Travel Guide

LAX Airport Parking and the Bradbury Building

It's easy to find beautiful buildings in a cosmopolitan city like Los Angeles. Practically every corner boasts a skyscraper worthy of recognition, providing visitors with endless sightseeing scenarios. One such high-rise is that of the Bradbury Building located at 304 South Broadway. Commissioned by mining millionaire Louis Bradbury, the Bradbury Building features and Italian Renaissance styled exterior of brown brick, sandstone and terra cotta details. Built at the turn of the 20th century, the Bradbury Building is one of Los Angeles' oldest establishments, boasting ornate elements like caged elevators and rich marble floors. A major office complex for most of its existence, the Bradbury Building is now under government protection and was recently classified as a National Historic Landmark. The building now functions at the headquarters for the Los Angeles Police Department's Internal Affairs division and a handful of other government agencies. Customers of Johnny Parks LAX Airport Parking are encouraged to visit this beautiful example of "Commercial Romanesque" during an upcoming vacation.

From Ghosts to Glory: The Story Behind the Bradbury

When Louis Bradbury decided to enter the business of real estate he knew he'd have to make a big first impression. In order to do this he planned on constructing a five story building at Third Street and Broadway, close to the prosperous Bunker Hill neighborhood. Bradbury initially hired local architect Sumner Hunt for the job, but quickly realized that the fellow was far too inexperienced to understand the scope of such an ornate project. Bradbury then turned to George Wyman, one of Hunt's draftsmen for further insight. Wyman at first refused to participate in the project, but his stance quickly changed after he supposedly partook in a ghostly conversation with is dead brother Mark. The eerie message came to Wyman through a planchette board and it read "Mark Wyman take the Bradbury Building and you will be successful", with the word "successful" written upside down. This strange message from beyond convinced Wyman to take the job and he is now considered the mastermind behind one of LA's most prestigious buildings.

A Futuristic View: Influences on the Architecture of the Bradbury Building

Wyman's initial design for the Bradbury Building was greatly influenced by Edward Bellamy's book Looking Backward which described a utopian society in the year 200 (the book was published in 1887). Buildings in this novel were described as being "vast hall[s] of light, received not only from the windows on all sides, but from the dome, the point of which was a hundred feet above". Descriptions of frescos, and airy interiors helped shape Wyman's blueprints, resulting in the Bradbury building LAX airport parking customers see today. Customers of Johnny Parks LAX Airport parking are more than welcome to visit the Bradbury Building. Government workers are on hand to aid visitors with historical facts and architectural information. Brochures and tours of the first floor are also available, making the Bradbury Building a popular tourist attraction. Must-see features within the building include a geometrically patterned staircase, caged elevators covered with wrought iron grillwork and central court skylight.

The Bradbury Building has long been an important part of the Los Angeles' architectural and commercial history. If you're planning on visiting the Bradbury building during your upcoming vacation Johnny Parks LAX Airport Parking highly recommends visiting other neighborhood attractions like the Grand Central Market, the Angels Flight railway and the Million Dollar Theater. Customers of Johnny Parks LAX Airport Parking can also rent the 1950's film noir classic D.O.A. for a better look at the building's architectural features. The building was also used in the films Blade Runner, Wolf starring Jack Nicholson and Murphy's Law. It has also been highlighted in a number of commercials and television series.