Bryson Apartment Hotel
Why it's listed
Rising ten stories at the corner of Wilshire and Rampart Boulevards in Los Angeles, this U-shaped reinforced concrete apartment hotel opened in January 1913 after construction began in June 1912. Architects Frederick Noonan and Charles H. Kysor drew on Beaux Arts design, with Classical Revival and Mediterranean touches, and covered the facade in terra-cotta ornament, including paired lion sculptures holding a cartouche at the recessed entry. Builder F. O. Engstrum used gravity-flow concrete distribution, an innovative method for high-rise work, and the building was among the first fireproof apartment structures of its time. The top floor held a ballroom, music room, card room, billiard room and club rooms. Developer Hugh W. Bryson owned it first, and its amenities and location appealed to theatrical and motion picture people. Later changes include a reduced cornice, white paint over the terra-cotta and a 1971 interior modernization, yet the lobby retains marble, brass and original fixtures.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents it as a locally significant example of Beaux Arts mid-rise design that used an innovative concrete construction process. It is the work of respected local architects Frederick Noonan and Charles H. Kysor and is tied to developer Hugh Bryson and the Engstrum construction firm. It also catered to people in the early film industry.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 83001184, listed April 7, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 2701 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles |
|---|---|
| County | Los Angeles County |
| Listed | April 7, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83001184 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1912-13 |
| Architect / builder | Noonan & Kysor, Architects; F. O. Engstrum, Building Contractor |
| Architectural style | Beaux Arts, with Classical Revival and Mediterranean elements |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as occupied and altered; the interior was modernized in 1971 and the tenth floor has been stripped of partitions and finishes. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Coordinates | 34.06114, -118.28235 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 83001184.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q995338
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.