Los Angeles Pacific Company Ivy Park Substation
Also known as: Pacific Electric Railway Company,Culver Substation
Why it's listed
Built around 1907 by the Los Angeles Pacific Company, this brick substation at 9015 Venice Boulevard converted high-voltage alternating current into 600-volt direct current for electric railway cars and locomotives. It stands on a triangular lot where two interurban lines once met. The one-story building is faced in buff stucco and has a gabled roof with a skylight monitor, scalloped Mission Revival parapets, round-arched windows and a large arched doorway at each end. It was built after Southern Pacific interests took a majority stake in the company and upgraded the system, including heavier passenger cars that needed more power. It later served the Pacific Electric Railway and last supplied current to the Santa Monica Air Line, before equipment was removed in the early 1950s. Two other Los Angeles Pacific substations survive, but both are more altered. This building is considered the best-preserved example of its type and period, and a rare unaltered Mission Revival industrial building in Los Angeles County.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is likely the only remaining major Los Angeles Pacific Company structure with a substantially unaltered exterior, and one of the least-altered electric railway substations in Southern California. It also contributed to the history of transportation in the Los Angeles area. It is a good example of Mission Revival styling applied to a utilitarian industrial building.
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 81000155, listed March 25, 1981. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 9015 Venice Blvd., Los Angeles |
|---|---|
| County | Los Angeles County |
| Listed | March 25, 1981 |
| Reference number | 81000155 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900- |
| Architectural style | Mission Revival |
| Areas of significance | Industry, Transportation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Unoccupied and vacant; windows are boarded, with some deterioration from lack of maintenance and vandalism. Electrical equipment was removed about 1954. |
| Acreage | 1.1 |
| Coordinates | 34.02621, -118.39317 (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.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 81000155.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6099945
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.