Preservation Success - 269 Western Ave.

The Art Deco Society of Los Angeles has been working with the Office of Historic Resources within the Los Angeles Department of City Planning to get the owners of the beautiful Black and Gold terra cotta building at Third Street and Western Ave. to remove inappropriate and illegal signage and banners from the facade of the structure. We are glad to report that the owners of this historic building have not only complied, but have gone the extra distance to replace all of the plate glass which had been painted black (photo left). The structure now looks much more like it did when it was built in 1931 as the Selig Clothing Store.

Designed by Arthur E. Harvey, this is one of only two Black and Gold glazed terra cotta Art Deco buildings left in Los Angeles. It was declared a Cultural-Historic Monument (#289) on September 20, 1985 and as such is protected from unapproved inappropriate changes, alterations and demolition. This single story building also once housed a Crocker Bank Branch, but has returned to it's roots and now sells clothing once again.

The building before the renovation (from Google Earth) on right.