You don't notice it from Green because a plain wall faces the street. There's a parking lot behind the house. When we were there a guy had parked there to walk his dog on the Ambassador Campus, of which this is the northernmost building. If you haven't explored the area all I can say is, you should. You can't see anything interesting from Orange Grove or Del Mar or Green or St. John. But park the car and walk in the park-like area bordered by those streets and you'll walk in Pasadena history.
I can't begin to know why other buildings on the Campus have been kept up and this one hasn't. The property is in transition--it's been sold to a developer whose plans are undergoing the city's review process. I don't know which owner let this building go, the previous one or the current one.
Stand on the back porch, where I took the photos from yesterday and the day before, and you can see the bleachers where the TV cameras will be perched in a couple of weeks for the Tournament of Roses Parade.
19 comments:
I figured it was in Pasadena... Now u have my curiosity piqued since u gave that hint about the Rose Bowl bleachers...My hubby use to know a contractor who was in the Norton Simon building and he said that guy had a great view of the parade route.. He was always hoping for an invite-- never happened... I am beginning to think that some building are left due to the city's/owner's choosing.. Kinda like letting it get to the point where if it gets more dilapidated it will give the obvious excuse to just knock it down.. Or maybe someone has bought the building and is scraping up moneys to finally renovate... Remember downtown Santa Monica?? Took years for them to renovate... I've always loved places like SM and Old Pas for their buildings- alot of history and heart. I do like that door u photographed.. Photos in mono always get me.
It's actually a color picture, Kalei!
This place is almost in view of the Norton Simon Museum. I don't know if it's a treasure or not, really. It has a few interesting detail and I'll show a few more in the coming week. Other buildings in the area are in much better shape and there may be reasons for that. But I admit I'm attracted to the dilapidation.
I don't remember downtown Santa Monica before the mall. I moved to LA in 1988 and I think it was all happening right around then.
Ah, the big reveal! It's within walking distance of work yet I've never seen it. I'll go visit before it gets demolished. I'm betting that's its fate rather than renovation. Shame. That's a fine old door.
A color pic? wow,, I love it.. isn't it cool when that happens? every now and then I can get a photo like that... You would of loved SM..omg, my husband rented an apt. in the old Adams Hotel there..(its gone) he told me it was one huge room- kinda like the brownstones in NY.
Susan, I've been by there a million times, even walked by, and never saw it. It's hidden in plain sight.
Kalei, that sounds amazing. I vaguely remember visiting Santa Monica with my family as a kid--maybe 8 years old. It was nothing like it is today, there were even abandoned buildings by the beach.
Ooooh, that door is so enticing! I'd love to open it and take a peek inside. It would be a crying shame if a place like that is demolished rather than restored.
Loved this series. I will go by the site and check it out in person. Fascinating - thanks for sharing the find.
What is sad is that they have cleaned up the boardwalk to the point where all the vendors are gone.. All condos lining the walkway... I think it was the city's intention that if they got rid of the vendors, they also got rid of the homeless... SM does take better care of the homeless than my city does... My city hides them away, the shelter gets moved around from area to area.. Up here the attitude is to ignore the problem... sad huh?
I've just been shooting with Ibarionex (and Latino Heritage's husband James) all morning and it makes me want to go back and shoot this place again.
Dive, I tried every door. All locked up snug.
Roberta, I'm amazed you didn't know it, but then again not. It hides in plain sight.
Kalei, if you have a shelter I guess the city isn't completely ignoring the problem, are they? Though it's hard for the people to find the shelter if it keeps moving...
Oh, know this area very well. The neighborhood put up a mighty, and ultimately successful, fight to keep out high-density housing.
Love your photo; the door has so much character -- and it makes you wonder what is beyond the doorway.
Let's just say that unless the homeless has access to the internet, finding the shelter is hard... I thought they had left the valley.. Food is not prepared at the shelter.. volunteers have to bring it from home already prepared...The attitude out here is 'not in my backyard'...
Hiker, I had walked around the campus many times without finding this house. Not seeing what I was seeing, I guess.
I found a door we could look into, Ms. M, but I couldn't see much.
Kalei, that's not so rare, I'm afraid. We've got some pretty good programs here, though.
I can't wait to find this building when I get back. I've never explored that part of the campus. It's going to be demolished and replaced with an apartment block, I think . And the Italianate pool may become a swimming pool. We should take photos of the campus before its gone.
My first impression is that; there should be so many stories behind that door...
I've taken many photos of the campus, Bellis. I'll post photos of the Italianate pool this coming week (don't let me forget!). I don't suppose making it into a swimming pool would be the worst thing, but I can't imagine how. It's very shallow.
I think there must be stories, Aysegul. Maybe that's what intrigues us about a ruin, no matter how old it is.
ding, ding, ding. Ambassador. You know, I giggle a little when I get it right!
I hung out more than I care to admit back in my day, on that campus, exploring.
And yes, take pics--at least for history so Ann can keep posting the mystery photo contest for eons!
Swimming pool? For micro-midgets? Can't remember the depth, but, as I recall the one time I managed to get in it, I didn't come out too wet.
Only one correction in the comments for Kalei...it's the Tournament of Roses Parade, not the Rose Bowl parade. My own little pet peeve.
Did we walk around this one when we were there with Virginia her first trip out???
Chieftess, we were on the Ambassador Campus but as far as I know, none of us knew at the time that this place was there.
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