Capitol Records Building
The Capitol Records Building, also known as the Capitol Records Tower, is a 13-story tower building in Hollywood, California. Designed by Louis Naidorf of Welton Becket Associates, it is one of the city's landmarks.[5] Construction began soon after British music company EMI acquired Capitol Records in 1955, and was completed in April 1956. Located just north of the Hollywood and Vine intersection, the Capitol Records Tower houses the consolidation of Capitol Records' West Coast operations and is home to the recording studios and echo chambers of Capitol Studios. The building is a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument and sits in the Hollywood Boulevard Commercial and Entertainment District. It has been described as the "world's first circular office building."[6]
Capitol Records Building
Capitol Records Tower
Capitol Tower
Commercial offices
1750 Vine Street
Los Angeles, California
1955
1956
46 m (151 ft)
13
3
November 15, 2006
857
The building is known as "The House That Nat Built"[7][8] due to the vast numbers of records and amounts of merchandise Nat King Cole sold for the company.
Recent history[edit]
In September 2006, EMI sold the tower and adjacent properties for US$50 million to New York developer Argent Ventures. The studio claimed that noise from construction of a condominium threatened it, as well as an underground parking lot by building firm Second Street Ventures would have heavy equipment working within 18 feet (5.5 m) of its renowned underground echo chambers, which are themselves over 20 feet (6.1 m) below ground level.[20]
In November 2012, Steve Barnett was announced as the new Chairman and CEO of the Capitol Music Group and the company stated his office would be in the building.[21] This coincided with Capitol Music Group becoming part of Universal Music Group, assuring its new parent company two Los Angeles headquarters.
An aerial view of the Capitol Records Building
Parking lot mural titled Hollywood Jazz
Taken on 2006-03-28
