Taft Building (Los Angeles)

Taft Building

Taft Building
General information
Location 6280 W. Hollywood Blvd. and 1680 North Vine Street, Hollywood, California
Coordinates 34°06′05″N 118°19′35″W / 34.10139°N 118.32639°WCoordinates: 34°06′05″N 118°19′35″W / 34.10139°N 118.32639°W
Completed 1923
Owner DLJ Capital Partners[1]
Technical details
Floor count 12
Design and construction
Architect Percy A. Eisen
Albert R. Walker
Designated September 29, 1999
Reference no. 666

The Taft Building is an historic twelve-storey building at 6280 W. Hollywood Blvd. and 1680 North Vine Street, Hollywood and Vine, in Hollywood, California.

History

It was built for A.Z. Taft, Jr. (1889-1941), who purchased the Hollywood Memorial Church for US$125,000, tore it down, and commissioned the Taft Building there by hiring architects Percy A. Eisen (1885-1946) and Albert R. Walker (1881-1958).[2][3][4] Construction ended in 1923.[3] The architecture firm Walker and Eisen was also responsible for the Fine Arts Building, the James Oviatt Building, the Hotel Normandie, the Beverly Wilshire Hotel, and the Commercial Exchange Building.[5]

It is an example of Classical Revival architecture.[4] Shortly after, all the movie studios had an office in the building.[2] Clark Gable's dentist also had an office there.[2] Additionally, Charlie Chaplin and Will Rogers had offices there.[6] It has housed the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.[6]

It was the first high-rise office building in Los Angeles.[4] It is opposite the Pantages Theatre, and Audrey Hepburn's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame is outside the main entrance.[6]

In 2011, the owner, Langer Meringoff Properties, put it up for sale.[6]

It is on the list of Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monuments in Hollywood since September 29, 1999.[6]

References

  1. ↑ Vincent, Roger (January 29, 2015) "Taft Building, an aging Hollywood hot spot, gets a makeover" Los Angeles Times
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Pool, Bob (May 04, 2008) "Turning the corner at Hollywood and Vine" Los Angeles Times
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Pacific Coast Architectural Database
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 History
  5. ↑ "Sydell Group Buys Downtown Los Angeles Office Building from 1924" (July 18, 2014) Real Estate News Television
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 Miller, Daniel (10/12/2011) "Hollywood's Historic Taft Building For Sale", The Hollywood Reporter