From the first time I discovered this vintage shopping center on Sunset Boulevard I have been fascinated by it. The Cross Roads of the World just needs a little revitalization to wake it up and draw the people in. From what I have read, it appears that might be happening in the near future.
In the meantime, here's a vintage 1940's image of it:
A closer look at the Directory:
More Sunset Boulevard Cross Roads of the World photos at my main website.
That would be rather inspirational to see that revitalized and brought back. Call me a cynic but I'd be fearful that it would be brought back in the fashion of modern Disney Imagineers. Authentic railings and fixtures replaced by painted fiberglass replicas, etc. God, how I hope I'm wrong.
ReplyDeleteThis little place is a great example of what I call "old LA" style, which wasn't limited to amusement parks. There's a powerful strain of theatrical or movie set design feel to a lot of these old buildings, offices, public buildings, shops, homes and apartments.
ReplyDeleteVery rich layers of historical allusion in detail but nothing is quite "museum grade" authentic, like you often see in New England. A wild profusion of styles, Tudor, Spanish, Pueblo, Colonial, Black Forest, you name it.
Great door hardware, railings, light fixtures, etc. Lots of exterior cladding materials, plaster, wood, stone, brick, board and batten, all mixed up on the same building. The most important thing to me is the "scale", which is hard to describe, but the structures just "feel right", windows, doors, openings, trim pieces, are the correct size and proportion.
Architects have definitely lost the feel for this kind of style. The modern work in this vein just doesn't hold up.
Fun stuff, thank you Dave.
JG
My office was here in the late 60s, right after I left main-line TV programming and went to work for a brief time with 2 guys who were developing bi-lingual children's programming (radical at that time for the TV market). It was always a fun and interesting place to have an office -- lots of wack-o types hanging around looking for the days that used to be along the Strip.
ReplyDelete@beachgal - That sounds like some great memories you have there.
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