Hollywood & Western Building

The Hollywood & Western Building is a 4-story Art Deco office building located at 5500 Hollywood Blvd. in Hollywood, California.

Designed by S. Charles Lee, and built by Louis B. Mayer, the building opened on December 8, 1928.

The Hollywood & Western Building was declared Los Angeles Cultural Monument #336 on January 1, 1988.

The building was the first location for Central Casting, and The Ben Hecht Company.

Hollywood Billiards [http://www.hollywoodbilliards.com/history.html] , Hollywood's oldest pool hall was located in the lower basement of the building.

By the 1970's, the building was being used to produce pornography, and was slowly converted in individual rehearsal studios as the area where the building was located became increasingly crime-ridden and dangerous.

The building was used in Hollywood Shuffle, and was a regular shooting location for numerous TV productions. It was used as a rehearsal studio for such bands as Guns N Roses and White Zombie.

It's tenants included Bargain Saver, Hollywood Rehearsal Studios, Studio 9, Rock City Arcade, and Eli's Book Depository.

The building was heavily damaged in the 1994 Northridge Earthquake, and was vacant for several years.

Current tenants include the local offices of Los Angeles City Councilman Eric Garcetti,and the California Department of Motor Vehicles.

External links

* S. Charles Lee biography [http://digital.library.ucla.edu/sclee/lee_bio.htm]
* University of California file photo [http://content.cdlib.org/ark:/13030/kt3v19q2vb/?brand=calisphere]
* University of California file photo [http://content.cdlib.org/ark:/13030/kt567nc5cj/?brand=calisphere]
* University of California file photo [http://content.cdlib.org/ark:/13030/kt6p3022jd/?brand=calisphere]
*University of California file photo [http://content.cdlib.org/ark:/13030/kt158016g1/?brand=calisphere]
* You Tube footage from 1995 [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHhO6bvnLZQ]

References