San Fernando Building, Renaissance Revival office building in Historic Core district, Los Angeles, United States
The San Fernando Building is a Renaissance Revival office building in the Historic Core district of Los Angeles with Mediterranean influences. Its lobby features a 22-foot ceiling, ornate cornices, and exterior panels decorated with an incised diamond pattern.
The building was commissioned by businessman James Boon Lankershim in 1906 and designed by architect John F. Blee. Its completion in 1907 marked a period of commercial expansion in the downtown district of that era.
The building takes its name from a former rancho that once defined this area of Los Angeles. Its spaces reflect the elegance that was standard for downtown commercial buildings in the early 1900s.
The building was converted into residential lofts in 2000, preserving its historic details while enabling modern living in downtown Los Angeles. The location is easily walkable, and the downtown setting provides good transit connections and nearby amenities.
The building housed the California Film Exchange in the 1910s until a fire caused by an overheated motor destroyed numerous film reels. This past illustrates how deeply downtown Los Angeles was connected to the early motion picture industry.
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