Boulevard Commercial and Entertainment District
Location in United States
Location6200–7000 Hollywood Blvd., N. Vine St., N. Highland Ave. and N. Ivar St., Los Angeles, California
Coordinates34°06′06″N 118°19′58″W / 34.10167°N 118.33278°W / 34.10167; -118.33278
Area56 acres (23 ha)
NRHP reference No.85000704[1]
Added to NRHPApril 4, 1985

Hollywood Boulevard Commercial and Entertainment District is a historic district that consists of twelve blocks between the 6200 and 7000 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles, California. This strip of commercial and retail businesses, which includes more than 100 buildings, is recognized for its significance with the entertainment industry, particularly Hollywood and its golden age, and it also contains excellent examples of the predominant architecture styles of the 1920s and 1930s. It was entered into the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.[1]

Description

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The Hollywood Boulevard Commercial and Entertainment District encompasses twelve blocks and 102 buildings in Hollywood, California. The area, close in proximity to classic Hollywood's major film studios, contains an array of buildings and businesses that catered to the film industry and is generally known for its significant role in the history of cinema. Furthermore, the area contains excellent examples of the predominant architecture styles of the 1920s and 1930s, including Classical Revival, Spanish Colonial Revival, and Art Deco structures, and it retains its 1920s development pattern, with high-rise buildings at major intersections, flanked by one and two-story retail structures.[1]

The integrity of the district is fair, as major landmark buildings retain their distinctive identities while many smaller buildings have been altered, remodeled, or covered with modern signage, although even in these cases, the buildings' upper stories retain a high degree of integrity. And while the number of contributing properties is only 56% of the total parcels in the district, the larger scale and placement of the contributors create an impression of greater cohesion. Other features that add to the historic nature of the district are its colored terrazo entryways, neon signage, the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and its original streetlights, that latter of which were developed specifically for the neighborhood.[1][2]

Overall, the district is a thematic one. The Golden Era of Hollywood is clearly depicted by its eclectic and flamboyant architectural mix, and the district also represents the retail, financial, and entertainment functions of the street and their relationship to the movie industry, a 20th century phenomenon which helped shape the culture of the United States as a whole.[1]

Boundaries

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The Hollywood Boulevard Commercial and Entertainment District boundaries were defined by the United States Department of the Interior based on the remaining integrity of the area. They include twelve blocks along Hollywood Boulevard, from 7065 Hollywood Blvd on the west to the northwest corner of Hollywood and Argyle Avenue on the east. Also included are nine parcels just north or south of Hollywood Boulevard, including: one parcel south of the southeast corner of Hollywood and Highland Avenue, one parcel north of northeast corner of Hollywood and Ivar Avenue, three parcels north of northwest corner of Hollywood and Vine Street, one parcel south of southwest corner of Hollywood and Vine, and three parcels south of the southeast corner of Hollywood and Vine.[1]

Contributing properties

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57 of the Hollywood Boulevard Commercial and Entertainment District's 102 properties have been deemed contributing properties. These buildings cover a wide range of purposes, including financial, mercantile, office, retail, theater, residential, hospitality, institutional, and even one medical and another manufacturing.[1][3][4] Hollywood real estate syndicates were often the beneficiaries of studio profits, and as such the building designers constitute an honor roll of Los Angeles architectural firms from the time, including Walker & Eisen, John C. Austin, Parkinson & Parkinson, Curlett & Beelman, and Morgan, Walls & Clements. Even more buildings were designed by the exotic and fanciful Gogerty & Weyl and Meyer & Holler, and even more were either designed or redesigned by noted theater architects S. Charles Lee, G. Albert Lansburgh, and B. Marcus Priteca.[1]

