Plaza Substation
Also known as: See Also:Los Angeles Historic District
Why it's listed
Tucked at the north end of Olvera Street in Los Angeles, this three-story unreinforced brick building once supplied electric power to the city's streetcars. The Los Angeles Railway Company bought the site in December 1903 and had the substation operating by 1906, as Henry E. Huntington's transit systems expanded and demanded more electricity. Motor generators were installed in 1906 and 1907, and rotary converters followed in 1920. It was the largest power producer among the company's substations, serving much of downtown. Its design followed the Mission lines common to railway facilities of the period. Power equipment was removed in the late 1950s, and the stepped parapets were taken down after damage in the 1971 earthquake. Vendors' stands now attach to the Olvera Street front. It is one of the last four of the company's original fourteen substations and the only one remaining in the central city, which made it an important reminder of electric rail transportation in Los Angeles.
Significance in brief: It is an important landmark in the history of transportation in Los Angeles, representing the electric street railway system built under Henry E. Huntington. It was the largest power producer among the company's substations and served much of downtown's streetcars. It is one of the last four of the original fourteen company substations and the only one left in the central city.
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 78000689, listed September 13, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 10 Olvera St., Los Angeles |
|---|---|
| County | Los Angeles County |
| Listed | September 13, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78000689 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900- |
| Architect / builder | Los Angeles Railway Company |
| Architectural style | Mission lines of architecture (Mission Revival) |
| Areas of significance | Industry, Transportation |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as unoccupied and deteriorated, used for storage; altered by removal of stepped parapets after the 1971 earthquake. It was proposed for demolition because it does not meet seismic code. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Within district | Los Angeles Plaza Historic District |
| Coordinates | 34.05709, -118.23797 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 78000689.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7203650
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.