The US National Register Los Angeles Plaza Historic District comprises 42 acres inside the boundaries of the El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument in downtown Los Angeles. The National Register’s district is bounded by Spring Street, Macy Street, Alameda Street, and Arcadia Street.
The district encompasses La Iglesia Nuestra Senora La Reina de Los Angeles (more simply known as the Plaza Church), Olvera Street, Plaza Kiosko, and the Victorian-era buildings to the east, south and west of the church.
From the National Register Nomination form: (
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El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historic District, the area where Los Angeles was founded and the hub of its growth during the Hispanic and American (19th Century) eras, retains a rich composite group of buildings as evidence of the blending ethnic groups and cultures which founded this City and shaped its subsequent growth.
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Today's Plaza area is the living composite story of Los Angeles' growth from Indian times prior to 1781 through Spanish, Mexican and American periods to become the nation's largest city on the Pacific basin.
The Plaza area of Los Angeles offers a unique opportunity for telling the story of the founding and growth of the nation's third-largest city. This 42-acre area with its historic structures annually attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors coming from every state in the Union and most of the nations of the world, as well as a never-ending stream of local residents, particularly school children.
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1) PLAZA HOUSE (GARNIER BLOCK) Location: 507-511 North Main Date: 1883 Owner: County of Los Angeles
The Plaza House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the district in 1972 but requires further description at this time.
The plan is rectangular. It is a two-story brick structure with a five-bay front. It is adjacent to the Vickrey/Brunswig Building, with the Pico House and the Merced Theatre located diagonally across the street. It faces east.
Philippe Garnier, a Frenchman, built the structure in 1883 as a combination hotel and commercial building. It was designed by the firm of Kysor and Morgan who were responsible for the design of the Pico House and the Merced Theatre in c.1870.
The ground floor originally housed stores, a saloon and a restaurant, with lodging rooms upstairs located on either side of a central hall. A large skylight runs in a north-south direction along-the roof. There is a wooden kitchen at the rear (west).
The east facade is 60.5 feet long. Its ground floor store fronts are presently boarded over, but historically were divided into three separate entrances. These entrances are flanked by molded pilasters and were originally headed by large glass transoms. The original windows have been altered and are now multi-paned. Second story windows are segmentally arched with fluted pilaster-like mullions, and continuous sills. The windows vary in size: the central window and end windows are double and the- remaining are triple (double mullions). Each window has 1/1 lights and a decorative leaded glass transom The facade has a molded belt course between each window and transom.
Very little of the original ornament remains, as it was removed by the County for fear of seismic hazard following the earthquake of 1971. This included the bracketed cornice, dentils and panelled frieze, as well as the detailed central triangular pediment, the "Garnier Block" relief at the base of this pediment and the "Plaza House" relief below. The continuous molding, or archivolt, above each of the second-story windows and the panelled areas directly below the continuous sills were also removed. Unfortunately, only ghosts of some of the building's decorative elements remain. However, it must be noted that the basic structural elements have remained unaltered and the building would be very suitable for restoration.
The interior of the Plaza House appears to be very little altered, although it has been severely damaged due to vandalism and neglect. It has a very pleasing floor plan and would also be well suited for restoration.
The Plaza House was at one time known as the Garnier Block, however the name is not currently used due to possible confusion with the present Garnier Block located within the park.”