Schulte United Building
Historic building in Los Angeles, USA
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Schulte United Building, also known as Broadway Arts Tower[2] and Broadway Interiors,[1] is a historic five-story building located at 529 S. Broadway in the Jewelry District and Broadway Theater District in the historic core of downtown Los Angeles.
Schulte United Building | |
The building in 2014 | |
  Location within the Los Angeles metropolitan area | |
| Location | 529 S. Broadway, Los Angeles, California |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 34°02′52″N 118°15′06″W |
| Built | 1928 |
| Part of | Broadway Theater and Commercial District (ID79000484) |
| Designated CP | May 9, 1979[1] |
History
Schulte United Building, built in 1928, was originally home to the Schulte United department store and a 125-seat cafeteria. Schulte United vacated the building upon its bankruptcy in the 1960s, and the upper stores remained vacant for the next four decades.[2][3]
In 1979, the Broadway Theater and Commercial District was added to the National Register of Historic Places, with this building listed as a contributing property in the district.[1]
After the building was bought in 2012, an additional $2 million ($2.8 million in 2025) was spent converting the interior to offices.[3] This conversion, first of the Historic Commercial Reuse Initiative meant to revitalize the dormant historic buildings on Broadway,[4][5] was completed in 2014, at which point the building was renamed Broadway Arts Tower.[3] Also in 2014, the building was awarded $15,489 ($21,065 in 2025) through the Bringing Back Broadway initiative to buy decorative fluted hood lights to illuminate its top-floor signage.[6]
Architecture and design
Schulte United Building is made of brick and concrete and features a flat facade with terra cotta ornamentation.[1] The building's interior features brickwork, hardwood floors, a tin ceiling, and a large staircase with bronze inlays and brass handrails.[2][3]
Much of the building, including the facade, brickwork, ceiling, and hardwood floors, were restored when the building was converted to offices in 2014. Additionally, non-original paint was removed from the staircase, a new elevator was added, and the original elevator was converted to a "glass well" skylight.[3]