US Post Office-Glendale Main
Also known as: Glendale Main Post Office/Federal Building
Why it's listed
Glendale's main post office at 313 E. Broadway is a federal building begun in 1933 and dedicated on July 19, 1934, to designs by architect George M. Lindsay. A two-story central block holding the lobby and offices is flanked by low one-story wings for the workroom. Terracotta blocks cast to resemble rusticated stone face the walls, and a three-arched entrance, arched windows, a balustraded parapet and cast lion heads give it the look of a Renaissance palazzo. Inside, the lobby has marble walls and floors, bronze grillework and a coffered plaster ceiling. The second floor opens onto a Roman-style arcade and courtyard, described as unique in Glendale and California. The building was recognized as an exceptionally late example of Renaissance Revival design at a time when other federal buildings followed different tastes, and as the city's only surviving monumental building in that style. A 1966 remodeling of the workroom and loading bay left the public elevations and lobby intact.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it an exceptionally late and idiosyncratic example of Italian Renaissance Revival design, modeled on a palazzo rather than earlier religious or public building types. It is an important example of the Supervising Architect's classical post office plan (Criterion C). It is also the only surviving monumental Renaissance Revival building in Glendale, with fine materials, craftsmanship and a unique second-level interior court.
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 85000128, listed January 11, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 313 E. Broadway St., Glendale |
|---|---|
| County | Los Angeles County |
| Listed | January 11, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85000128 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900- (specific dates: begun 1933, dedicated July 19, 1934) |
| Architect / builder | George M. Lindsay, Architect |
| Architectural style | Second Renaissance Revival / Italian Renaissance Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as occupied, in excellent condition and altered; the workroom and loading bay were remodeled in 1966 without affecting the front and side elevations or the public lobby. |
| Acreage | 1.5 |
| Coordinates | 34.14658, -118.25219 (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.
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 85000128.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q104865073
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.