Herman Building Explained

Herman Building
Nocat:yes
Nrhp Type:cp
Partof:Hollywood Boulevard Commercial and Entertainment District
Partof Refnum:85000704
Coordinates:34.101°N -118.326°W
Built:1928
Architect:Carl Jules Weyl
Architecture:Spanish Colonial Revival
Designated Nrhp Type:April 4, 1985

Herman Building is a historic one-story building located at 1632 N. Vine Street in Hollywood, California.

History

Herman Building was built in 1928 by Carl Jules Weyl, and features Spanish Colonial Revival architecture, a false gable parallel to the street as its focal point, with Churrigueresque ornamentalong the edge of the gable. The building was compatible with Hollywood Brown Derby to its south.[1]

The building has been home to many businesses over the years, most notably a restaurant in the 1940s-1950s called the Ham & Egger. Johnny Grant broadcast a live radio show from the restaurant where he interviewed such famous celebrities as Bob Hope, Jimmy Durante, and Alan Young. In the 1950s, Bernard Luggage Company moved into the building, and the owners purchased the building twenty years later.[2]

In 1984, the Hollywood Boulevard Commercial and Entertainment District was added to the National Register of Historic Places, with 1632 N. Vine St. listed as a contributing property in the district.[1]

In the 2000s, when the city sought to develop the area into a W Hotel & Residences, the Herman Building's owner refused to sell. The city attempted to take the building by eminent domain, but lost their case. W Hotel was then built around Herman Building, which was reconstructed and restored to its original look.[2]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form - Hollywood Boulevard Commercial and Entertainment District . . April 4, 1985 . en-US.
  2. Web site: Early Views of Hollywood (1920 +) . 6 . . July 25, 2024.