I love this circa 1950s shot of Westwood Village (next to UCLA) mostly because it feels so very 50s: those big cars, the Standard Oil gas station, lots of room on the roads, that old-style Ralphs supermarket sign. Although it’s now dwarfed by a huge office tower, that lovely Ralphs building is still around, as is the domed Bank of America building on the left, and tower in the middle. Three out of three is a rare trifecta here in Los Angeles so let’s all do a collective high-five!
The Ralphs building in May 2019:
The Bank of America building. It no longer has its soaring tower, but it’s still there and sounded by a grove of palm trees:
And here’s the tower also in May 2019:
Strange thing about a couple of buildings shown. Remember when the Ralph’s building façade was restored in the ’80s. The plaster was stamped with molds of stone blocks & tinted light brown. Superficial glance made it look built of stone & mighty impressive, castle like, with the immense rounded entrance. The restored exterior wall mounted wrought iron gas lamps were magnificent & unequalled, to my knowledge, in the village.
The B of A building shown was the original Janass Brothers sales office. Know tastes change, but why would anyone paint over the glazed ceramic multi colored tiles covering the dome?
Noticed for quite a while if it ain’t black, white or grey not “au courant” as far as trendy designs go. To me it’s what I call “cattle fashion”…. as in join the herd…
I’m very glad the dome is still there but why paint over those ceramic tiles??? It doesn’t seem to make much sense.