· Nathan Marsak · 2 min read
The Lost Art Deco of Baldwin Hills
Before the Victorians of West Adams get all the attention, someone should record the Art Deco structures that once dotted Baldwin Hills — those cool old buildings you'd spot from the car and say 'hey, that's neat.' Used to.
When you think of the area around West Adams Boulevard, as it rolls through Baldwin Hills, you might muse on all the vast Victorian homes that are being chewed up and spit out of late, should they be anywhere near that street called West Adams.
But I want to direct you to something else, that being some of the Art Deco structures which until very recently dotted the landscape. I mean, someone needs to record what this city used to look like. As in, once upon a time, you’d be driving around and see some cool old Art Deco building and say “hey, that’s neat.”
Soon, you won’t be bothered with such diversions.
For example where once you’d soak up the details of that wee store building on Adams & Alsace—
—designed by Weber & Nelson and built in 1937, thankfully, you no longer have to take in such meddlesome beauties as you drive back to your pod, citizen.
While we’re on the subject, this nifty little 1928 S. H. Kress store across the intersection, designed by Emil J. T. Hoffman (in-house architect for Kress)—
—was recently demolished, and in its place shall rise a six-story 25-unit box; two of those 25 units are deed-restricted low income, so it’s therefore taller and denser than anything else in the neighborhood. With the exception of that thing across the intersection.
So no, I’m not kidding when I say you will soon be spared the indignity of seeing any of the “Modernistic” interbellum structures which once helped define our fair city.
Today’s post, by the way, is just a Art Deco-y preview of the 1939 bowling alley that just had its demolition permits pulled…that post I’m putting off till the weekend, since I’m still at work trying to find a vintage image of the place. Come back for that!
