My Concrete Jungle Pt. 1

While attempting to do some research on the Jensen Recreation Center building I came across some interesting websites featuring information about Los Angeles architecture and history.

A site I have been to a few times before, once again offered one of the best (if not the only) overview of the building. Historic Echo Park.org yeilded this information:

Designed by Architect E.E.B. Meinardus, this three-story Beaux Arts/Italianate style structure was built in 1924. Originally, the three-story Jensen Recreation Center had a row of shops, a bowling alley, and a pool hall at street level, and 46 apartments on the top two levels. For more that 50 years, the 17x28 foot incandescent sign (illuminated with 1,300 red, green and white light bulbs) atop the building that depicts a bowler throwing a strike was dark. A testament to the neglect and disrepair the building and the neighborhood sometimes suffered over the years. In 1997, the sign was restored to its original appearance through a cultural affairs grant. For many residents, the relighting of the sign was a momentous event that signaled the revitalization of the community and gave the neighborhood an identity.Read More

It was first the sign that stood out for me, but as I took a closer look, many interesting elements peaked through the signs for cheap clothing shops and tax offices.

Before gathering this information, I had day-dreams of finding a hidden door somewhere around the building giving way to a vintage bowling alley.

So anyway, back to some of the other web-sites I found along the way. You-are-here.com is an incredible pictorial document of the architecture of Los Angeles. For those of you who don't live in LA, take a journey through this site to get a sense of what our town has to offer. For those of you who do, track down your favorite places or find some new ones just browsing around. There is a funky interactive map of downtown as well.

Modcom.org is the homepage for Modern Commitee, a group devoted to the knowledge and protection of Los Angeles architecture. I believe its a subset of the Los Angeles Conservatory, both which offer tours of Los Angeles architecture.

As well, Olvera street has a decent website.

I'll keep ya updated on more references to LA environments and hilight features from these sites as i find them.