Renaissance Revival Taft Building, Los Angeles's first office high-rise, in 2006

The majority of the district's contributing properties can be grouped into three styles. Most financial and mercantile buildings were designed in the Classical Revival styles popular with banking and financial interests in the 1920s. These buildings, which often reached the 12-story height limit in place when they were built, were intended to signify dignity and permanence, and are considered visual landmarks of the community. Among these buildings are Bank of America (1914, 1935 redesign), Security Trust and Savings (1921), Taft (1923), Guaranty (1923), Hollywood Professional (1924), Broadway Hollywood (1927 with 1938 additions), and Security Trust (1928). Non-financial/mercantile buildings that also feature classical revival architecture include 6679 Hollywood Boulevard (1914), Hillview (1917), Arthur Murray (1919), Congregational Church (1920), Masonic Temple (1921), Palmer Building (1921), and the Christie (1922), Plaza (1924), and Knickerbocker (1929) hotels.[1]

The district also has a significant grouping of Spanish Colonial Revival buildings, ones that feature designs meant to create a feeling of sophisticated and upscale yet relaxed shopping and entertainment. The style, which often features courtyards or other open space and extensive Churrigueresque detailing, was used most successfully in the district's low-rise office, retail, service, and entertainment establishments, including Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel (1924); El Capitan (1925) and Palace (1926) theatres; and Pig 'n Whistle (1919, 1927 redesign), Baine (1926), Hollywood Studio (1927), Herman (1928), Wax Museum (1928), and Cherokee (1930) buildings. The no longer standing Hollywood Brown Derby (1928) and its neighboring storefronts also featured a Spanish Colonial Revival design.[1][5]

The third architectural style embraced by the district was Art Deco. This style lent itself to many interpretations, and became associated in Hollywood with worldliness and sophistication, with the style's use of color and innovative materials creating a bold statement that promoted Hollywood Boulevard as the "Style Center of the West." Businesses associated with the movie industry relished the style's theatricality, and many older utilitarian buildings were altered to conform to the look. Buildings in this style in the district include 6806 Hollywood Boulevard (1922), J. J. Newberry (1928), Pantages Theatre (1930), Max Factor Salon (1931), Millers Stationers (1933 redesign), S. H. Kress (1935), and the Creque (1913, 1931 redesign), Orient (1927, 1937 redesign), Petersen (1929), Shane (1930), and Attie (1931) buildings.[1]

Even more buildings feature a style of art deco known as Streamline Moderne, which is inspired by aerodynamic design and emphasizes curving forms, long horizontal lines, and nautical elements.[6] The most notable building in this style in the district is Julian Medical (1934), which is considered "one of the crowning achievements of Streamline Moderne."[7] Lee Drug (1935) and Regal Shoes (1939) also feature the style, while Consumer Drug (1919, 1938 redesign) features a Moderne design without the streamline aspect.[1]

Programmatic Grauman's Chinese Theatre, Hollywood's grandest movie palace, in 2005

Including and beyond these architectural styles are some of the district's most well known structures: its stage and movie theaters. Employing a variety of styles and designs, Hollywood's theaters enabled the street to double as an entertainment center. The programmatic Egyptian (1921) and Chinese (1927) as well as the ornate Hollywood (1913, 1933 redesign), El Capitan (1925), Palace (1926), Warner (1927), and Pantages (1930) created an aura of fantasy and also satisfied the tourists in search of "Hollywood."[1]

Additionally, the district contains several buildings that feature designs outside the above styles. These include the Victorian Janes Residence (1903); Vernacular Musso & Frank (1917) and Cinemart (1920); Chateausque Holly Cinema (1920), Hallmark (1922, 1931 redesign), Johnny's Steak House (1930), and no longer standing Gilbert Books (1932); Parisian Café Montmartre (1922); and International Leed's Building (1935).[1][5]

Finally, the district contains several buildings that mix styles, including Hollywood First National (1927) and the Pickwick Books (1917, 1925, 1936), Outpost (1920), and Equitable (1929) buildings.[1]

