Mix design kitchen at USC Bovard

#TBT Siqueiros Mural Protective Shelter

In 2010 we cataloged and dismantled (and eventually reinstalled) the interior and storefront of the historic Gibbs Building (part of the Los Angeles Plaza Historic District, also known as El Pueblo de Los Ángeles State Historic Park) to accommodate the structural work for the Siqueiros mural protective shelter.

#TBT Raymond Theater

(oops a day late) Restoration work in progress at the Raymond Theater in Pasadena (now the Raymond Renaissance) completed in 2009.  Check out our project page for more Before and After pictures of our work.

Window Survey

Surveyed some steel windows on a building in Glendale this morning, hopefully a new job coming soon!

#TBT Angel’s Flight

Angel’s Flight circa 1903

Angel’s Flight in 2008

Back in 1996 KC Restoration was contracted to document and catalog every piece of Angel’s Flight (down to the individual screws) so it could be properly reconstructed. This tiny funicular was first operated in 1901 and originally linked Hill St and Olive Ave. It was removed in 1969 as the site was “redeveloped” during along with much of the rest of old Bunker Hill. It was reconstructed nearby in 1996, connecting Hill St and the California Plaza, and has been in operation off and on since then. Unfortunately it is currently closed for repairs and inspections.
Angel’s Flight is on the National register of Historic Places and is LA Historic Cultural Monument #4.  You can follow the Angel’s Flight cars – Olivet and Sinai – as they “chat” with each other on twitter, and occasionally offer updates and news around DTLA.

All images from wikimedia commons

Scaffolding is going up at Bovard Auditorium

Masonry restoration work will start Tuesday, thank you CSI!

#TBT Downtown Los Angeles

LA Times

Wikimedia Commons

Throw Waaaaaaay Back. Illustration from 1895 and photo from around 1900 of downtown LA looking southwest from the old County Courthouse tower at Broadway & Temple. A lot has changed in the city since then, but you can still spot the Bradbury Building, Homer Laughlin (home to Grand Central Market), Irvine-Byrne (Pan American Lofts), and Douglas Building.

Check out this post by Los Angeles Past to learn more about the photo

#TBT Blossom Ballroom

Five years ago we were putting the finishing touches on the decorative surfaces during the restoration of the Blossom Ballroom at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel (home of the very first Academy Awards and an LA Historic Cultural Monument).

Cast stone mockups at USC

Masons working on a repair mockup early in the morning at the historic Bovard Auditorium at University of Southern California. The cast stone window sills are suffering from some pretty severe iron jacking.  The interior auditorium underwent an extensive renovation about 10 years ago, and we’ll be starting the exterior masonry restoration in less than 2 weeks!

#TBT: Bradbury Building

Where were you 23 years ago? We were busy restoring the Bradbury Building (which had been recently purchased by Ira Yellin), one of KC Restoration’s first projects. Its understated exterior houses one of the city’s most beautiful commercial spaces. The building is listed on the National Register, is a National Landmark, and an LA Monument.

We worked with architect Brenda Levin, and our work on the building included recreation and replacement of exterior deteriorated sandstone, fabrication of decorative metal stairway panels, recreation of custom bronze door hardware, fabrication of decorative elevator gate, restoration of glass ceiling over the atrium and complete stripping and refinishing of all woodwork including doors, windows, railings, and moldings.