Hollywood Boulevard

Hollywood Boulevard is a major east–west street in Los Angeles, California. It runs through the Hollywood, East Hollywood, Little Armenia, Thai Town, and Los Feliz districts. Its western terminus is at Sunset Plaza Drive in the Hollywood Hills and its eastern terminus is at Sunset Boulevard in Los Feliz. Hollywood Boulevard is famous for running through the tourist areas in central Hollywood, including attractions such as the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the Ovation Hollywood shopping and entertainment complex.

Route description

Hollywood Boulevard's western terminus is at Sunset Plaza Drive in the Hollywood Hills. It then runs as a winding residential street down to Laurel Canyon Boulevard. The boulevard then proceeds due east as a major thoroughfare through Hollywood and its popular tourist areas. Part of this segment has been listed in the U.S. National Register of Historic Places as part of Hollywood Boulevard Commercial and Entertainment District. The fifteen blocks between La Brea Avenue east to Gower Street is part of the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The Ovation Hollywood shopping and entertainment complex, the home of the Dolby Theatre, is located at the corner of Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue. And the intersection with Vine Street was once a symbol of Hollywood itself.

East of Gower Street, Hollywood Boulevard crosses the Hollywood Freeway (US 101) before running through East Hollywood. The portion of the boulevard between the Hollywood Freeway and Vermont Avenue forms the northern boundary of Little Armenia,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> while the portion between Western Avenue and Sunset Boulevard forms part of the southern boundary of Los Feliz.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Thai Town is centered along the six blocks of Hollywood Boulevard between Western and Normandie Avenues.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> After crossing Vermont Avenue, Hollywood Boulevard heads southeast to its eastern terminus at Sunset Boulevard.

Three B (Red) Line Metro Rail stations are located on Hollywood Boulevard: Hollywood/Highland station, Hollywood/Vine station, and Hollywood/Western station.

History

1890s to 1910

Part of today's Hollywood Boulevard was called Prospect Avenue, a dusty road that ran through Hollywood towards the neighboring city of Los Angeles. In December 1899, a new railroad construction began to connect Hollywood with Los Angeles in a project that was led by Peter Beveridge, H.J. Whitley, and Griffith J. Griffith.

In May 1900, the railroad connecting Hollywood and Los Angeles was completed, and another one was under construction. In 1901, the Town of Hollywood opened the new macadamized road surface with electric railway that ran down its center between Laurel Canyon and Western. Eventually, the road was widened from 20 feet wide to almost 100 feet wide in some areas.<ref>Masters, Nathan, How Prospect Avenue Became Hollywood Boulevard (By Nathan Masters, Los Angeles Magazine) [1]</ref>

In 1903, Hollywood became a municipality, and Prospect Avenue became sometimes called as the Boulevard of Hollywood, albeit unofficially.

In 1910, the town of Hollywood was incorporated into Los Angeles, and Prospect Avenue was officially renamed Hollywood Boulevard.

1920s

In the early 1920s, real estate developer Charles E. Toberman (the "Father of Hollywood") envisioned a thriving Hollywood theater district.<ref name="LAThenandNow">Template:Cite book</ref> Toberman was involved in 36 real estate development projects while building the Max Factor Salon, Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel and the Hollywood Masonic Temple. He partnered with Sid Grauman, and they opened the three themed theaters: Egyptian, El Capitan ("The Captain") (1926), and Chinese.<ref name=lat>Template:Cite news</ref>

Regional shopping district

Starting around 1920, the boulevard and adjacent streets became a major regional shopping district, both for everyday needs and appliances, but increasingly also for high-end clothing and accessories, in part because of the nearby film studios. Chains that opened includes Schwab's in 1921, Mullen & Bluett in 1922, I. Magnin in 1923, Myer Siegel in 1925, F. W. Grand and Newberry's (dime stores) in 1926–8, and Roos Brothers in 1929. The independent Robertson's department store, at Template:Convert and 4 stories tall, opened in 1923. In 1922, stock was sold to finance construction of a much larger department store at Hollywood and Vine,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> originally to have been a Boadway Bros. When Boadway's went out of business the next year, B. H. Dyas, a Downtown Los Angeles–based department store,<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> opened in the Template:Convert building in March 1928, then sold their lease to The Broadway in 1931 – the building still a landmark today, known as the Broadway Hollywood Building. By 1930 the shopping district consisted of over 300 stores.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The area would later face competition from areas along Wilshire Boulevard: the easternmost around Bullocks Wilshire which opened in 1929, second the Miracle Mile, and finally, the shopping district of Beverly Hills, where Saks Fifth Avenue opened a store in 1938.

