1443-1447 Fourth Street

A Churrigueresque gem, this building has a restored façade and a contemporary interior. Like the Builders Exchange, it displays exuberant sculptural ornament and decorative wrought iron. A broad band of floral ornament with a shield at the center is divided into panels by vertical shafts, with flourishes at each end. Two elevated decorative parapets rise above the roofline. Scrolled decorative wrought iron is placed over the window transoms and frames the main entryway. The terra cotta barrel tile at the roofline is stacked in with new construction behind multiple layers.

Hollwedel was an important local architect who designed other major buildings downtown – the Majestic/Mayfair Theater, Henshey’s Department Store (demolished) and the Santa Monica Bay Woman’s Club (on 4th near Wilshire).