May Company Building (Wilshire, Los Angeles) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids May Company Building (Wilshire, Los Angeles) |
|
|---|---|
May Company Wilshire Building as shown in the early 2000s as the LACMA West
|
|
| Location | 6067 Wilshire Blvd. at Fairfax Ave., Wilshire district, Los Angeles |
| Built | 1939 |
| Built for | May Company |
| Original use | Department store |
| Rebuilt | 2020 (expected) |
| Architect | Albert C. Martin, Sr. |
| Architectural style(s) | Streamline Moderne |
| Designated | September 30, 1992 |
| Reference no. | 566 |
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
The Saban Building, once known as the May Company Building, is a famous building in Los Angeles. It was finished in 1939. You can find it on the Miracle Mile in the Wilshire area. This building is a great example of Streamline Moderne architecture.
Streamline Moderne is a style of building design from the 1930s. It uses smooth, curved shapes and long horizontal lines. It often looks like it's ready for speed, like a train or a ship.
The architect who designed this building was Albert C. Martin, Sr.. He also designed other important buildings in Los Angeles, like the Million Dollar Theater and Los Angeles City Hall. The May Company Building is recognized as a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument. This means it's an important historical place in the city.
From 1939 to 1992, the building was a large May Company department store. A department store is a big shop that sells many different kinds of products, like clothes, home goods, and toys. In 1992, the May Company joined with another store called J. W. Robinson's. They became a new store called Robinsons-May.
A Famous Building Design
The Los Angeles Conservancy is a group that works to protect historic places. They call the Saban Building "the grandest example of Streamline Moderne remaining in Los Angeles." This shows how special its design is.
The building is well-known for its unique gold-tiled section. This part is shaped like a cylinder, which is like a tall can. It faces the busy intersection of Wilshire Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue. The building sits right on the northeast corner of this intersection.
From Museum to Movie History
In 1994, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) bought the building. They called it "LACMA West." For many years, it was used as a space to show art exhibits from the main museum.
Later, the building was chosen for a new purpose. It became the home of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. This museum is all about the history of movies. It opened its doors in 2021.
In 2017, the building got a new official name: the Saban Building. This was done to honor Cheryl and Haim Saban. They are known for their support of many causes.
Images for kids
-
May Company Wilshire Building as shown in the early 2000s as the LACMA West