Non-contributing properties

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45 of the 102 properties in this district were deemed non-contributing. Most are unnamed storefronts, but there are several historic and/or otherwise notable non-contributing buildings as well. Most notable is the Garden Court Apartments (1916), which was to be listed as a contributing property before an attempted demolition damaged the building. Other notable non-contributing properties include Alexanders (1917), Laemmle (1932), Gitelson (1919), Hollywood Post Office (1925), Palmer II (1921), Sardi's (1923), Vine Theatre (1923), and Vogue Theatre (1935).[1] Additionally, there is the Woolworth Building, which the listing incorrectly cites as having been constructed in 1927,[1] when it was actually constructed in 1910.[8] Of these buildings, Garden Court Apartments, Laemmle, and the Hollywood Post Office are no longer standing.[9][10][11]

Unlisted properties

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The district contains several notable unlisted properties as well. Most are unlisted because they were built after the district was designated, but a few were built before. Most notably, Iris Theatre, while not listed, was mentioned in the listing as one of the theaters that "created an aura of fantasy for the population of the area — and satisfied the tourists in search of "Hollywood" as well."[1] It is not clear whether this statement refers to the former Iris Theatre (1914) that no longer stands,[12] or Fox Theater (1918), which was known as Iris Theatre from 1918 to 1968.[13]

Other notable non-listed properties in the district include the Ritz Theatre (1940),[14] Dolby Theatre (2001),[15] Hollywood and Highland Center (2001),[15] Madame Tussauds Hollywood (2009),[16] and W Hollywood (2010).[17]

History

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Beginnings

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Streetcar tracks being installed on Prospect Avenue (now Hollywood Boulevard) in 1898

Hollywood Boulevard was originally named Prospect Avenue by John Bower, a miner from the Sierra foothills, who purchased a small government parcel at the intersection of Pass Road (today's Ivar Avenue) and Prospect in 1872.[18] Harvey Wilcox and Daeida Wilcox Beveridge purchased Bower's tract in the mid-1880s,[19] and Prospect Ave was connected by rail to Los Angeles in 1887 and Laurel Canyon in 1890, with another line connecting the area to Los Angeles, west Los Angeles, and the beach opening in 1901.[2]

By 1900, Prospect was still a small dirt road surrounded by lemon orchards and vegetable fields.[19] The street was lined mostly with houses and also a few establishments, most notably at Prospect and Cahuenga Boulevard, where the Paul de Longpré Residence (1901-1927) drew not only Hollywood society, but also property buyers and tourists, and Sackett Hotel (1888-1905) served as the area's first hotel and was also home to its first post office.[2][20] After 1900, more large establishments were added to the street, including Hollywood Memorial Church (1903-1923) at Prospect and Vine Street, and Hollywood Hotel (1902-1956) at Prospect and Highland Avenue.[18] Janes Residence was also built during this time.[1]

In 1903, the Beveridge family attempted to rename Prospect Avenue after Paul de Longpré, who they and others believed "had done more than any other man to make Southern California...known to the world," but failed as many in the community did not want the street named after a Frenchman.[20] In 1904, the Los Angeles Gas Company installed the city's first gas meters, which allowed for the appearance of street numbers, and in 1910, Los Angeles annexed Hollywood. Then, on January 5, 1910, the Hollywood Board of Trustees officially renamed Prospect Avenue to Hollywood Boulevard.[19]

Two of Hollywood's three major commercial centers began to emerge around this time. The first at Hollywood and Cahuenga was part of the original ranch purchased by the Wilcox/Beveridge family[1] and saw the Woolworth and Creque buildings rise in 1910[8] and 1913,[21] respectively. The second at Hollywood and Highland was developed by Whitley and Toberman and saw the Bank of America Building rise opposite the Hollywood Hotel in 1914.[1]

Hollywood Boulevard looking west towards Highland, 1914. Bank of America Building and Hollywood Theater are center-left.

