Continental Building
title: "Continental Building" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1900s-architecture-in-the-united-states", "1903-establishments-in-california", "beaux-arts-architecture-in-california", "buildings-and-structures-in-downtown-los-angeles", "historic-district-contributing-properties-in-california", "los-angeles-historic-cultural-monuments", "national-register-of-historic-places-in-los-angeles", "office-buildings-completed-in-1903", "residential-condominiums-in-the-united-states", "residential-skyscrapers-in-los-angeles"] topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continental_Building" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::data[format=table title="Infobox building"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Continental Building |
| image | File:Continental Building, Downtown Los Angeles, California 12.jpg |
| image_size | 250px |
| alternate_names | Braly Building |
| Hibernian Building | |
| Union Trust Building | |
| Old Bank District Apartments | |
| location | 408 South Spring Street |
| Los Angeles, California | |
| coordinates | |
| map_type | Los Angeles#California#USA |
| completion_date | 1903 |
| status | completed |
| building_type | Residential condominiums |
| roof | 45.87 m |
| floor_count | 13 |
| floor_area | 56.5 e6sqin |
| architect | John Parkinson |
| George Edwin Bergstrom | |
| Killefer Flammang Architects | |
| owner | Old Financial District LP |
| nrhp | {{Infobox NRHP |
| embed | yes |
| nrhp_type | cp |
| nocat | yes |
| partof | Spring Street Financial District |
| partof_refnum | 1979000489 |
| locmapin | California |
| architecture | Beaux-Arts |
| designated_nrhp_type | 1979 |
| designated_other1 | Los Angeles |
| designated_other1_number | 730 |
| references | |
| :: |
| name = Continental Building | image = File:Continental Building, Downtown Los Angeles, California 12.jpg | image_size = 250px | alternate_names = Braly Building Hibernian Building Union Trust Building Old Bank District Apartments | location = 408 South Spring Street Los Angeles, California | coordinates = | map_type=Los Angeles#California#USA | completion_date = 1903 | status = completed | building_type = Residential condominiums | roof = 45.87 m | floor_count = 13 | elevator_count = | cost = | floor_area = 56.5 e6sqin | architect = John Parkinson George Edwin Bergstrom Killefer Flammang Architects | structural_engineer= | main_contractor = | developer = | management = | owner = Old Financial District LP | nrhp = {{Infobox NRHP | embed = yes | nrhp_type = cp | nocat = yes | partof = Spring Street Financial District | partof_refnum = 1979000489 | locmapin = California | architecture = Beaux-Arts | designated_nrhp_type = 1979 | designated_other1 = Los Angeles | designated_other1_number = 730 | references =
The Continental Building, formerly Braly Block, is a 151 ft (46 m), 13-story high-rise residential building on Spring Street in the Historic Core of Los Angeles. The Continental Building is part of the Spring Street Financial District which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
When completed in 1903, it was the city's first high-rise building, and remained the tallest commercial building for fifty-three years. Shortly after the building was completed, the Los Angeles City Council enacted a 150 ft (46 m) height restriction on future buildings that remained until the 1950s.
The building was originally named after John Hyde Braly, the president of a business accredited with commissioning the building. Braly moved to Los Angeles in 1891 before eventually contributing to the erection of Braly Block.
Gallery
File:Braley Building on the Hibernian Block, Los Angeles, 1900-1903 (CHS-1883).jpg|Braley Building, c. 1900-1903 File:German American Savings Bank, illustrated on a postcard, 1908.png| File:Continental_Building_-_LA_First_Skyscraper.jpg|
In popular culture
The building plays a prominent role in the 2009 independent film (500) Days of Summer.
References
References
- "Emporis building ID 146991". [[Emporis]].
- {{skyscraperpage. 23584
- "California Office of Historic Preservation Certified Tax Projects – 2005 (Fiscal Year)".
- (1979). "National Register Information System". National Park Service.
- Department of Geography. "Continental Building and the 150-Foot Height Limit". University of Southern California.
- Schnalzer, Rachel. (2022-01-26). "Why is L.A.’s iconic skyline far from the beach — unlike Miami, Seattle and other cities?". Los Angeles Times.
- "Continental Building {{!}} Los Angeles Conservancy".
- "Go On Location: Locations Featured in "500 Days of Summer"". Discover Los Angeles.
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