Written by Kelly Weimert on Wednesday, July 31st, 2019 at 11:05am.
Angel City Brewery; Source: atlasobscura.com
The Los Angeles Arts District is located downtown and bounded by the Los Angeles River, Alameda Street, First Street, and Violet Street. The district is among the most creative hubs of LA, largely thanks to a group of artists in the 1970s who were priced out of Venice and Hollywood, establishing homes and studios in the forgotten warehouses of downtown, albeit mostly illegally.
These artists founded several art galleries, such as The Art Dock, a street gallery in a loading dock of then-called Citizens Warehouse (now the Pickle Works Building) and the Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions center on Industrial. There were also a number of artist-fueled hangouts established during that time, including Al’s Bar in the American Hotel, which is attributed to creating the punk-rock music scene in the mid-‘70s, with the likes of Sonic Youth, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Beck developing their sound there. The bar went strong for decades before finally closing in 2001.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/KMD15DTLAArtsDistrict_0433xl-56a3e7ed5f9b58b7d0d46225.jpg)
Source: tripsavvy.com via kaytedeioma.com
By 1981, the City of Los Angeles realized the burgeoning and illegal artist community was only getting stronger, so it passed the Artist in Residence (AIR) ordinance, which legally permitted residents to create homes in the formerly commercially-zoned industrial warehouses. With the law on its side, the creative community grew even bigger, with new art galleries, cafes, and performance venues sprouting up all over the district.
Fast forward to today, and you’ll still find a highly creative community, although gentrification has led to rising housing costs and the loss of many affordable live/work lofts and the artists who reside in them. Despite losing its original, gritty and affordable vibe, the district still remains a cultural hub, with many creative industries, like green technology, entertainment, and architecture, establishing businesses in it.
Pickle Works Building; Source: laconservancy.org
Speaking of architecture, the district is home to many historic buildings. And while they’re not necessarily known for their beauty—most of them are industrial warehouses—they played significant roles in the city’s history. For instance, the aforementioned Pickle Works Building is among the last surviving Victorian-era warehouses in LA, dating back to 1888, and was a largely free and illegal residence for many artists. Among the prominent artists it housed was Carlton Davis, who created the above-mentioned Art Dock in his studio space.
Challenge Dairy Building; Source: challengedairy.com
Another historically significant piece of architecture is the Challenge Dairy Building, which was designed by the Charles F. Plummer firm in 1926 and purchased by developer Norm Solomon in 1982 after the establishment of the AIR ordinance. Solomon converted the building into lofts for artists, with expansive units ranging from 1,600 to 5,000 square feet.
Angel City Brewery; Source: atlasobscura.com
The Angel City Brewery also has strong architectural roots. Built in 1913 for an expanding steel manufacturing company, the building included tiles that illustrated the uses for the company’s products, like ships, bridges, and cable spools. The tiles were created by one of the most famous tile artists of the Craftsman period, Ernest Batchelder, and most of them are still intact despite the building’s 2010 conversion to a brewery. Today, Angel City Brewery makes artisan brew in the building in addition to hosting a community gathering space and dedicating many of its walls to rotating displays of local artists' work.
Undiscovered America; Source: cartwheelart.com
Source: The Patch.com
In addition to historically significant architecture, there are equally significant murals on said architecture, such as artist Dustin Shuler’s 1982 installation, Pinned Butterfly, on the wall of the American Hotel and Earth Crew’s (a collection of ‘90s artists) mural, Undiscovered America on East Fourth Street. Another prominent artist who used the Arts District’s streets as a canvas is Shepard Fairey, who created a number of murals throughout the area in addition to Barack Obama’s iconic 2008 campaign poster. The district is so dense with beautiful murals that there are$20 walking tours available to learn more about the historic street art.
Interested in calling this historic, creative hub home? Check out all lofts for sale in the Los Angeles Arts District below.
