From the Archives: Los Angeles Times buildings in 1934

In 1934, the intersection of 1st and Spring streets featured wide boulevards. But 1st Street narrowed before reaching Broadway. Several older buildings — including the third Los Angeles Times building — blocked the widening of 1st Street. The city of Los Angeles tried to condemn the buildings to widen the street.

A July 6, 1934, Los Angeles Times article reported on the end of court proceedings.

City Attorney Chesebro yesterday filed with the City Council a communication recommending the abandonment of proceedings under which the city and county seek to acquire the property at First and Broadway now occupied by the Los Angeles Times.

This property, marking the southern boundary of the Civic Center, was to have been dedicated to a widening of First street to conform to the width and grade between Main and Spring streets and to park and make available the front entrance of the new State Building, erected on the understanding that such procedure would take place. ...

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On July 11, 1934, the Los Angeles City Council unanimously voted to end the condemnation proceedings.

In 1934, the fourth Los Angeles Times building at 1st and Spring streets was nearing completion. In 1935, the newspaper moved into the new building. Widening of 1st Street occurred after the 1938 demolition of the third Times building.

July 1934: It took a bit of sleuthing to determine the year this photo was taken.

(Los Angeles Times)

These three photographs from the Los Angeles Times Archive at UCLA are undated, but clues lead to early July 1934.

The first two clues are advertising posters. One batch of posters promotes the Los Angeles Times Bible Game. This daily game began on June 3, 1934, and continued for the next 65 days.

A second poster advertises the Los Angeles County sheriff’s charity barbecue on July 15. An article in the July 16, 1934, Los Angeles Times reported 60,000 people attended the event.

I believe these images were taken to illustrate July 1934 Los Angeles Times articles regarding the widening of 1st Street.

The image below of the fourth Los Angeles Times building probably was taken at the same time. This negative was filed in the Los Angeles Times Archives, along with the negatives of the third Los Angeles Times building.

July 1934: The fourth Los Angeles Times building under construction at the corner of 1st and Spring streets in downtown Los Angeles.

(Los Angeles Times)