Home Economics Building
Why it's listed
Built in 1923, the Home Economics Building is a two-story cast-in-place concrete structure on the Torrance High School campus. Designed by the architects Farrell and Miller in a Mediterranean style with classical detailing, it has bold rectilinear massing, white-painted walls and a steeply pitched hip roof of red Spanish clay tiles. The northeast entrance has a seven-step staircase and a shallow Tuscan portico. A semi-circular colonnade connects it to the Main Building. It was part of a $200,000 building program begun in 1922, when a campaign to build 3,000 homes for factory workers promised many more students. A companion auditorium and its colonnade were demolished after a 1933 earthquake, but this building and its colonnade came through unaffected. Later changes include sun-control louvers, solar glass openings and a fire-code stair, all described as reversible. It is among the few early structures left on the campus.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents the building as one of the few early structures remaining on the Torrance High School campus. It was added in a 1922 construction program as the school expanded to serve a growing population of factory workers' families. It stayed intact after a 1933 earthquake that destroyed the companion auditorium. The reviewer's comments note that it reflects adherence to a stylistic program and the growth of the community and its educational services.
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 83003536, listed October 13, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 2200 W. Carson, Torrance |
|---|---|
| County | Los Angeles County |
| Listed | October 13, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83003536 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Farrell and Miller |
| Architectural style | Mediterranean styling with classical detailing |
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Education, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition is given as excellent and altered, on its original site. Alterations include sun control louvers, solar glass doors and windows, and an added exit and steel staircase, which the form calls reversible. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Coordinates | 33.83121, -118.32192 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
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 83003536.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14682315
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.