Los Altos Apartments facts for kids
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Los Altos Apartments
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Los Altos Apartments, May 2008
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 Location in the Los Angeles metropolitan area
Location in California
Location in the United States
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| Location | 4121 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, California 90010 |
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| Built | 1925 |
| Architect | Rust, Edward B.; Mayo, Luther |
| Architectural style | Mission/Spanish Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 99000765 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | July 1, 1999 |
The Los Altos Apartments is a historic building located on Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles, California. It was built in 1925 and designed in the beautiful Mission Revival style. This style often features elements inspired by old Spanish buildings, like arched doorways and red tile roofs.
Contents
A Look Back: The History of Los Altos
The Los Altos Apartments were built in 1925. They were designed by two architects named Edward B. Rust and Luther Mayo. In 1999, this special building was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is recognized as an important historical site.
From Luxury to Hard Times
When it first opened, Los Altos was a "co-op" building. This meant that people bought shares to live there, almost like owning a part of the building. It was a very fancy place, attracting famous movie stars like Clara Bow, Bette Davis, and Mae West. Even important figures like William Randolph Hearst stayed there.
However, during the Great Depression in the 1930s, many people lost their money. The building faced financial trouble and started to fall apart.
Saving a Landmark Building
For many years, the Los Altos Apartments were in bad shape. But in 1993, a local group called Neighborhood Effort stepped in. They saved the building from being torn down. They worked hard to find its original design details, like old floor tiles and doorknobs. This effort helped the building get its national historic site status.
A Home for Creative Minds
In the 1980s, Los Altos became a popular spot for artists and writers. Many creative people lived there, including Jeff Ayeroff, who helped start Virgin Records America. Screenwriter Becky Johnston wrote movie scripts while living in the building. Artists like Nancy Reese and Tom Shannon also rented apartments.
Even art galleries opened in the basement, showing works by famous artists. Actor Frederic Forrest lived at Los Altos when he acted in a well-known movie. A musician named Tommy Gear, from the punk band The Screamers, also called Los Altos home.
Bringing Back the Beauty
A company called M2A worked to restore the 75 apartments. They brought back the building's original look and feel. They fixed or remade old light fixtures, carpets, and iron work. This project turned the empty, damaged building into a nice place for people to live. It now has homes for people with different incomes.
In 1999, the Los Altos Apartments received several awards for its restoration. These awards came from groups like the California Preservation Foundation and the Los Angeles Conservancy. The city of Los Angeles also gave it a special award for historic preservation. Today, Los Altos continues to be a home for artists, writers, and actors.
Images for kids
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Entire West wall of the apartments
