Eastern Columbia Building

Eastern Columbia Department Store

Company type	Private
Industry	Retail (Department Store)
Founded	1892 (1892)
Founder	Adolph Sieroty and family
Defunct	1957
Fate	Converted to office space, later residential condominiums
Headquarters	Los Angeles, California , United States
Products	Furniture, home goods, clothing, musical instruments, glassware, household accessories

Eastern Columbia Building

The Eastern Columbia Building, frequently referred to as the Eastern Columbia Lofts, is a thirteen-story structure showcasing Art Deco design by architect Claud Beelman. Situated at 849 S. Broadway within the Broadway Theater District of Downtown Los Angeles, it officially opened its doors on September 12, 1930, after a rapid construction period lasting just nine months. The project cost approximately Template:US$ million (equivalent to $Template:Inflation million in current dollars) and served as the headquarters and 39th retail location for the Eastern-Columbia Department Store, a business founded by Adolph Sieroty and his family, combining the Eastern and Columbia stores.

At the time, Los Angeles imposed a height restriction of 150 feet (46 m) on buildings; however, an exemption was granted for the building’s ornamental clock tower, allowing it to rise to 264 feet (80 m). The general contractor for the project was the J. V. McNeil Company.

The building is prominently visible from the Interstate 10 - Santa Monica Freeway and various vantage points throughout Downtown Los Angeles. Its striking appearance is highlighted by vivid "melting turquoise" terra cotta tiles and a distinctive four-sided clock tower featuring the word "EASTERN" illuminated in white neon on each clock face.

Regarded as one of Los Angeles’ finest remaining examples of Art Deco architecture, the Eastern Columbia Building is among the city's most photographed landmarks and holds significant status as an Art Deco icon.

Architecture

Distinctive glossy turquoise terra cotta exterior cladding

Constructed with steel-reinforced concrete, the Eastern Columbia Building features a striking façade clad in lustrous turquoise terracotta, highlighted by rich deep blue and gold accents. The structure’s verticality is emphasized through pronounced recessed bands containing paired windows and spandrels adorned with copper panels, separated by vertical column elements. The exterior is richly embellished with an array of decorative motifs including sunburst designs, geometric patterns, zigzags, chevrons, and stylized representations of flora and fauna. Topping the building is a four-sided clock tower bearing the illuminated name "Eastern" in neon, surmounted by a central smokestack flanked by four stylized flying buttresses. Surrounding sidewalks along Broadway and Ninth Street display vibrant multi-colored terrazzo arranged in dynamic zigzag and chevron patterns. The main entrance features an impressive recessed two-story vestibule, richly decorated with a blue and gold terra cotta sunburst, which originally provided access to a pedestrian retail arcade running through the building’s core.

20th century

Designed to accommodate the separate Eastern (furniture and home goods) and Columbia (clothing) department stores, both owned and operated by Adolph Sieroty—who established his Los Angeles retail business as a clock shop at 556 S. Spring St. in 1892—the building opened in 1930.

At its inauguration, the structure encompassed 275,650 square feet of usable space. The first four floors plus mezzanine were shared between Columbia and Eastern stores, with Columbia occupying the corner at 9th & Broadway. Floors seven and above were exclusively dedicated to Eastern. The layout was as follows:

• Ground floor – L-shaped arcade with glass display cases, foyer, elevators; Columbia apparel departments
• Mezzanine – Eastern’s pottery department alongside Columbia apparel
• Second floor – Musical instruments for Eastern; additional Columbia apparel
• Third floor – Floor coverings and rugs (Eastern); Columbia apparel
• Fourth floor – Bedding and related accessories (Eastern); Columbia apparel
• Sixth floor – Shipping operations
• Seventh floor – Porch and patio furniture plus lamps (Eastern)
• Eighth floor – Living room furniture (Eastern)
• Ninth floor – Dining and breakfast room furnishings and children’s merchandise (Eastern)
• Tenth floor – Glassware and household accessories (Eastern)
• Eleventh floor – Stock record department staffed by 50 employees
• Twelfth floor – Administrative offices and an auditorium seating 700
• Thirteenth floor – Employee amenities including showers, clubroom, luncheonette for 700; mechanical facilities such as heating, air filtration, electrical systems, water storage tank of 100,000 gallons, and incinerator

By 1940, advertising identified the enterprise as the Eastern-Columbia Department Store. A decade later in 1950, the store expanded to occupy the entire block side extending from Broadway to Hill Street.

In 1957, operations ceased at the downtown flagship location along with branches on S. Main St., Central Ave., Whittier Blvd., and Long Beach. However, Eastern continued to operate stores in Bakersfield, Fresno, and Sacramento while Columbia maintained branches in Huntington Park, Lakewood, and Long Beach. Subsequently, the Eastern Columbia Building was converted into office space primarily serving wholesale apparel businesses.

21st century

The building's striking vertical design on display.

In 2004, proposals emerged to transform the structure into residential condominiums. On June 23, 2005, a ceremony involving city officials and preservation advocates marked the reactivation of the long-silent clock tower, celebrating the building’s 75th year. The KOR Group, collaborating with Killefer Flammang Architects, finalized an $80 million renovation over two years by 2006, converting the property into 147 condominiums. Interior design was handled by Kelly Wearstler Interior Design. These live/work lofts blend early 20th-century architectural elements with contemporary amenities. The redevelopment received numerous accolades including California Construction Magazine’s Best Redevelopment Award in 2007, McGraw Hill’s Best Redevelopment of 2007, and the Multi-Housing News Adaptive Reuse Award the same year. Additionally, the Eastern Columbia Lofts were honored with a Los Angeles Conservancy Preservation Award in 2008. The building is also enrolled in the Mills Act Historic Property Contracts Program.

