Blackstone Building (Los Angeles) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Blackstone Building |
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Blackstone's Department Store in 2013
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| Former names | Blackstone's Department Store |
| Alternative names | Blackstone Apartments |
| General information | |
| Address | 901 South Broadway |
| Town or city | Los Angeles, California |
| Country | US |
| Completed | 1916 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | John B. Parkinson |
| Renovating team | |
| Architect | Morgan, Walls & Clements |
The Blackstone Building is a historic building in Los Angeles, California. It was built in 1916 and can be found at 901 South Broadway. It used to be called Blackstone's Department Store. Today, it is known as the Blackstone Apartments. Since 2003, it has been recognized as a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument, which means it's an important historical place.
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A Look Back: Blackstone's Department Store
The story of Blackstone's began in 1895. A man named Nathaniel Blackstone opened a store called Blackstone's Dry Goods. He was the brother-in-law of J. W. Robinson, who owned a very big department store.
Blackstone's first store was on Spring Street. A few years later, in 1898, they moved to the Douglas Building. Here, they had a large space on the ground floor and in the basement.
In 1906, the store moved again to a new building on South Broadway. This building was designed by an architect named Robert B. Young.
The Famous 901 South Broadway Building
In 1916, Nathaniel Blackstone decided to build a brand new, very large store. He hired a famous architect, John B. Parkinson, to design it. This new flagship store was located at the corner of 9th Street and Broadway.
The building cost $500,000 to build, which was a huge amount of money back then! It had six floors above ground and two basement levels. The grand opening was on September 20, 1917.
In 1939, the Blackstone's store was sold to the Famous Department Store Company. The building got a makeover by architects Morgan, Walls & Clements. They added a cool, modern design to the ground floor called Streamline Moderne. This special design is now protected to make sure it stays preserved.
This building is also famous for appearing in a movie! It was seen in the 1923 silent film "Safety Last". In a very famous scene, the actor Harold Lloyd is climbing a building and hangs from a giant clock. The Blackstone Building was right behind him in that scene. This gave the store about 20 minutes of free advertising in a very popular movie!
What is the Building Used for Today?
In 2010, the Blackstone Building was updated for a new purpose. It was turned into 82 apartments. There are also shops on the ground floor and a parking garage underground. So, a historic department store is now a place where people live and shop!
See also
In Spanish: Blackstone Building (Los Ángeles) para niños
