Pellissier Building
Also known as: Franklin Life Building
Why it's listed
Completed in 1931 at the corner of Wilshire Boulevard and Western Avenue in Los Angeles, this complex combines a 2,500-seat theater, a two-story arcade of twenty shops, and a 190-foot tower of offices. Its blue-green terra-cotta exterior and black granite base carry a vertical Art Deco design. Stiles O. Clements of Morgan, Walls and Clements designed the office and shop portions, while theater architect G. Albert Lansburgh planned the auditorium. Originally the Pellissier Building and later owned by the Franklin Life Company, it housed the Warner Brothers Western Theater, now known as the Wiltern. Inside, the oval foyer, marble finishes, painted ceilings, chandeliers, and sunburst lighting remain largely intact, and the theater's Kimball organ is still in use. The nomination values it as a well-preserved Art Deco landmark, the only one of Lansburgh's Art Deco theater designs actually built, and a marker of business growth moving west along Wilshire Boulevard. Los Angeles had designated it a Historic-Cultural Monument in 1973.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents it as one of the finest remaining examples of vertical Art Deco (Zigzag Moderne) architecture in Los Angeles. It is the only Art Deco theater built from designs by G. Albert Lansburgh, and it retains its original interior and color scheme. It also marks the westward shift of the city's business and cultural center along Wilshire Boulevard.
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 79000488, listed February 23, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 3780 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles |
|---|---|
| County | Los Angeles County |
| Listed | February 23, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79000488 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900- (specific date 1931) |
| Architect / builder | Morgan, Walls & Clements and G.A. Lansburgh |
| Architectural style | Art Deco / Zigzag Moderne |
| Areas of significance | Entertainment/Recreation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as occupied and in continuous use, with very few alterations since construction. The theater retains its full working stage and its Kimball pipe organ, which is still played. |
| Acreage | 1.5 |
| Coordinates | 34.06122, -118.30857 (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 79000488.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7161584
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.