Hollywood's first theaters also emerged during this time. Idyl Hour Theater opened at Hollywood and Wilcox in 1910 or 1911, then became Iris Theatre when it moved near Hollywood and Cahuenga in 1914, while Hollywood Theater opened near Hollywood and Highland in 1913 and has remained in its original location ever since, making it making it the oldest theater still standing in the district.[2]

Golden Age of Hollywood Boulevard

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Much of Hollywood's historical landmarks were erected between 1915 and 1939,[1] during the rapid boom of the film industry. Those migrating west saw the vast open land in Hollywood as a promising location for studios, and real estate mogul Charles E. Toberman predicted that Hollywood Boulevard would be a mecca for entertainment. He sold vacant land with the promise that "Hollywood is at a threshold of a new era of development."[18]

In 1917, two prominent residential buildings were constructed on Hollywood Boulevard, the luxurious Garden Court Apartments intended for leading members of the film industry, and The Hillview, Hollywood's first artist's high-rise.[22] In 1918, the Iris Theatre moved to a new 1000-seat location,[2] and in 1919, Musso & Frank opened; it has since become the oldest restaurant in Hollywood.[23] In 1920, Hollywood Congregational Church opened, and today it is one of two institutional buildings still standing on the Boulevard.[1]

Hollywood Boulevard looking east towards Cahuenga, 1928. Security Trust and Savings is left, Guaranty Building is center, and Creque Building is far-right

The 1920s saw the rise of more buildings along the Boulevard. At Hollywood and Cahuenga, the Palmer Building and Security Trust and Savings were built in 1921, the former home to multiple news organizations[24] while the latter housed a bank that would become "a power center of the entertainment industry," with clients that included Charlie Chaplin, the Three Stooges, Lana Turner, W.C. Fields, Cecil B. DeMille, and Howard Hughes.[25] The Guaranty (1923), Knickerbocker (1925), 303-seat Studio Theatre (1920), and 2700-seat Warner Theatre (1927) also opened near this intersection during this time.[1][26][27]

Hollywood and Highland and its surroundings saw more exotic development. Most notable were its movie palaces, specifically the Egyptian (1922), site of the world's first movie premiere, and Chinese (1927), home to Hollywood's famous celebrity handprints and footprints.[28] Along with these was the El Capitan playhouse, which opened in 1926 and would be converted to a movie palace in 1942,[29] and the Masonic Temple, built in 1921 and the second of two institutional buildings that remain on the Boulevard today. Other notable buildings that went up in this area during this time were Café Montmartre (1922), Christie Hotel (1922), Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel (1927), and Hollywood First National (1927). The Pig 'n Whistle opened in 1927 as well.[1]

Hollywood Boulevard looking west towards Vine, 1928. Taft Building is left, Broadway Hollywood Building is center-left, and Guaranty Building is far-right

The 1920s also saw the emergence of Hollywood's third major commercial center at Hollywood and Vine.[1] Commercial development of this intersection began in 1923, when the Taft Building replaced the Hollywood Memorial Church and became the first high-rise office building in Los Angeles, one that housed offices for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as well as every movie studio in the city.[30][31] The Hollywood Plaza Hotel (1924), Broadway Hollywood Building (1928), and Equitable Building (1929) rose soon after, as did this intersection's movie palace, The Pantages (1930), and playhouses, Vine Street Theater (1927) and Palace Theatre (1927).[1][32] Notable dining/drinking establishments that opened in this area include Hollywood Brown Derby (1929)[33] and Frolic Room (1930),[34] and Satyr Book Shop (1926) opened here as well.[35]

Additional notable buildings that went up in the district in the 1920s include the Hollywood Professional (1924), Security Trust (1928), J. J. Newberry (1928), Cherokee (1929), and Shane (1930). This decade saw so much development that Hollywood's three commercial centers merged into one, resulting in a pedestrian-oriented streetscape with a regular progression of architectural monuments interspersed with smaller scaled commercial buildings.[1]

