Glassell Park Elementary School
Why it's listed
Glassell Park Elementary School is a two-story, L-shaped school building at 2211 West Avenue 30 in northwestern Los Angeles. It opened in 1924 in the Spanish Colonial Revival style, with a red tile roof, arched windows and gabled entrance bays. After the Long Beach earthquake, the Los Angeles school district reworked it in 1934-35 to meet new earthquake safety codes. The gables and brick veneer were removed, steel supports were added, and the walls were covered in smooth stucco. Tall piers were placed beside the entrances, and low plaster moldings were added, giving the building a PWA Moderne look while keeping its tile roof and arched windows. Inside, the auditorium retains its original stage, wood floors and doors, and classrooms keep original hardwood floors and cabinets. The school is listed for its architecture and for what it shows about the city's efforts to provide safe, modern educational buildings. It remains in use as a school.
Significance in brief: The school is locally significant for architecture and, as added by the Keeper, social history. The 1924 building belongs to the Los Angeles school district's early building program. The 1934-35 remodel followed the Long Beach earthquake, came under new earthquake safety rules, and was partly PWA-funded. It was one of the first and best preserved of the city's PWA Moderne school conversions.
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 07000309, listed April 13, 2007. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 2211 West Avenue 30, Los Angeles |
|---|---|
| County | Los Angeles County |
| Listed | April 13, 2007 |
| Reference number | 07000309 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1924-1935 |
| Architect / builder | Taylor, Edward Cray |
| Architectural style | Spanish Colonial Revival with 1930s P.W.A. Moderne modifications |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Currently occupied and maintained; condition described as excellent, with exterior stucco repainted around 2004. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 34.10455, -118.23465 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
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 07000309.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5567150
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.