Map of businesses in the shopping district at its peak c.1925–8

The following diagram, based on an artistic map by the Hollywood Boulevard Association, and on newspaper advertisements<ref name="ads-1925"/> shows the major businesses along Hollywood Boulevard, from the intersection with Vine Street to the intersection with La Brea Avenue, in 1927 or 1928. There are a few relevant notes about major buildings added after 1928. Numbers from 6100–7200 are addresses on Hollywood Boulevard. Dates indicate years of opening, except dates with an asterisk indicate that the establishment was in operation that year according to the source document consulted.

Pantages Theatre 6233 Bank of Hollywood Bldg. (1929) 6253, now Equitable Bldg. of Hollywood	H O L L Y W O O D B O U L E V A R D	6280 Taft Bldg. (1923, studio offices, Academy HQ in 1935)
VINE		VINE
Van de Kamp's<ref name=hba28/> 6309 6315 Henry's cafe 6321 Guaranty Bldg. 6333		6300 B. H. Dyas dept. store (1928–31), later (1931–82) The Broadway 6316 Mullen & Bluett dept. store (1922)   6320 Roos Bros. clothing (1929)<ref name="columbia">As of 1934 in this photo: Template:Cite web</ref>  later Newberry's 2nd loc. 6324 Oscar Balzer gifts (1928*), later Albert Sheetz candy<ref name="columbia"/> 6326 Walton & Co. jewelers<ref name="columbia"/> 6330 Oscar Balzer's annex 6332 Columbia department store 6334 Weatherby-Kayser shoes 6340 I. Magnin dept. store (1923–39) 6348 Ernest Swift<ref name="ads-1925"/>
IVAR		COSMO
Hollywood Stationers<ref name=hba-long/> 6365 Kelley Music<ref name=hba-long/> 6367 Hollywood News newspaper<ref name=hba28/> 6371 Security Trust & Savings Bank<ref name=hba-long/> 6385		6358 Schwab's Pharmacy (1921) 6366 Hollywood Citizen newspaper 6368-70 Baker-Hertzler<ref name="ads-1925"/> 6374 United Cigar<ref name="hba28">Template:Cite news</ref> Template:Frac Hollywood Pen Shop<ref name=ads-1927/> 6386 Sun Drug Co.<ref name=hba-long/>
CAHUENGA		CAHUENGA
Liggett's Drug Store 6401 Santa Fe RR ticket office 6405 Wm. Stromberg jewelers 6439 Joseph Miller Drug Co.<ref name=hba-long/> 6445 Carque		6418 Dr. Reed's Shoes 6432 Weinberg's coats/gowns/frocks
WILCOX		WILCOX
Innes Shoe Co.<ref name=hba-long/> 6501 Harry Cooper gowns/frocks 6511 Jimmy Clinton men's<ref name=hba-long/> 6519 Fett's Palace of Flowers<ref name=hba28/> 6521 Beller Bldg.<ref name=hba28/> 6513 Gumbiner's menswear 6523–5 Warner Bros. Theatre<ref name=hba28/> 6531		Template:Frac Nancy Hubbard Chocolates<ref name="ads-1925"/> 6508 Iris Theatre<ref name="ads-1925"/> 6540 L. A. First Natl. Bank
HUDSON		HUDSON
Liljedahl-Bengtsson batik dress shop<ref name="ads-29-p27">Template:Cite news</ref> 6515 Wurlitzer Music Co. 6517 Griffis & Mackey sporting goods<ref name="ads-1925"/> 6527 Hillview Apts. (1917)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 6531–3 Madden Millinery Shoppe<ref name="ads-1925"/> 6561 Roth Furniture 6549 Natl. Bank of Hwd 6565 Bee Drug 6565		6562 Chrisney Drug Co.<ref name="ads-1925"/> 6600 Armstrong's restaurant (1928*)<ref name="cafes">Template:Cite news</ref> 6600–4 Newberry's variety store now Hollywood Toys & Costumes 6606 Moss Glove and Hosiery<ref name="ads-1925">Template:Cite news</ref> 6608 Kress variety store (1934) later Frederick's of Hollywood lingerie (1947-?)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 6614 Platt Music Co. 6624 Piggly Wiggly (1925*)<ref name="ads-1925"/> 6624 Hollywood Hardware (1928*)<ref name=hba28/> 6630 Simon's Dairy Lunch<ref name=ads-1927>All display advertisements in Hollywood Citizen, 17 December 1927</ref> 6634 Matthess menswear Template:Frac Van de Kamp's<ref name=hba28/> 6636 Cherokee Bldg.<ref name=hba28/> 6646 Clubb's cigar shop Template:Frac Buddy Squirrel's Nut Shop (1928)<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
WHITLEY
Baine Bldg. 6601–9 Merchants Nat'l Trust & Savings 6601 Watson & Son tailors 6605 Evansmith photo studios 6605 Hamilton's shoes 6607 Peggy Rose Shoppe hosiery<ref name="ads-1927"/> 6611 Holly-Angeles Music,<ref name="ads-1925"/> Template:Frac Hwd Toy Shop (1919–27*)<ref name=ads-1927/> 6613 Frederick Winn millinery, dresses (1928–?)<ref name=hba-long/> 6613 Hollywood China Shop<ref name=hba-long/> Template:Frac Player's Café<ref name=ads-1927/> 6615 Hollywood Fur<ref name=hba28/> 6617
CHEROKEE		CHEROKEE