Incredible Value! Like The New Normal Of Working From Home? You'll Love This Dtla Spacious Open Floor Plan W/1610 Sq Ft, 12 Ft Ceilings To Accommodate Large Artist Installations, And Flexibility W Living/work/bedroom Spaces. This Hip Space Has Aci...
The Molino Street Lofts are created from classic 1920s warehouses and are the center of LAs original Arts District with a creative vitality like few places in the city
The Toy Factory Lofts In Dtla's Arts District: This 1,464 Square Foot 1 Bedroom/1 Bath High-end Loft Was Fully Reconceived By A High-end La Design/build Firm And Has Been Featured In Dwell Magazine And The La Times. This Elevated Offering Impleme...
The Toy Factory Lofts in DTLA's Arts District: This 1,464 square foot 1 bedroom/1 bath high-end loft was fully reconceived by a high-end LA design/build firm and has been featured in Dwell Magazine...
Rare Opportunity To Buy Into The Landmark Biscuit Company Lofts Building. This Prestigious 1925 Factory Was Converted In 2007 To The Highest Luxury Standards While Retaining The Unique Period Details And Character From The Original Construction. T...
Rare opportunity to buy into the landmark Biscuit Company Lofts building. This prestigious 1925 factory was converted in 2007 to the highest luxury standards while retaining the unique period detai...
Stunning, Fully Remodeled, Tri-level Loft At Barker Block (the Premier Live/work Residence In The Arts District) Featuring 2 Delineated Bedrooms, 3 Entrances (including Street Level), & Soaring Double-height Ceilings. The Industrial Modern Design ...
Light Filled Creative Live/work Loft. Rare Find In The Arts District With Two Parking Spots Located Directly In Front Of Your Private Secure Patio Which Offers Direct Access To Your Unit. Avoid Common Hallways And Walk Into Your Home Straight From...
Welcome To Beacon Lofts Located In The Prime Arts District Neighborhood. The Beacon Lofts Provides Artist Lofts Designed For Dynamic City Living And Space For The Creative Arts. Constructed In 1923, The Beacon Lofts Was Modernized By Peklar Pilavj...
Priced To Sell! Completely Renovated Arts District Beauty. This Beautiful, South-facing, And Light-filled Loft With High Ceilings Was Completely Updated In 2020. The Fully Enclosed Master Bedroom With Beautiful Metalwork And Factory-style Windows,...
Offering What Most Dtla Arts District Lofts Can't: A Private Outdoor Patio. In Addition To Barker Block's Stunning 5-star Amenities Including A Recently Reimagined Resort-style Rooftop Pool, Enlarged Spa, Bbqs, Fire Pits & Fitness Center, One Can ...
Huge, Chic 1,800 Sqft Live/work Unit In The Molino Street Lofts Building In Downtown La's Arts District. True Raw Loft Feel With Huge Floor To Ceiling Windows, Exposed Brick, Polished Concrete Floors, Exposed Piping And High Ceilings. Big Private ...
Come Reside Within The Soul Of The Arts District In The Sought-after Barker Block Lofts. Steeped In L.a.'s Rich History With All The Modern Luxuries You Desire. Exquisite Century-old 10 Ft. Wood Ceilings Infuse Timeless Character & Volume Into Thi...
Lowest Price/sq.ft. In 5 Years For This Spacious, Open Floor Plan In Barker Block, The Premier Live/work Loft Residence In The Arts District. Unit 302 Is Closest To The Attached Parking Structure & Elevators To The Stunning 5-star Resort-style Roo...
Stunning Top Floor Loft In The Heart Of The Arts District. Beautiful High Ceilings With Exposed Timbers Lead Your Eye Out To The View Of Snowcapped San Gabriel Mountains. The Loft Features Huge Windows, Custom Shades, Hardwood Floors, Bathroom W...
Interested in seeing more lofts for sale? Expand your search to all lofts for sale in Los Angeles or any city near you using our Search With Style® mobile app.
