Metropolitan Building, Commercial building in Los Angeles, United States.
Description
The Metropolitan Building occupies the corner of West 5th Street and South Broadway in Los Angeles. It features marble interior elements and ornamental elevator doors, with retail spaces on the ground floor and residential lofts above.
History
The building was completed in 1913, replacing the Mueller Building that previously occupied the site. Its construction helped establish Broadway as Los Angeles's largest shopping district.
Culture
The building's marble interior and ornate elevators reflect the early 1900s taste for luxury and craftsmanship in downtown Los Angeles. Visitors walking through notice details like the decorative metalwork and rich finishes that made this a prestigious address for both businesses and the library that once called it home.
Practical
The building sits on a busy downtown corner where you can easily walk around and explore the ground-floor retail areas. The street-level accessibility and multiple entrances make it simple to view the architectural features from the sidewalk.
Did you know?
From 1913 to 1926, the building housed the Los Angeles Public Library across four floors, making it a cultural hub. The architects incorporated skylights and extra floor space specifically to accommodate the library's operational needs.
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