continued in next column Template:Col-break      Template:Col-break

CHEROKEE	H O L L Y W O O D B O U L E V A R D	CHEROKEE
Mutual B & L<ref name=hba28/> 6651 Norman's Art Shop<ref name=ads-1927/> 6653 The Arlynn Shop millinery<ref name="ads-1925"/> 6663 Woman's Exchange<ref name="ads-1925"/> 6665 Musso & Frank 6669 Central Hardware Co.<ref name=ads-29-p27/>Template:Verify inline 6673 Hwd Typewriter Shop 6681 Hwd Boot Shop 6683 Myer Siegel dept. store (1925) 6687		6650 Western Auto Parts (1925*) 6650 H. G. Haroutunian oriental rugs (1928*) 6650 Hirshfield's dresses (1931*) 6652 Wood's women's apparel 6654 Hertz Driv-ur-self Station (rent-a-car) 6656 Hwd Electric Shop (1925*) 6656 Fry's shoes (1929*) 6658 Karl Shoe Store (1928) Template:Frac Jerome dresses 6660 Brooks Clothing (1928)<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> 6664 C. H. Baker shoes<ref name=hba28/> 6666 Clark's Dollar Store<ref name=hba-long/> Template:Frac Haroutunian rugs/art<ref name="ads-1925"/> 6672 Young's Speedy Shoes<ref name="ads-1925"/> 6674 Peggy Rose Shop<ref name="ads-1925"/> 6676 Busy Corner Drug Co.<ref name="ads-1925"/>
LAS PALMAS		LAS PALMAS
Citrin's dress shop<ref name=hba28/> 6701 Gerly perfumes<ref name=hba28/> 6703 Metykos furriers<ref name=hba-long/> 6707 Outpost Bldg.<ref name=hba28/> 6715 Florence Hartock children's<ref name=hba28/> 6723 Gould's boy/young men's<ref name=hba28/> 6747		6700 Central Grocery Co. (1923)<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> ︎6700 Maison Marcell coats/frocks (1925*)<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> 6700–2 Paulais restaurant 1925–7*<ref name="ads-1925"/> 6702 Leighton's cafeteria (1928*)<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> 6704 Fitzpatric's shoes<ref name="ads-1925"/> 6712 Egyptian Theatre 6714 Pig 'n Whistle<ref name="hba28"/> cafe 6720 Citizens National Trust and Savings<ref name=hba28/> 6724 Hotel Christie<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 6730 Burnett Bros. watches/jewelry<ref name="ads-1925"/> 6732 Union Pacific ticket office 6738 United Cigar<ref name="hba28"/>
MCCADDEN		MCCADDEN
Robertson Co. dept. st. (1923–42), then J. C. Penney 6751-3 Café Montmartre nightclub (1923)<ref name=hba28/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 6757–63 C. E. Toberman real estate<ref name="hba28"/> 6763		6764  Hollywood Theatre (1913–82)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> now site of Guiness Museum 6770 Gittleson's theater ticket agency
HIGHLAND		HIGHLAND
Hollywood Hotel<ref name="hba28"/> 6837		6802 Ever-Ready Drug 6818 I. Miller shoes 6834 Barker Bros. furniture Garwood and Johnson 6838 El Capitan Theatre 6812 Hollywood Book Store 6908 Bess Schlank<ref name="hba28"/> 6912 Hartsook photo studios<ref name="ads-1927"/> 6916 The French Bootire 6918 Bessie Bassett Gowns<ref name="ads-1925"/> 6922 Shayne's Gowns and Wraps<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> 6926 Chryson's stationers 6932 Young's Market (1928*)<ref name="hba-long">Template:Cite news</ref> 6934 Safeway market (1928*)<ref name="hba-long"/>
ORCHID
Lickter's of Hwd cigarette fashion 6915<ref name=ads-29-p27/>Template:Verify inline Grauman's Chinese Theatre now TCL Chinese 6925
ORANGE		ORANGE
		7000–6 Hwd Roosevelt Hotel 7044 Professional Bldg., Grace Nolan 7048 Liggett's Drug Store
SYCAMORE		SYCAMORE
C. R. Welden real estate<ref name=hba28/> 7077
EL CERRITO
LA BREA		LA BREA

