When Crossroads of the World at 6671 Sunset Blvd opened on October 29, 1936, it was one of America’s first planned outdoor shopping malls, o of course it deserved a big splashy opening, complete with searchlights scraping the sky. The place is kind of amazing with seven architectural styles: Cape Cod, French, Italian Renaissance, Mediterranean, Moorish, Spanish Colonial, and Streamline Moderne. I’d imagine Angelenos seeing it for the first time must have been popping their eyes wide open.
Crossroads of the World is still around. This is how it looked in May 2022.
Wow, the upstairs deck is filled with people. And you can see the Hotel Christie sign blazing away. Far up at the back there was a wishing well next to Blessed Sacrament. Not sure if it was part of this or related to the church facilities, but it was an oddball thing in Hollywood…a place where surprises were around every corner.
Well done, Al, spotting the Hotel Christie sigh waaaaaay in the background!
Martin,
Seeing this post inspired me to go into Hollywood to see it. It’s just down the street from Selma Avenue School, which I attended in the late 1940’s, and which I was sorry to say is now fenced in for new construction. The city closed it a few years ago, and either sold it or is developing something else on the property.
Crossroads, too, is closed to the public. A guard came running out to tell us it’s private property, owned by whom I can’t tell; either by people living in the houses or businesses that are not public. So goes progress.
Earl Gandel
How sad is that. Why in the world doesn’t anyone buy it and open up shops as it was intended? I pray they are not planning to destroyed it as they have so many other beautiful sites in your city. I HATE PROGRESS!!!!
I understand the idea of “Crossroads” was the center was like a ship coming into port and the architectural styles around it were like different places a ship might be arriving. I don’t know if originally the stores were supposed to be selling things to match the architectural styles. For quite awhile it’s been used for offices and not any retail as was originally intended and, of course, some development company has been tied to a massive complex to surround it, but I don’t know what’s up with that.
There’s a good episode of Huell Howser’s show that focuses on Crossroads of the World. I don’t know if it’s available on You Tube, but it’s worth seeing, if you can find it.
Thanks, will look for it.