Van de Kamp Bakery Building
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United States
| Van de Kamp Bakery Building | |
|---|---|
 | |
 Interactive map of the Van de Kamp Bakery Building area | |
| General information | |
| Type | Dutch Renaissance |
| Location | 2930 Fletcher Drive Los Angeles, 90039 United States |
| Construction started | 1930 |
| Completed | 1931 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | J. Edwin Hopkins |
| Designated | May 12, 1992 |
| Reference no. | 569 |
The Van de Kamp Bakery Building was built in 1930 in the Glassell Park neighborhood of Los Angeles.[1] It served as the headquarters of the chain of bakeries and coffee shops known for their distinctive windmill architecture. The building was designed by New York architect J. Edwin Hopkins to resemble a Dutch 16th century farmhouse.[2] Originally there was a Van de Kamp's store next to the building, which was one of the first Van de Kamp's stores ever made and had the famous Van de Kamp's windmill style design. The building remains the only example of an industrial plant in the Renaissance Revival and Dutch Colonial Revival styles.[3] The bakery closed in October 1990 after Van de Kamps filed for Chapter 11.[4] The building is a designated Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument, declared on May 12, 1992.
Between November 2003 and January 2004 the rear of the building which was the warehouse was demolished.
In 2010, this building underwent a $72-million renovation by the Los Angeles Community College District with the intent of being a Los Angeles City College satellite campus. The site is instead leased to charter school and job training groups.[5]
The building was constructed by Pozzo Construction Co. in 1930.[6] The building was officially designated as a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument on May 12, 1992.[7]
A 2010 renovation for the LACC satellite campus was implemented by QDG Architecture for the building to be used as a charter school.[8]
Design
Built in a Renaissance Revival style with Dutch Colonial influences, the Van de Kamp Bakery Building was intended to resemble a 16th century Dutch farmhouse.[9]
Lease
The building is currently leased by the Alliance Leichtman-Levine Family Foundation Environmental Science High School, which is a public high school in the Los Angeles Unified School District.[10]
Building Timeline
1930 - Construction begins on the Glassell Park headquarters and bakery plant.
1931 - Building completed, becomes the central production facility for Van de Kamp’s.
1930s–1980s - The complex operates as a major industrial bakery, distributing goods across the region.
October 1990 - Van de Kamp’s files for Chapter 11, the bakery closes.
May 12, 1992 - Building designated Los Angeles Historic‑Cultural Monument #569.
Late 1990s - Warehouse appears in TV and film productions (Nowhere, Breaking the Magician’s Code).
Nov 2003 – Jan 2004 - Rear warehouse and loading facilities demolished.
2010 - $72‑million renovation completed by LACCD, building adapted for educational use.
2010–Present - Building leased to charter school and job‑training programs; façade preserved.
