The Seaboard National Bank building on the northwest corner of Wilshire Blvd and Dunsmuir Ave reminds us that, like yesterday’s photo of the French Chateau Apartments, we used to create beautiful buildings before the square-box mentality took hold. Look at that intricate grillwork between the first and second floors, and the bas relief along the top. This photo was taken around 1930, when the building would still have been new, which explains why there was still some store space available for lease.
And here is a $10 bill from the Seaboard National Bank, dated 1929 – back when banks used to issue their own currency!
While the building isn’t exactly how it used to be, it is remarkably similar. Today it’s known as the Korean Cultural Center. This image is from August 2022.
Wish this was a wider shot. Notice the open land and oil derricks on the left, which would now be looking toward Park La Brea. Also, looks like there are two people sitting in the rumble seat of that charming car, perhaps chatting while the driver goes in to make a withdrawal so they can drive way out to Culver City and dine and dance in one of the many roadhouses along Washington Boulevard near the newly formed MGM Studios.
Wish they would have left the grill work alone. No common sense!!!!
The cross street has also been listed as La Brea elsewhere if that helps to find other photos. The were a few Seaboards being opened, but I think some interior images might match this one. If so, then once past the doorway and hall area the entire inside just opened up to the ceiling. The area where we see the real estate offices upstairs is confined to a sort of balcony zone on the second floor. Oddly, the grand opening with bunches of flowers had a sign with a four-funneled liner with the Seaboard name across it. Those steamers were largely from the tragic era of R.M.S. Lusitania, Titanic, and Gigantic/Brittanic-with Olympic being a late survivor. I sure wouldn’t be using a ship from that era if I was trying to convey a message of security.