Photos of the Hollywood Bowl tend to draw the eye of the Bowl itself because…well…because it IS the Hollywood Bowl, after all. But this aerial photo from 1949 shows us that there was quite a large motel behind it. It was called the Franciscan Motel. I could find no information on the hotel, but it appears to be quite close, so I’m wondering if a good portion of their guests were out-of-towners who came to see a show. I’m not exactly sure where it was, but it looks like the Hollywood Freeway took it out.
** UPDATE ** – The Franciscan Motel was at 2630 Cahuenga Blvd. Here is a closer view of it in 1951
One building of the Franciscan still stands. This image is from August 2022:
Sailor A (on Facebook) says: “I’ve worked in that building. We refer to it as “The Blue Motel” Yes it once was a hotel a w/pool now it’s private offices for The Ford/Hollywood Bowl/Walt Disney Concert Hall. It’s also used as overflow parking for the Bowl. There’s very little left of the original hotel, but so cool to see it back in it’s hey day. Rumor is the city rents it for only a $1 a month!”
Here’s a January 2020 satellite photo where I’ve tried to replicate the vintage photo.
Only one building of the hotel remains.
2630 Cahuenga Blvd E
Good job—-the building across the bridge is the old Motel. I lived near the bowl in the 40’s. Love your old photos of Hollywood.
I remember the Franciscan Motel from driving by it in the 60’s and early 70’s.
They had a nice neon sign in front and was located just off the North bound Cahuenga Blvd side of the Hollywood fwy. It was not torn down. Some of the motel buildings have been removed but part of the original motel is still there and has been converted into apartments from the way it looks. It is the long horizontal building you see in your recent photo
Love the additional update, thanks MT!
I managed the apartments after the motel closed
The middle 70s
The Pilgrimage theater was next door
I was in the progress of purchasing the apartments for $90,000 when things went awry
I’m still kicking my kuester
Notice the big stylized “F” on the chimney. Motor Hotels were generally a bit up from the standard Motel types…I wonder if this one had a nice dining and lounge thing going on in the front building. And is there any chance of some relationship to either Gladding-McBean’s Franciscan Pottery on Los Feliz (by Glendale/Tropico), or else the Franciscan Restaurant up in San Francisco?