General Plan Update - City of Inglewood

Chapter 5 Environmental Resources
made arterial routes less agreeable places to live, and apartment dwellers expected some
off-street space for their cars.
Most 1920s commercial buildings were constructed on a speculative basis. During this
period the principal construction materials were brick and hollow tile. Their relative
permanence (in comparison with wood frame structures) was seen as an indicator of the
formation of neighborhoods. The exterior design was somewhat more elaborate than had
been true during earlier periods of commercial development. Surface ornament framed
the entrance; the parapet above the entry was frequently elaborated with contrasting types
of brick or terra cotta and the name of the building imbedded into its surface. Pilasters
(flat, engaged columns) framing double-hung windows introduced a formality that
connoted economic stability. The interior space of these buildings was characteristically
flexible since the tenants’ needs could not be known. These buildings were not
anticipated to be long-term investments. Once they were built, their architectural
attributes were seemingly taken for granted; distinctive features were usually
overshadowed by signs. While these features characterized the design of American
commercial buildings irrespective of their location, in Southern California the advent of
the Spanish Colonial Revival (which began to take hold by the mid 1910s) created a
regionally identifiable image. Characteristic features were stucco sheathed walls with
Spanish tile covering roofs or parapet edges. The theme of the arcade (associated with the
Mission traditions) was expressed through arched door and window openings;
occasionally a recessed porch at the entrance would be transformed into a miniature
courtyard complete with tiled floor and baseboard and fountain. Restrained use of plaster
or cast-stone detailing at the entrance and parapet gave the building additional visual
interest.
In the Metropolitan Los Angeles area, the normal land use pattern was dominated by
one-story rather than two-story commercial buildings. A similar low-scale pattern
characterized post World War I downtown Inglewood, with commercial enterprises
established to meet the needs of local consumers (the 1920 census reported a population
of 3,248).
In 1920, Inglewood suffered a severe earthquake. The Inglewood Hotel and the
Inglewood Mercantile Company, located at the intersection of Regent and Commercial
were severely damaged and later demolished. The loss of these buildings was graphically
reported in contemporary photographs. However the earthquake did not seriously
hamper the City’s growth. In fact, the aftermath of the earthquake was such a spectacle
that the people who flocked to see the damage were seeing Inglewood for the first time,
and were so impressed that they came back to live. They liked the climate, reputed to be
the best in the nation, and liked the quiet little town (the 1922 census reported a growth
in the city’s population to 7,000).
Soon after the earthquake, on the site of the Inglewood Mercantile Company, Citizens
Savings was constructed by a group of local investors. At this time, Commercial Street
continued to be the primary commercial artery for the city. However, many more
businesses were establishing locations on Market Street and the cross streets. During the
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City of Inglewood General Plan Update Technical Background Report