The Richfield Building at 555 South Flower St, downtown LA was a feast of architectural wonder for the eyes during the day, and different sort of feast by night. I thought this was a particularly gorgeous shot framed with foliage in the (I assume) gardens of the LA Central Library. I don’t know when this photo was taken, but by from the sight of that house in the background, I’d say it’s from early in the tower’s 1929 to 1969 lifetime.
Even the street sign was classy!
Yes, the photo through the foliage was taken from 5th Street across the Central Library garden. Watching the Richfield Building light up at night was a delight. I used to climb to the top floor of the Castle on Bunker Hill to watch it from the fire escape on the west side of the Castle. The Richfield Tower and City Hall dominated the skyline and defined Downtown LA for me. It is an absolute tragedy that we lost this treasure. Although it was deemed too small and although it would now be dwarfed by later buildings, wouldn’t we all be richer if we still had it?
Your living history of LA goes back a few more years than mine. If you wouldn’t mind sharing, what are a couple of sights and or places you miss most? Mine would be all the vacant land on the Palos Verdes Pensulia, Marineland & fourth of July fireworks on the beach.
I miss many things, but what do I miss most? The Castle and all of Bunker Hill; the Richfield Building; the decorated Christmas windows at Bullock’s, the Broadway, Robinson’s, and the May Company stores downtown; Clifton’s Pacific Seas on Olive; riding a Pacific Electric street car from downtown to Long Beach to visit the Pike; Angels Flight where it used to be next to the 3rd Street tunnel to name just a few.
One of the most serious architectural losses.Designed by Stiles O. Clements with Gladding McBean black & gold terra cotta tiles mean to symbolize Richfield’s “black gold” oil business. The 130-foot tower at the top was made to look like an oil derrick with lighting to make it look like an oil well gusher! Seem to recall their was some kind of major water damage and it was used to demolish the building for the sterile Arco Towers replacement. Said it before, but they REALLY don’t build them like this anymore…
If the phrase “they don’t build them like this anymore” wasn’t invented for the Richfield Tower, but it sure could have been.
From the cars parked next to the house I’d say your time estimate on the picture is correct.
https://i.imgur.com/kENAVuN.png
Well spotted, Johnny!
Why would they tear down such a great building like the Richfield building?
More then likely greedy developer came into town, with a large bag of cash and put his own development there. Sad
I could be wrong, Jeff, but as I understand it, the company had outgrown the building and needed much bigger quarters so they tore down the old one and built a HUGE skyscraper on the site.