Hollywood's investors were hit hard by the stock market crash of 1929, causing many retail operations to go out of business. Additionally, several plans for future developments were abandoned. However, the film industry continued to attract tourists and aspiring actors, and the 1930s saw S. Charles Lee restyle much of Hollywood,[18] as well as new constructions that included Julian Medical (1934), considered an architectural masterpiece,[36] and Max Factor Salon (1935), the go-to salon for virtually every major movie actress in Hollywood.[37] In 1938, the Broadway Hollywood Building had a seven-story annex added to its south, adding 52,000 square feet (4,800 m2) of retail space for the building's primary tenant,[38] and in 1939, the building added another eight-story annex to its west.[1] Additionally, the 875-seat Vogue Theatre and 675-seat Admiral Theatre opened in 1935[22] and 1940.[39] Three of Hollywood's most notable bookshops, Stanley Rose, Pickwick, and Larry Edmunds, all opened in the 1930s,[35][40][41] as did Radio City, located just outside the district at Vine Street and Sunset Boulevard.[4]

Continued success

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Postcard of Radio City with the Hollywood Plaza Hotel, Broadway Hollywood Building, Hollywood Brown Derby, Taft Building, and Equitable Building in the background, 1946

Despite an end to the district's construction boom, the area experienced continued success through the 1940s. Nearby Radio City brought many radio performers to the district, particularly to Hollywood and Vine and its Equitable Building and Plaza Hotel, the former home to numerous talent and advertising agencies,[42] the latter popular with the performers themselves.[43] The nearby Hollywood Knickerbocker also retained its popularity with celebrities,[31] while the Palace Theatre rebranded itself El Capitan Theatre and began broadcasting CBS radio shows as well as hosting burlesque.[44]

At Hollywood and Cahuenga, the Associated Press's Los Angeles bureau joined the Hollywood Citizen in the Palmer Building in 1940, making that location an even more significant news site than it already was.[45] Further west, Frederick's of Hollywood made S. H. Kress their flagship location in 1947,[46] and Hollywood Toys & Costumes moved into the Hollywood Studio Building in 1950, where it would remain for 40+ years before moving one building west.[47]

Closer to Hollywood and Highland, Musso and Frank served writers such as F. Scott Fitzgerald, Nathaniel West, Ernest Hemingway, William Faulkner, and Dorothy Parker in their exclusive back room, where they would drink, write, and wait to see if any deals materialized at the Writers Guild located in the Shane Building across the street.[48] Also across the street, News View Theatre opened in 1940,[14] Boardner's opened in 1944,[49] and the Pig 'n Whistle closed in 1949, its furnishings relocated to nearby Miceli's, which opened the same year.[50]

Hollywood's movie palaces underwent large changes in the 1940s. In 1942, Paramount Studios converted the El Capitan from a playhouse to a movie palace, renaming it Paramount Theatre while doing so, and in 1944, MGM took over programming at the Egyptian. However, this all changed in 1949, when the United States Supreme Court issued the Paramount Decree, banning movie studios from owning or otherwise programming movie theaters.[51] As a result, spin-off company United Paramount Theatres operated the El Captian while United Artists took over programming at the Egyptian.[29][52] Similarly, spin-off company Stanley Warner Theatres operated Warner Theater[53] and Howard Hughes bought The Pantages.[54]

The 1950s saw more success in the district, but also decline. The Knickerbocker and Plaza hotels remained popular destinations,[31][43] but the Hollywood Roosevelt and Hollywood Hotel had become run down, with the latter razed in 1956 and replaced by a shopping center, parking lots, and the twelve story First Federal Savings and Loan Building.[55][56] The Garden Court Apartments began to decline as well.[22]

26th annual Academy Awards at the Pantages, 1954

Elsewhere in the district, the 1950s saw the Equitable Building undergo a street level remodel,[1] Warner Theatre upgraded to cinerama,[57] the Egyptian upgraded to Todd AO,[52] Vogue Theatre undergo a $250,000 renovation,[58] News View Theatre renamed New View Theater as it switched from newsreels to features,[14] the Pantages host every Academy Award ceremony,[59] and Palace Theatre convert to a television studio, where in 1952 Richard Nixon gave his famous Checkers speech.[29] Additionally, in 1956 the Capitol Records Building was built just outside the district,[60] as was the Cinerama Dome in 1963.[61]

