Haas Building (Los Angeles) facts for kids

The Haas Building is a historic building located in Downtown Los Angeles, California. You can find it at 219 West 7th Street, right where Broadway and Seventh Street meet. It was originally owned by Abraham Haas, who was the president of a company called Haas, Baruch, CXL & PWL'S.

This building was designed to be one of the most modern and impressive structures of its time. It was built in 1915 using a strong steel frame, which made it completely fireproof. The architects, Morgan, Walls & Clements, designed this 12-story building with attractive terra cotta (a type of baked clay) on the outside. It faced the street with a front that was about 55 feet (16.7 meters) wide on Broadway and 150 feet (45.7 meters) long on Seventh Street. The ground floor and basement were 50 by 75 feet (15.2 by 22.8 meters). The Haas Building was finished in early 1915.

Inside, the building was very fancy. The woodwork was made from solid mahogany wood. The hallways had marble floors and marble panels (called wainscoting) that went up seven feet high. Even the lobby's floor, walls, and ceiling were made of marble. The building also had three fast elevators. All these fancy features and interiors cost about $100,000 at the time.

In the 1970s, the Haas Building got a big makeover. Sadly, its classic outside look was covered up with brown metal panels. Much of the original brick and detailed work on the exterior was removed. However, some of the original pieces around the main entryway survived, even though they were quite damaged.

Past Businesses at Haas Building

The Haas Building has been home to many different businesses over the years. It was a popular spot for companies looking for office space in downtown Los Angeles.

Bank of Italy's Lease

In December 1915, the Bank of Italy signed a 25-year lease for the ground floor and basement of the building. J.H. Skinner, who was the Vice-President, arranged this move from San Francisco. The bank used about 6,550 square feet (608 square meters) of space on the ground floor. They kept their safe deposit boxes and coin vaults in the basement. They could even add more space by building a mezzanine floor.

W J Pearson & Co.

W J Pearson & Co. used a large part of the third floor. This company was a good place to learn about the financial situation in Los Angeles. Many buyers and sellers of property, and people looking to lease or rent, would meet there.

Other Offices

The other 11 stories of the building had 225 offices. Each office was very modern for its time. They had connections for both direct and alternating current electricity. They also had compressed air, gas, water, and an extra sewer outlet.

Notable Tenants

Here are some other important businesses and groups that had offices in The Haas Building:

• Southern California Tourist Bureau
• Lee H. Stodder Company – They were the main selling agent for Burkhard Investment Company.
• Southern California Oil Co.
• Chicago Tribune - This newspaper opened a branch office here. They hoped to attract advertisers from California to their paper, which was based in the Midwest.

The Haas Building Today

The Haas Building has recently been completely remodeled. It now has 68 "live/work lofts" available for rent. These are apartments where people can both live and work.

LoftSeven Event Space

The top two floors of The Haas Building are now home to LoftSeven. This is a large, multi-functional space used for private events. It's about 16,000 square feet (1,486 square meters) in size. LoftSeven feels like a modern, fancy hotel, but it also has touches that remind you of the building's long 99-year history. LoftSeven was planned to open in 2009.