Serving Larchmont Village, Hancock Park, and the Greater Wilshire neighborhoods of Los Angeles since 2011.

Park La Brea Towers Under Construction 1947

Park-LaBrea-circa1947

This photo was recently shared on Vintage Los Angeles, shows the now familiar Park La Brea towers under construction to ease the housing crisis post World War II:

“Park La Brea under construction, circa 1947. At 4,255 units, the complex with its octagonal street layout is the largest housing development west of the Mississippi. Thirty-one 2-story garden apt. buildings opened in 1941 and eighteen 13-story towers opened in 1948.”

No one can quite figure out the location this was taken. Some think from Third St, others from Hauser and others from Beverly. Can you figure it out?

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Julie Grist
Julie Grist
Julie co-founded the Larchmont Buzz with fellow buzzer Mary Hawley in 2011 and served as Editor, Publisher and writer for the hive for many years until the sale of the Buzz in August 2015. She is still circling the hive as an occasional writer.

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4 COMMENTS

  1. Hi.

    Just googled and found this article.

    Park La Brea construction actually started in 1936. They started with the 2-story town homes. However, after Pearl Harbor construction was stopped. . .when it resumed they built the Towers and continued building the town homes.

  2. Are there any other photos of Park LaBrea being built? the
    complex was built before I was born(my brother lives there) and I am in the construction industry -so just curious?

    Jim Thompsen

  3. I can say exactly where the photo was taken of Park La Brea under construction. The camera was facing north east on S. Curson St between the La Brea Tar Pits and the Prudential Building parking lot at 5757 Wilshire Blvd. The wall visible in front of the parking lot still existed until the two apartment buildings were constructed on the parking lot. One apartment is Museum Terrace Apts at 600 S. Curson. The other is One Museum Square at 640 S. Curson. They totally block the view of Park La Brea visible in the old photo.
    Incidentally, I lived in Park La Brea from 1954 to 1962, although I was just eight when we moved. My parents were the first occupants of the garden apartment at 5947 Colgate. They moved in in July 1952.

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