Guaranty Building
Also known as: Allstate Title Building
Why it's listed
Rising twelve stories at Hollywood Boulevard and Ivar Street, this reinforced concrete bank and office building was completed in 1923 for the Guaranty Building and Loan Association. John C. Austin and Frederick Ashley designed it in a Beaux Arts manner with Neo-Renaissance and Classical Revival detail. Terra cotta and grey granite sheathe the base and top, while light brick faces the middle, and Corinthian columns mark the entrance. It was among the first buildings on the boulevard built to the 150-foot height limit. The site had earlier held the First Methodist Church of Hollywood. Banker Gilbert Beesemyer, a Hollywood native, commissioned it during the 1920s boom, when the film industry created demand for financial services. The design was meant to convey solidity and a conservative image. The association's collapse around 1930 hurt Hollywood's economy, and in 1931 the building became home to the Allstate Title Company and later Bank of America. It is recognized for its role in local commerce and its architecture.
Significance in brief: The building played a major role in Hollywood's commercial development and is a fine example of Neo-Classical design used to project a conservative financial image. It was one of the first height-limit (150 feet) buildings on the boulevard. It is also tied to banker Gilbert Beesemyer and to the rise and the Depression-era collapse of Hollywood's financial institutions.
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 79000481, listed September 4, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 6331 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood |
|---|---|
| County | Los Angeles County |
| Listed | September 4, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79000481 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900- |
| Architect / builder | John C. Austin & Frederick Ashley; William Simpson Const. Co. (builder) |
| Architectural style | Beaux Arts, with Neo-Renaissance and Classical Revival characteristics |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition listed as good and altered; limited alterations in 1931 added a street entrance and remodeled the banking quarters for Bank of America. Present use is commercial. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Coordinates | 34.09826, -118.32757 (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 79000481.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5613932
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.