Elkay Apartments, International Style residential complex in Westwood, Los Angeles, California, US.
Elkay Apartments is a two-story, five-unit apartment building at 638-642 Kelton Avenue in Westwood, Los Angeles, designed by Richard Neutra in the International Style. Its address, unit count and 1948 completion date are documented; the building stands next door to Neutra's own 1941 Kelton Apartments.
Richard Neutra designed the Elkay Apartments in 1948 for the violist Louis Kievman, and the name comes from his initials. It belongs to Neutra's group of buildings in North West Westwood Village, alongside the Landfair and Strathmore apartments, and stands next door to the Kelton Apartments, which Neutra designed for himself in 1941. It was the last house he designed in that neighbourhood. On 21 June 1988 the City of Los Angeles made it a Historic-Cultural Monument over the owners' objections.
The name Elkay is formed from the initials of Louis Kievman, the violist who commissioned the building and lived in it. The five-unit plan was drawn around a working musician's household rather than a speculative developer's budget.
The building sits on Kelton Avenue next to the Kelton Apartments, which Neutra designed as his personal residence. Visitors can view both houses from the street and compare the subtle differences in Neutra's design approaches for different purposes.
This was Neutra's final residential project in North Westwood Village, marking the end of a productive architectural phase in the area. After this project, Neutra shifted his activities to other parts of Los Angeles and beyond.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 93,768 contributors worldwide.