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Pacific Electric Building

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View north on Main Street ca1910, with the Pacific Electric Building at the right.

The Pacific Electric Building (also known as the Huntington Building, after the developer, Henry Huntington) opened in 1905 as the terminal for the Pacific Electric Red Car Lines running east and south of downtown Los Angeles, as well as the company's main headquarters building. It was designed by architect Thornton Fitzhugh. Though not the first modern building in Los Angeles, nor the tallest, it's large footprint and ten floor height made it the largest building in floor area west of Chicago for several decades after its completion. Above the main floor terminal were five floors of offices and, on the top three floors, the facilities of the Jonathan Club, one of the city's leading businessmen's clubs. The club moved to its own building on Figueroa Street in 1925.

History

In 1908, Cole's PE Buffet was opened on the lower floor of the building, which opens on Sixth Street and Los Angeles Street. Still in operation today, it is now Los Angeles' oldest restaurant and pub that has been in continuous operation. It is one of two local establishments which lays claim to having invented the French dip sandwich.

Interurban rail service remained the depot's sole function until 1942 when its through concourse was converted to accommodate the Pacific Electric's growing fleet of buses. Trains continued to use the concourse on New Year's Day to carry crowds to and from the Tournament of Roses events in Pasadena until 1950. Thereafter, train service was provided only on stub lines which had been built in an elevated annex at the back of the station, with passenger access to the main terminal via an enclosed bridge over Los Angeles Street. Over the next decade, rail service was gradually abandoned, the last trains to use the station being those of the Long Beach line in 1960. Bus service continued to be operated from the depot until 1964.

Following the closure of the main floor depot, the former waiting room and bus concourse were converted to a parking garage. With the decline of Main Street and the east side of downtown in general, the offices on the upper floors of the building became less desirable and gradually emptied out. The building was largely vacant for many years, though it became a popular location for the movie and television industries, and over four hundred location shoots have taken place there, including scenes from Forrest Gump.

It has recently been converted into residential live/work lofts, and is occupied by tenants. Although the interior of the building was completed as of December 2005, after that time, some construction work was still progressing slowly. As of January 2007, the facade renovation on the first floor and retail space had yet to be finished. Several retailers are planned to fill these first floor spaces, including a second bar, a "gourmet market" and a drycleaners.

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