New meets old in Westwood

Historic RalphsThe only Westwood Village building listed on the National Register of Historic Places is the more-or-less Spanish-style former Ralphs Market on Westwood Boulevard at Lindbrook Avenue. It was designed by Russell Collins in the late 1920s when Ralphs had a corporate mission to plant interesting architecture all over the L.A. landscape. After Ralphs left, the corner did duty as a series of restaurants, most prominently as the Bratskellar. (The UA Egyptian theatre took part of the building too.) Later tenants divided the Westwood Boulevard storefront into small fast-food joints. Peet's logoOn a recent trip into the village I was surprised to find that the La Salsa which had occupied the primo corner spot under the tower for the last few years is now a Peet's Coffee. The 1940s photo is from the LAPL online collection; an Ansel Adams image showing the detailwork above the corner is also online.

On theme: The city's Cultural Heritage Commission gave landmark status to the 80-year-old Canyon gas station in Santa Monica Canyon, over the objections of the Marquez family. Thursday's Times also has a piece by Wendy Thermos on the WPA-built Burbank City Hall, "one of Southern California's most distinctive examples of Art Deco design."


More by Kevin Roderick:
Ralph Lawler of the Clippers and the age of Aquarius
Riding the Expo Line to USC 'just magical'
Last bastion of free parking? Loyola Marymount to charge students
Matt Kemp, Dodgers and Kings start big weekend the right way
LA Times writers revisit their '92 riots observations
Recent History stories on LA Observed:
The other horrible April 29 date in Los Angeles history
KNBC 'live-tweeting' the run-up to '92 riots
When Muhammad Ali boxed in LA - and posed for pictures *
MALDEF sues sheriff over withheld Ruben Salazar files
Scenes from a convention - Los Angeles, 1960

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