Norton Building (Los Angeles) Explained

Norton Building
Nrhp Type:cp
Nocat:yes
Partof:Broadway Theater and Commercial District
Partof Refnum:79000484
Designated Nrhp Type:May 9, 1979[1]
Architect:Parkinson and Bergstrom
Location:601-605 S. Broadway and 312 W. 6th Street, Los Angeles, California
Built:1906
Coordinates:34.0469°N -118.2525°W

Norton Building, also known as Zukors[2] and H. Jeyne Company Building, is a historic six story building located at 601-605 S. Broadway and 312 W. 6th Street in the Broadway Theater District in the historic core of downtown Los Angeles.

History

Norton Building was designed by Parkinson and Bergstrom[3] and built by John H. Norton in 1906. It was designed for heavy goods and was occupied by the H. Jeyne Company.[4]

The building caught fire in 1935, after an acetylene tank used for exterior remodeling exploded, blowing out windows and injuring dozens. In 1940, the building facade, which had been blackened by the fire, was completely altered, but the new design complimented the time period and blended well with the rest of the district.[1] [5] [6]

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

In 2017, the building's upper floors were converted to housing, while the ground floor remained retail.[7]

Architecture and design

Norton Building features a steel frame and was built with brick and concrete, making it the strongest building in Los Angeles, size considered, when it was built.[1] [4] The building is faced with terra cotta, marble, and tile, and its original facade was replaced with one in the Zigzag Moderne style.[2]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 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. Web site: GC 1323 - Historic Sites Surveys . Tom. Sitton. Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. 2008.
  3. Web site: Norton Building, Los Angeles, CA. University of Washington Pacific Coast Architecture Database. Alan. Michelson. November 11, 2024.
  4. Web site: Early Los Angeles Historical Buildings (1900 - 1925). 2. Water and Power Associates. November 11, 2024.
  5. Web site: Image / Aftermath of Norton Building fire on Sixth Street and Broadway, Los Angeles, .... October 29, 1935 . University of California - Calisphere. November 11, 2024.
  6. Web site: Image / Bystanders look on as crews work on the Norton Building fire aftermath, ... . October 29, 1935 . . November 11, 2024.
  7. Web site: Historic Broadway Office Building Becoming Housing. Urbanize LA. February 17, 2017 . Steven. Sharp.