In 2014, as part of the Bringing Back Broadway initiative, the building secured a grant of $34,647 to refurbish decorative arch lighting above its Broadway entrance. Since 2015, it has been involved in a political controversy regarding the proposed neighboring development—the 26-story Alexan Broadway project at 9th and Hill Streets—which has drawn criticism over fears it might obstruct views of the Eastern Columbia and its iconic clock.

Skyline view of the Historic Core

In 2007, actor Johnny Depp purchased five penthouses within the building totaling approximately 11,500 square feet (1,070 m²). A three-level penthouse was sold by billionaire Ronald Burkle in 2016 for $2.5 million—a price among the highest per square foot ever recorded for a residence in the Historic Core neighborhood.

Recognition

The building has been hailed as the definitive example of Art Deco architecture in Los Angeles and regarded as one of the city's foremost Streamline Moderne masterpieces. Architectural historian Robert Winter described it as a radiant testament to Southern California's architectural golden era. Christopher Hawthorne, a critic for the Los Angeles Times, praised it as among the most stunning architectural works in the city. Rory Cunningham, former president of the Art Deco Society of Los Angeles, identified it as one of the nation's leading Deco structures. Ken Bernstein, head of the Office of Historic Resources within the City Planning Department, emphasized that the Eastern Columbia Building stands as an iconic Art Deco landmark throughout Los Angeles and included it among the city's most aesthetically remarkable edifices. Often affectionately dubbed the "Jewel of Downtown" and the "Art Deco Jewel of the West," this building continues to captivate admirers and experts alike.

Historic Designation

In 1985, the Eastern Columbia was officially designated as Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument No. 294. This recognition affirms its significance due to its embodiment of broad cultural, economic, and social narratives at local, state, and national levels. The structure has become a prominent visual icon symbolizing the dynamic spirit of Los Angeles’s retail and commercial heart.

Situated within Downtown Los Angeles’ Historic Core—a district renowned for its concentration of preserved historic architecture—the building benefits from extensive preservation initiatives. These efforts have maintained much of the area's original character, supported by measures such as the 1999 Adaptive Re-Use Ordinance and Councilmember Jose Huizar’s “Bringing Back Broadway” campaign, which have collectively contributed to safeguarding and revitalizing this historic urban fabric.

In popular culture

Entrance to Eastern Columbia

• The 1930 film Sin Takes a Holiday, featuring Constance Bennett, begins with exterior scenes of Manhattan and then zooms in on the Eastern Columbia building, mistakenly suggesting it is situated in New York.
• For many years, Los Angeles radio broadcasts aired the catchy slogan "Eastern Columbia, Broadway at Ninth," promoting the flagship downtown department store's latest merchandise and special deals. This memorable jingle was created by Julian M. Sieroty, son of Adolph Sieroty, the founder of the Eastern Columbia retail chain. Its popularity led to frequent parodies on television.
• On September 29, 1946, the Eastern Columbia building was prominently mentioned during an episode of The Jack Benny Program on radio. Cast members were asked where they had purchased various items, with every response being: "Eastern Columbia, Broadway at Ninth." The following week’s broadcast on October 6, 1946, revisited this line humorously when Jack inquired where Dennis Day’s mother obtained his father, to which Dennis answered "Eastern Columbia, Broadway at Ninth," prompting Jack’s quip, "Gee, they have everything!"
• In the 1975 film Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze, a sniper targets the main character from the building, which is renamed the "Eastern Cranmoor Building" and depicted as located in Manhattan in 1936.
• The 1978 movie I Wanna Hold Your Hand also portrays the Eastern Columbia building as if it were in New York. It appears in the background near the CBS transmission tower outside Studio 50, where protests unfold during the first U.S. television appearance of The Beatles.
• The climactic scene of the two-hour pilot episode for Moonlighting (1985) is set atop this building, featuring Cybill Shepherd and Bruce Willis scaling its massive clock.
• Both the original iCarly series on Nickelodeon and its Paramount+ revival incorporate digitally modified images of the Eastern Columbia building to represent Bushwell Plaza, the fictional apartment complex housing the main characters and serving as the web show’s filming location.
• The building appears in several productions from 1990 onwards, including films 12:01 PM and Predator 2, as well as in Season 3, Episode 16 of the TV series Lucifer.
• Extensive scenes from The Last Hour were shot at this location.
• On April 14, 2022, during the Johnny Depp versus Amber Heard defamation trial, significant attention was given to the Eastern Columbia Building due to Depp owning five penthouse units within it.
• The building was featured in an episode of Downtown hosted by Huell Howser.
• The Eastern Columbia Building also makes an appearance in the 2024 motion picture Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F.

See also

• List of Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monuments in Downtown Los Angeles
• List of contributing properties in the Broadway Theater and Commercial District

External links

• Eastern Columbia Homeowners Association
• Monumental Deco – The Work of Architect Claude Beelman in Los Angeles, from MGM Studios to Historic Downtown