File:Artistic rendering of Hollywood Boulevard Business District 1927 or -8.png

Artistic rendering of Hollywood Boulevard Shopping District 1927 or -8

1940s to 1960s

In 1946, Gene Autry, while riding his horse in the Hollywood Christmas Parade — which passes down Hollywood Boulevard each year on the Sunday after Thanksgiving — heard young parade watchers yelling, "Here comes Santa Claus, here comes Santa Claus!" and was inspired to write "Here Comes Santa Claus" with Oakley Haldeman.<ref>"Home – The Hollywood Christmas Parade." The Hollywood Christmas Parade. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 May 2014.</ref>

In 1958, the Hollywood Walk of Fame, which runs from La Brea Avenue east to Gower Street (and an additional three blocks on Vine Street), was created as a tribute to artists working in the entertainment industry.

Decline

In the 1970s, the street became very seedy and was frequented by many odd characters as shown in pictures by photographer Ave Pildas.<ref name="Ave Pildas">Template:Cite web</ref>

Revitalization

In 1984, a portion of Hollywood Boulevard was listed in the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Hollywood Boulevard Commercial and Entertainment District.<ref name=nrhp>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 1992, the street was paved with glittery asphalt between Vine Street and La Brea Boulevard.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

The El Capitan Theatre was refurbished in 1991 then damaged in the 1994 Northridge earthquake. The full El Capitan building was fully restored and upgraded in Template:Dts. The Hollywood Entertainment District, a self-taxing business improvement district, was formed for the properties from La Brea to McCadden on the boulevard.<ref name=lat />

The Hollywood extension of the Metro Red Line subway was opened in June 1999, running from Downtown Los Angeles to the San Fernando Valley. Stops on Hollywood Boulevard are located at Western Avenue, Vine Street, and Highland Avenue. Metro Local lines 180 and 217 also serve Hollywood Boulevard. A light rail extension station is proposed at the Hollywood Blvd. and Highland Ave. intersection connection the boulevard with West Hollywood, Central LA and LAX.

An anti-cruising ordinance prohibits driving on parts of the boulevard more than twice in four hours.<ref>Martin H and McCormack S (September 24, 1999): Idled by the Law : As Cities Crack Down on Cruising, Car Culture Aficionados Find Other Outlets. Los Angeles Times archive. Retrieved March 26, 2013.</ref>

Beginning in 1995, then Los Angeles City Council member Jackie Goldberg initiated efforts to clean up Hollywood Boulevard and reverse its decades-long slide into disrepute.<ref name=iht /> Central to these efforts was the construction of the Hollywood and Highland Center and adjacent Dolby Theatre (originally known as the Kodak Theatre) in 2001.

In the summer of 2005, the city made revamping plans on Hollywood Boulevard for future tourists. The three-part plan was to exchange the original streetlights with red stars into two-headed old-fashioned streetlights, put in new palm trees, and put in new stoplights. The renovations were completed in late 2005.

