Etan Does LA 209: Charmont Apartments (Santa Monica) | Los Angeles history

National Register visit 207: Charmont Apartments 📍330 California Avenue, Santa Monica

Here’s one of the grande dames of Santa Monica apartment buildings. The Charmont was built in 1928, in a unique combo of Spanish colonial and art deco. So you’ll see the creamy stucco walls and red tile roofs that scream “HACIENDA!” but also the narrow, vertical massing that screams “DECO!” (plus a bunch of chevron patterns that scream “TWIN PEAKS!”)

The Charmont was designed by Max Maltzman, one of the first Jewish architects with his own practice in Los Angeles – and also the supervising architect of the original @saharalasvegas casino. It was designed at a time when a lot of mid-rise apartments were springing up in Santa Monica, to help house the loads of people moving to LA at the time, or at least coming here to avoid the snow elsewhere in the country. Early on, the Charmont attracted wealthy snowbirds with the kinds of amenities you’d expect from a luxury hotel: maid service, a dining room, even a beauty parlor downstairs.

Over the years the Charmont transformed into a more standard apartment complex. The current owner sunk millions into a full restoration after the Charmont sustained damage in the 1994 Northridge earthquake, and these days it looks even zingier than ever.

There are some pretty incredible stories told about this place, some of which may even be true! To find out what I’m talking about, you’ll just have to read the full history of the Charmont at EtanDoesLA.com!

Historic 📷 by Cary Moore (Los Angeles Photographers Collection / Los Angeles Public Library)

I’m visiting all the LA landmarks on the National Register of Historic Places. Read about the ones and many more at Etandoesla.com: https://etandoesla.com/209-charmont-a...

#architecture #santamonica #nationalregister #apartments #charmontapartments #losangeles #multifamilyhousing #affordablehousing #lahistory #1920s #artdeco #spanishcolonial #chevron #northridgeearthquake #historicpreservation #jewisharchitects
Historic photo credits in order:
📷 1: Los Angeles Public Library Institutional Collection
📷 2 & 3: Los Angeles Public Library Legacy Collection
📷 4 (LA High School): Los Angeles Public Library Photo Collection

#memorialday #architecture #librariesofinstagram #tudorrevival #lahighschool #gothicrevival #libraryhistory #midcityla #midwilshire #lapl #judsonstudios #stainedglass #wwi #ww1 #worldwarI #thegreatwar