Bradbury Building
The Bradbury Building is an architectural landmark in downtown Los Angeles, California, United States. Built in 1893,[1] the five-story office building is best known for its extraordinary skylit atrium of access walkways, stairs and elevators, and their ornate ironwork. The building was commissioned by Los Angeles gold-mining millionaire Lewis L. Bradbury and constructed by draftsman George Wyman from the original design by Sumner Hunt.[5] It appears in numerous works of fiction and has been the site of many movie and television shoots and music videos.
Location
304 South Broadway
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
1893[1]
6
July 14, 1971[3]
May 5, 1977[4]
September 21, 1962[2]
The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971, and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1977, one of only four office buildings in Los Angeles to be so honored.[6] It was also designated a landmark by the Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission[7] and is the city's oldest landmarked building.[8]
History[edit]
19th century[edit]
Lewis L. Bradbury, Sr. (November 6, 1823 – July 15, 1892)[9][10][11] was a 19th century millionaire who made his fortune in mining and real estate[6]—he owned the Tajo Mine in Sinaloa, Mexico—who became a real estate developer in the later part of his life.[12][13] In 1892 he began planning to construct a five-story building at Broadway and Third Street in Los Angeles, close to the Bunker Hill neighborhood. A local architect, Sumner Hunt, was hired to design the building, and turned in a completed design,[5] but Bradbury dismissed Hunt's plans as inadequate to the grand building he wanted. He then hired George Wyman, one of Hunt's draftsmen, to do the design.[14] Bradbury supposedly felt that Wyman understood his own vision of the building better than Hunt did, but there is no concrete evidence that Wyman changed Hunt's design, which has raised some controversy about who should be considered to be the architect of the building.[5] Wyman had no formal education as an architect, and was working for Hunt for $5 a week at the time.[6]
Tourism[edit]
The building is a popular tourist attraction. It is open daily and staffed by a government worker who provides historical background on it. Casual visitors are only permitted up to the first landing. Brochures and tours are also available. It is close to three other downtown Los Angeles landmarks: the Grand Central Market, the Million Dollar Theater (across the street) and Angels Flight (two blocks away). Access is via the Los Angeles Metro Rail B and D lines at Civic Center/Grand Park station, three blocks distant.
When it opened in 1894, the Bradbury Building towered above its neighbors and became the southwestern anchor of the business district, then centered around First and Main.[29]
![When it opened in 1894, the Bradbury Building towered above its neighbors and became the southwestern anchor of the business district, then centered around First and Main.[29]](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/72/Bradbury_Building_1894.jpg/542px-Bradbury_Building_1894.jpg)
Front entrance
Oblique view of central atrium from balcony
Detail of stairway ironwork
A fire in the building in 1947
Atrium
The building's distinctive open elevator shafts and large glass skylight
Elevator detail
Detail of elevator metalwork
