Spreckels Building, Los Angeles Historic Cultural Monument #984
Built: 1922 Declared: 06/08/2010
Built in 1922 for a San Francisco partnership and sold to John D. Spreckels real estate concern two years later, the building was designed by noted Bay Area architect, Samuel Heiman. The building is in a subdued Beaux Arts style. It has very little alteration, retaining not only almost all of its exterior elements, but it’s interior as well. The association with John D. Spreckels makes the building a visible reminder of one of the most important early California families. Spreckels father, Claus, built a major sugar business in Northern California, and Hawaii. John expanded into real estate and railroading, completing the railroad from San Diego to Yuma, after the Southern Pacific abandoned the project following the death of Edward Harriman. Eventually Spreckels brought Southern Pacific back on board and the line was ultimately completed. The Spreckels building is an excellent example of an intact commercial loft building from the 1920s. It originally housed a grocery store in the basement and Goodwin’s Department Store. Various businesses used it for both light manufacturing and retail sales. Today, much of the upper floor space is garment manufacturing.