In 1960, the Hollywood Walk of Fame was unveiled across the entire district. The project, in the works since 1953, was meant to “maintain the glory of a community whose name means glamour and excitement in the four corners of the world.” New street lighting and trees were also included in the project.[62]

Decline

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Like much of Los Angeles, Hollywood saw significant decline in the 1960s and 70s. Radio City, a major source of Hollywood and Vine's success, was demolished in 1964,[63] and the surrounding area deteriorated soon after. The Knickerbocker closed as a hotel and reopened as senior housing in 1970.[31] Likewise, Plaza Hotel went derelict and was converted to an apartment complex in 1972.[64] The Equitable Building fared somewhat better, undergoing a $1 million renovation in 1969, after which nearby Capitol Records occupied 44,500 square feet (4,130 m2) of office space on the third through eighth floors. But despite this, the building also experienced high vagrancy and decline.[42]

Elsewhere in the district, Hollywood Wax Museum opened in the Christie Realty Building in 1965,[65] the Masonic Temple began leasing out its ground floor in the 1970s[66] and was sold altogether in 1986,[67] the Church of Scientology bought the Christie Hotel in 1974,[68] Shane Building housed The Masque from 1977-1978,[69] and Garden Court Apartments was vacated in 1980, after which it was inhabited by squatters and nicknamed "Hotel Hell."[22]

The district's theaters also underwent significant change during this time. Pacific Theatres bought The Pantages in 1967 and ten years later they partnered with Nederlander Organization to reopen the movie palace as a playhouse.[70] Pacific Theatres also bought Warner Theatre in 1968, at which point renamed it Hollywood Pacific Theatre, and in 1978 they converted the theater into three theaters and that they named Pacific 1-2-3.[71] Pacific Theatres also bought New View Theater in 1968[14] and Vine Theatre in the 1970s, and converted the latter to a Spanish language theater and a two-dollar grindhouse.[35]

Mann's Chinese Theatre, 1977

Outside Pacific Theatres, Fox Theatres bought Iris Theatre in 1965 and renamed it Fox Theater,[2] Mann Theatres bought the Chinese in 1973 and renamed it Mann's Chinese,[72] Pussycat Theaters bought Pacific Theatre's New View Theatre in 1974 and renamed it Pussycat Theater,[14] Hollywood Theatre was renovated in 1977,[2] and Palace Theatre was converted to a concert venue and nightclub in 1978.[44]

Preservation

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In 1980, Hollywood Heritage formed to identify and save historic structures in Hollywood.[73] Over the next several years, several landmarks in the district were listed either as a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument (LAHCM), in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP), or both, including:

In addition to the above, three buildings had already been listed before Hollywood Heritage was formed:

In 1984, the Hollywood Boulevard Commercial and Entertainment District was added to the National Register of Historic Places, with 57 contributing properties listed in the district.[1] Many of these have also been designated Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monuments in the years since.[74] Garden Court Apartments was initially considered but ultimately not listed as a contributing property due to the state of the building, which at the time was badly damaged by an attempted demolition.[1]

Continued decline

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Despite the district's historic designation, it experienced continued decline throughout the 1980s and into the 90s. Garden Court Apartments was demolished in 1984, this despite it being listed as a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument.[74] Hollywood Brown Derby closed in 1985 and two years later the building was gutted by fire, then further damaged by squatters.[78] Millers Stationers moved out of its own building in 1986, citing crime and vagrancy in the area.[79] Likewise, Max Factor moved out of its salon, the building then turned into a museum that closed in 1996.[37]

On the theater front, Studio Theatre, which had been renamed Holly Cinema, closed in 1986; Pussycat Theater, which had become Ritz Theatre, closed in 1991;[14] Hollywood Theater shut down in 1992;[80] and even the prestigious Egyptian shut down in 1992, after which it fell into disrepair.[81]