In the few years leading up to 2007, more than $2 billion was spent on projects in the neighborhood, including mixed-use retail and apartment complexes and new schools and museums.<ref name=iht>Template:Cite news</ref>

Template:Anchor In 2021, the Vogue Theatre, on Hollywood Boulevard, at Las Palmas, reopened as the Vogue Multicultural Museum.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="pinkfloydexhibition">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Renovations of the Hollywood and Highland Center began in 2020. The renovated complex was renamed Ovation Hollywood in 2022.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2022, for the return of the LA Pride parade to the boulevard, the city installed multi colored lighting to more than 100 trees to illuminate for special events.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Heart of Hollywood / Walk of Fame Master Plan

Advocates promote the idea of closing Hollywood Boulevard to traffic and create a Pedestrian zone from La Brea Avenue to Highland Avenue citing an increase in pedestrian traffic including tourism, weekly movie premiers<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and award shows closures, including 10 days for the Academy Award ceremony at the Dolby Theatre.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Similar to other cities in the US, like Third Street Promenade, Fremont Street in Las Vegas, Market St. in San Francisco or the closure in Times Squares Pedestrian Plaza's created in 2015.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In June 2019, The City of Los Angeles commissioned Gensler architects to provide a master plan for a $4 million renovation to improve and "update the streetscape concept" for the Walk of Fame between the Pantages Theater (Gower Avenue) at the east and The Emerson Theatre (La Brea Avenue) at the west end of the boulevard.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Los Angeles City Councilmember Mitch O'Farrell released the draft master plan designed by Gensler and Studio-MLA in January 2020. The city's Bureau of Engineers proposed a three phase approach to implement the changes. This included adding bike lanes, new landscaping, removing lanes of car traffic, sidewalk widening by removing street parking and art-deco designed street pavers to beautify the boulevard. They also proposed a street mechanism to able to temporarily close the boulevard on pedestrian high capacity days or events where a street closure was approved. Creating public plazas and car free zones. Phase three would disallow east-west travel thru the boulevard but still allow north-south travel along its major intersections, Highland Avenue, Cahuanga Boulevard and Vine Street.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The approved phase one was completed and removed parking lanes between Orange Drive and Gower Street in 2022.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> New district council member for Hollywood, Hugo Soto-Martinez continued with the revitalization plan after defeating O'Farrell in the 2022 election cycle. A motion was filed June 30, 2023 to implement a tax district to continue funding the master plans phase two and three.<ref>Template:Cite tweet</ref> In early March 2024, council member Hugo Soto-Martinez announced "Access to Hollywood" plan. Commencing phase two of the proposed redevelopment. They announced the addition of bus only lanes, bikes lanes and the removal of additional street parking to add sidewalk space for pedestrians. Restructure of lanes to be completed by 2025.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Phase three build out has not been announced, pending funding.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Also in East Hollywood area, another plan for boulevard revitalization is planned. LA DOT announced "Vision Zero" in August 2023, a pedestrian friendly streetscaping redesign. LADOT's plan focuses on the eastern section of Hollywood Boulevard between Gower Street and east past Vermont Avenue. Plans are to add safety instruments, continental crosswalks and pedestrian friendly alert striping.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Events

A popular event that takes place on the Boulevard is the complete transformation of the street to a Christmas theme. Shops and department stores attract customers by lighting their stores and the entire street with decorated Christmas trees and Christmas lights. The street essentially becomes "Santa Claus Lane." The route of Hollywood Christmas Parade partially follows Hollywood Boulevard.<ref>Masters, Nathan. "When Hollywood Boulevard Became Santa Claus Lane" | LA as Subject | SoCal Focus | KCET." KCET. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 May 2014.</ref>

Landmarks

File:Grauman's Chinese Theatre, by Carol Highsmith fixed & straightened.jpg

TCL Chinese Theatre

• Barnsdall Art Park
• Bob Hope Square (Hollywood and Vine)
• Broadway Hollywood Building
• Grauman's Chinese Theatre
• Dolby Theatre
• Grauman's Egyptian Theatre
• El Capitan Theatre
• Fonda Theatre
• Frederick's of Hollywood
• Ovation Hollywood
• Hollywood Pacific Theatre
• Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel
• Hollywood Walk of Fame
• Hollywood Wax Museum
• Hollywood Masonic Temple
• Madame Tussauds Hollywood
• Musso & Frank Grill
• Pantages Theatre
• Porn Block of Fame
• Ripley's Believe It Or Not! Odditorium

See also

• List of Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monuments in Hollywood

External links

• Hollywood Chamber of Commerce