# Bullock's complex

Bullock's complex is a collection of nine historic buildings located at 639-651 south Broadway, the 300-block of 7th Street, and 634-670 south Hill Street in the Jewelry District and Broadway Theater District in the historic core of downtown Los Angeles. Each building is a contributing property in the National Register of Historic Places-listed Broadway Theater and Commercial District, five buildings are contributing properties in the City of Los Angeles-recognized Hill Street Commercial Historic District, and four buildings are contributing properties in the City of Los Angeles-recognized Seventh Street Commercial Historic District.
The complex is currently the site of the St. Vincent's Jewelry Center. It was formerly the first and flagship site of Bullock's, known as Bullock's Downtown.

## History

Bullock's complex began with the Bullock's building (also known as Earl or Tehama building), located on the corner of Broadway and 7th. This building, seven-stories in height, was built in 1906. It was financed by Arthur Letts, designed by Parkinson and Bergstrom, and built for John G. Bullock, who opened the original Bullock's in the building in March 1907. This store became known as Bullock's Downtown after other Bullock's locations opened.
Bullock's Downtown proved so successful that the location expanded eight times in less than three decades, expanding its floor area from 350,000 square feet (33,000 m$^2$) to 806,000 square feet (74,900 m$^2$). These expansions were:
* Bullock's-Hollenbeck (also known as Hollenbeck Block) - built directly to Bullock's's north in 1912
* Pease Building - a Niles Pease owned furniture store purchased and connected by a bridge and tunnel to Hollenbeck's west in 1917
* Eshman (or Eschmann) Building - purchased to Bullock's's west in 1919
* Bridge building - built to connect Bullock's and Eshman in 1921
* Gennet Building - built directly to Pease's north in 1922
* Hart '24 - built directly to Pease's south and Eshman's north in 1924
* Hart '28 - built directly to Eshman's west and Hart '24's south in 1928
* Mackey Building - built directly to Gennet's north in 1934.
Bullock's Downtown closed in June 1983. The complex later became St. Vincent's Jewelry Center, named after the college that was located here prior to Bullock's. Approximately 500 jewelers occupied the building as of 2009, and Big Lots also occupied 40,000 square feet (3,700 m$^2$) in the original Bullock's building, with their location taken over by Burlington Coat Factory in November 2015.

### Historic designation

In 1979, the Broadway Theater and Commercial District was added to the National Register of Historic Places, with all nine buildings in the Bullock's complex listed as contributing properties in the district. In 2016, the city of Los Angeles created the Hill Street Commercial Historic District and the Seventh Street Commercial Historic District, with the Pease, Gennet, Mackey, and both Hart buildings listed as contributing properties in the former and Bullock's, Bridge, Eshman, and Hart '28 listed as contributing properties in the latter.

## Architecture and design

Despite being built at different times and designed by different architects, each building in the Bullock's complex is united by design, historical function, and internal circulation.

### Bullock's

Bullock's is a seven-story steel frame and brick building designed by Parkinson and Bergstrom and built in 1906. It features a Beaux Arts design with a brick and terra cotta facade that includes heavy cornice.

### Bullock's-Hollenbeck

Bullock's-Hollenbeck is a ten-story brick and reinforced-concrete building designed by Morgan and Walls and built in 1912. It features a brick and terra cotta facade almost identical to the original Bullock's building.

### Pease Building

Pease Building is an eight-story Beaux Arts building designed by Hudson and Munsell and built in 1906. A bridge and tunnel connecting the building to Bullock's-Hollenback was built when Bullock's bought this building in 1917.

### Eshman Building

Eshman Building is a seven-story building designed by Morgan and Walls and built in 1909. It features a Beaux Arts design with a three-part vertical division.

### Bridge

Bridge spans St. Vincent's Place, connecting the upper six stories of the Bullock's and Eshman buildings. The building's design repeats the design of Bullock's building. It was built in 1921.

### Gennet Building

Gennet Building is a ten-story tall, two-bay wide building designed by Parkinson and Hubbard and built in 1922. The building originally featured a Beaux Arts design on all its exteriors, but in 1934 the bottom two stories were remodeled in the Moderne style to match the Mackey Building.

### Hart '24

Hart '24 is a ten-story building that matches Gennet Building in height, width, and styling. It was designed by Parkinson and Parkinson and built in 1924.

### Hart '28

Hart '28 is an expansion of Hart '24. The expansion fills out the block and consists of five bays on Hill St. and four bays on 7th. The building is virtually indistinguishable from Hart '24 and features fenestration that consists primarily of three-part Chicago windows.

### Mackey Building

Mackey Building is an eight-story building designed by Parkinson and Parkinson and built in 1934. The building's upper six stories repeat the design of Gennet Building, while the bottom two stories feature a Moderne design that was then expanded to Gennet Building to match.