1810-16 Whitley Avenue

Historic Property Association

The structure was categorized as “Listed or eligible for listing under a local landmark ordinance” in Environmental Impact Reports prepared for the CRA’s Hollywood Project in 1986 and 2003. Both were approved by the Los Angeles City Council. These determinations were made by Johnson-Huemann (1986) and Myra Frank and Associates (2003).

Architectural Style

Hollywood architecture in the 1920s reflected a mix of styles and details unlike that seen anywhere else. Grauman’s Egyptian Theater has a Spanish tile roof, the El Capitan Theater has a Spanish Revival exterior, an East Indian auditorium, and a Tudor style lounge, to name a couple of well known examples. Architecture was used more for an effect, not its meeting of textbook examples. Individual structures reflect the owner’s ideas resulting in a raft of styles and periods.

1810-16 Whitley is no different. The CRA reports called it Mediterranean, while a 2005 report by Jones and Stokes (formerly Myra Frank) said it is Italian Renaissance. It has elements of each, showing its builder’s influence. The net result is an aesthetically pleasing structure that definitely reflects the era with its varied styles of Hollywood in its original 1921 condition.

Historic-Cultural Significance

Two main areas of significance are seen here: 1) integrity and; 2) contextual. The apartment building is in remarkably original condition. The Jones and Stokes report even stated “The building appears unaltered and retains all aspects of integrity” (page 12). The interior also appears to be in similar condition, again remarkable for an 85 year-old building.

Less than one block to the south is Whitley Court, a c. 1905 house with bungalow courtyard apartments c. 1912 in front, all in very good condition. In between is the city landmark La Leyenda Apartments (1927) at six stories. Here then, within one block can be seen the evolution of Hollywood’s (and also Los Angeles’) housing architecture and style going from single family structures to multi-family, to large scale residential concentration. All of these are in excellent original or near original condition. This contextual relationship in such a fine condition can be seen nowhere else in Hollywood today. It is a living architectural and social-economic history lesson of the development of Hollywood from its beginnings to its Golden Age.