The 1994 Northridge earthquake caused even more damage to the district. Worst hit was Hollywood Brown Derby, which was condemned after the earthquake and demolished soon after.[78] Additionally, both Warner Theatre and The Hillview closed in 1994 due to a combination of earthquake damage and damage caused by B Line construction.[38][82] Fox Theater also closed in 1994 due to earthquake damage[13] and Vogue Theatre closed in 1995.[22]

Despite all this, the district did experience some successes during this time. In 1986, Janes House reopened as an information center with a 14,000 square feet (1,300 m2) mini-mall in front,[83] this despite the NRHP listing describing the Janes House interior as dilapidated just two years prior.[1] In 1985, Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel underwent a $35 million renovation,[84] and in 1989, The Walt Disney Company bought the El Capitan, at which point the theater underwent a $14 million renovation and reopened in 1991 as the studio's flagship.[29] The El Capitan also underwent a $10 million renovation in 1995, due to damage it received during the Northridge earthquake.[85] Finally, several more museums opened in the district during this period, including Fredericks of Hollywood's Celebrity Lingerie Hall of Fame in S. H. Kress in 1986,[86] Ripley's Believe It or Not! Odditorium in the Bank of America Building in 1992,[87] and Guinness World of Records Museum in the Hollywood Theater in 1994.[88]

The Church of Scientology also bought three more buildings in the district during this time: Guaranty in 1988 and Hollywood Congregational Church and Security Trust in 1995.[68]

Revitalization

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The American Cinematheque renovated Egyptian Theatre, 2008

The district's fortunes began to change in the late 1990s. In 1996, the American Cinematheque bought the Egyptian for a nominal $1, with the provision that the building be restored to its original grandeur and reopened as a movie theater. The Cinematheque raised $12.8 million to pay for the restoration, which included the addition of palm trees in the forecourt and a second theater in the building. The theater reopened to the public on December 4, 1998.[81] Next door Pig 'n Whistle was renovated soon after, and re-opened in 1999.[89]

The Equitable Building was rehabilitated between 1999 and 2001,[42] iO West moved into the district in 2000,[90] and the district was also connected to the Los Angeles Metro during this time, with a B Line stop a Hollywood and Vine opening in 1999 and another at Hollywood and Highland opening in 2000.[91]

Babylon courtyard at the Hollywood and Highland Center, 2007

The centerpiece of the revitalization effort, however, was the $430 million[92] Hollywood and Highland Center. This construction, which took the place of the First Federal Savings and Loan Building on the site of the former Hollywood Hotel, featured 640,000 square feet (59,000 m2) of commercial space around a Babylonian themed courtyard, six levels of underground parking, and the 179,000 square feet (16,600 m2), 3,600-seat Kodak Theatre, the new home of the Academy Awards.[15] The project, completed in 2001, was meant to encourage development and revitalization throughout Hollywood.[93]

The district saw numerous renovations both during and after Hollywood and Highland Center construction. The neighboring Chinese Theatre underwent a $5 million restoration and modernization while the Hollywood and Highland Center was being built, and a Chinese-themed six-plex was added to the Center to connect it to the theater.[94] Across the street, The Walt Disney Company renovated their recently acquired Masonic Temple in 2002,[66] and the nearby Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel underwent a $30 million renovation in 2005.[95] Also nearby, a Mel's Drive-In opened in Max Factor Salon's one-story wing in 2001,[96] while the Hollywood Museum took over the rest of the building in 2002.[4]

Hollywood and Vine saw its own large-scale development: the $600 million W Hollywood Hotel and Residences,[17] which opened in 2010.[97] Gilbert Books was demolished to make way for this project, while Herman Building survived multiple eminent domain attempts and was not.[35]

