the eastern columbia building

Considered one of Los Angeles' most beautiful buildings, the Eastern Columbia sits at the end of Broadway and served as the headquarters for the Eastern Outfitting Company and the Columbia Outfitting Company. It was designed by Claud Beelman and constructed by September of 1930 in the zig-zag Moderne Style. It later became offices and slowly fell into disuse but was fortunately saved from the wrecking ball (unlike the Richfield Building). In 2006, the building was converted into condominiums by the Kor Group and now is a highly sought after place to live.

The building is cladded in turquoise terracotta tiles and accented with gilded trimmings. Christopher Hawthorne, a Los Angeles Times architectural critic wrote that it is "one of the most beautiful pieces of architecture in the city, a building that would be world-famous if it were located in Manhattan or San Francisco. Hopefully, as Downtown L.A. gentrifies and becomes a desirable area to live in, the building will indeed become well-known.

The zig-zag lines and the heavy geometric depictions characterize the zig-zag Modern Style. One can see the sun at the center of the metalwork with the rays projecting out as stylized plants. The gilding is said to be actual gold dust.