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12/05/12
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We just learned of an iconic Los Angeles landmark that has come on the market, the Scottish Rite Masonic Temple, which occupies a full city block between the signalized intersections of Plymouth Ave and Lucerne Ave, with approximately 400 linear feet of Wilshire Blvd frontage. The property, designed by renowned LA Architect Millard Sheets, contains a four-story, 89.8k sf building that sits on two acres of land. The property is listed at an asking price of $13.9 mil.
The Scottish Rite Masonic Temple had been built in 1960 for The Grand Lodge of Freemasons of California, or Masons, the oldest and largest world-wide fraternity. Famous members include Henry Ford, Franklin D. and Theodore Roosevelt, Mark Twain, and many others.
The property had been occupied by the Masons for most of its life, until about five years ago, when the organization relocated to the Westside. Following that move the property was leased out, although it has been vacant for roughly the last couple of years. The property offers a 2,000-seat live stage theater with mezzanine, various, meeting rooms, offices, a large ballroom on the top floor, four elevators, and 260 surface and subterranean parking spaces.
The marketing assignment is being handled by NAI Capital’s Dan Bacani and Marie Taylor. Bacani tells us that the seller, the Scottish Rite Cathedral of Los Angeles, an entity of the Masons of California, will earnestly consider all offers from qualified buyers, but they are particularly interested in a buyer who will appreciate the rich history of the building and offer a use that instills an added sense of pride from the local community. The seller has made clear that they want to work with the city and community to find the best user for the property to try and make everyone happy.
Sheets designed the building, painted three of the murals inside and hired acclaimed stone mason carver, Albert Stewart, for his exceptional stone work. Amongst other contributions, he was a major force in developing the Scripps College art department and in creating both Otis Art Institute and CalArts (the latter at Walt Disney's request) and under his leadership they added BFA and MFA degrees. Sheets dotted SoCal with over 50 gilded, modern bank buildings (now mostly Chase Banks) that are now part of the landscape to any native (L.A. Times, 1994 article).
The property is located at the southern border of Windsor Square, just two blocks east of Hancock Park. It is directly accessible by surface streets to Koreatown and Downtown Los Angeles to the east and Century City and Beverly Hills to the west. Windsor Square also contains the popular Larchmont Village, which is a tree-lined old fashioned “main street” with a retail district, restaurants, and sidewalk cafes. Windsor Square is also home to Getty House, the official residence of the Mayor of Los Angeles.
The area was designated a City of Los Angeles Historic Preservation Overlay Zone. The property is located less than one mile from the Wilshire/Western Purple Line Metro Station, just five miles from Downtown Los Angeles and centrally located between the 10, 110 and 101 freeways.
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