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Schulte United Building

Coordinates: 34°02′52″N 118°15′06″W / 34.0477°N 118.2517°W / 34.0477; -118.2517
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Schulte United Building
The building in 2014
Schulte United Building is located in the Los Angeles metropolitan area
Schulte United Building
Location of building in Los Angeles County
Location529 S. Broadway, Los Angeles, California
Coordinates34°02′52″N 118°15′06″W / 34.0477°N 118.2517°W / 34.0477; -118.2517
Built1928
Part ofBroadway Theater and Commercial District (ID79000484)
Designated CPMay 9, 1979[1]

Schulte United Building, also known as Broadway Arts Tower[2] and Broadway Interiors,[1] is a historic five-story building located at 529 S. Broadway in the Broadway Theater District in the historic core of downtown Los Angeles.

History

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Schulte United Building, built in 1928, was originally home to the Schulte United department store and a 125-seat cafeteria. Schulte United vacated the building upon its bankruptcy in the 1960s, and the upper stores remained vacant for the next four decades.[2][3]

In 1979, the Broadway Theater and Commercial District was added to the National Register of Historic Places, with this building listed as a contributing property in the district.[1]

The building was bought for $3.1 million in 2012,[4] then an additional $2 million was spent converting the interior to offices.[3] This conversion, first of the Historic Commercial Reuse Initiative meant to revitalize the dormant historic buildings on Broadway,[5][6] was completed in 2014, at which point the building was renamed Broadway Arts Tower.[3] Also in 2014, the building was awarded $15,489 ($19,935 in 2023) through the Bringing Back Broadway initiative to buy decorative fluted hood lights to illuminate its top-floor signage.[7]

Architecture and design

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Schulte United Building is made of brick and concrete and features a flat facade with terra cotta ornamentation.[1] The building's interior features brickwork, hardwood floors, a tin ceiling, and a large staircase with bronze inlays and brass handrails.[2][3]

Much of the building, including the facade, brickwork, ceiling, and hardwood floors, were restored when the building was converted to offices in 2014. Additionally, non-original paint was removed from the staircase, a new elevator was added, and the original elevator was converted to a "glass well" skylight.[3]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d "National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form - California SP Broadway Theater and Commercial District". United States Department of the Interior - National Park Service. May 9, 1979.
  2. ^ a b c "Broadway Arts Tower Brings First New Office in 80 Years to Broadway". historiccore.com. November 3, 2014.
  3. ^ a b c d e Kim, Eddie (September 9, 2014). "Dead Broadway Building Brought Back to Life". Los Angeles Downtown News.
  4. ^ "529 South Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90013 Property Information". PropertyShark. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
  5. ^ Barragan, Bianca (August 19, 2014). "Inside Broadway's First Historic Tower Revived as Office Space". Curbed Los Angeles.
  6. ^ Kudler, Adrian Glick (December 11, 2013). "City Making It Easier To Convert Broadway's Historic Buildings Into Office Space". Curbed Los Angeles.
  7. ^ "Facade Lighting Grants Awarded on Broadway". historiccore.com. March 31, 2014.