Elsewhere in the district, the Shane Building was converted to production offices in 2000,[98] Broadway Hollywood Building to condominiums in 2005,[99] Janes House to a restaurant in 2006,[83] Hollywood Professional Building to apartments and Equitable Building to condominiums in 2007,[100][101] and Fox Theater to a lounge/nightclub in 2009.[13] Similarly, The Hillview was renovated and reopened in 2006.[82]

Renovations and revitalizations continued into throughout 2010s. In 2013, the Chinese was converted to IMAX[102] and Janes House to a speakeasy,[103] in 2015, Vine Theatre was converted to a Dolby showcase theater[39] and the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel underwent another $25 million renovation,[104] and in 2021, The Hillview was restored[105] and Musso & Frank expanded for the first time in 66 years.[106] Furthermore, Kodak Theatre was renamed Dolby Theatre in 2012,[107] "ALL BLACK LIVES MATTER" was painted down the median of Hollywood Boulevard just west of Highland Avenue in 2020,[108] and Amoeba Music relocated into the district in 2021.[109]

It was not all successes during this time. Frederick's of Hollywood vacated S. H. Kress in 2005, after which the building underwent a $30 million renovation, re-opening in 2008 as a multi-use dining and entertainment venue that would go vacant three years later.[110][111] Hollywood First National also went vacant in 2008,[112] iO West ceased operations and Palmer Building was condemned in 2018,[90][113] and Pig 'n Whistle closed in 2020, with the interior gutted and turned into a cantina.[114]

Today

[edit]
Thor premiere on Hollywood Boulevard, 2011

Hollywood Boulevard Commercial and Entertainment District remains a focal point for the film, entertainment, and tourism industries in Los Angeles. Numerous films hold their world premieres in the district, commonly at the Chinese or in the case of Disney, the El Capitan,[115] with the larger premieres often shutting down Hollywood Boulevard outside the theaters.[116] The Academy Awards are held at the Dolby Theatre every year (also with street closures),[117] Jimmy Kimmel Live shoots daily at the Masonic Temple,[118] and the Pantages has become the one of the most prestigious theater venues in Los Angeles.[70] Musso & Frank, Frolic Room, Larry Edmunds Bookshop, Hollywood Toys & Costumes, Amoeba Records, and numerous other businesses continue to do business in the district, as do the multitude of museums that moved in over the years.[119] The Walk of Fame unveils an average of two new stars every month, each accompanied by a media event,[120] and hand and footprints continue to be added to the Chinese forecourt.[121]

Renovation and revitalization of the district is ongoing. 2022 saw the Hollywood and Highland Center rebranded Ovation Hollywood, with all Babylonian theming removed,[122] and 2023 saw another renovation at the Egyptian, this one by its new owner Netflix, who amongst other alterations removed every aesthetic addition received over the years, effectively bringing the theater back to its original form.[123]

Other renovations that have been announced but not yet taken place include preserving Security Trust and Savings[124] and converting Palmer Building into a hotel.[125] Furthermore, the City of Los Angeles has proposed a comprehensive renovation of the district's entire streetscape, with changes that include: adding sidewalk dining, event plazas, and community gathering spaces; improving landscaping, lighting, signage, and mobility access; doubling pedestrian space; and restoring the Walk of Fame.[5][126]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag "National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form - Hollywood Boulevard Commercial and Entertainment District". United States Department of the Interior - National Park Service. April 4, 1985.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g "Early Views of Hollywood (1850–1920)". Water and Power Associates. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  3. ^ "Image / Christmas along Hollywood Boulevard". University of California Calisphere. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  4. ^ a b c "Early Views of Hollywood (1920 +)". Water and Power Associates. p. 9. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  5. ^ a b c "Hollywood Walk of Fame Master Plan". City of Los Angeles. January 2020. p. 40.
  6. ^ "A true example of Streamline Moderne". Times of Malta. 6 September 2012. Archived from the original on 1 April 2016.
  7. ^ Winter, Robert (2009). An Architectural Guidebook to Los Angeles. Gibbs Smith. p. 181. ISBN 978-1-4236-0893-6.
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