Downtown Art Deco

This walk through Downtown profiles the rich Art Deco & Streamline Moderne architecture that enveloped Long Beach, replacing the structures lost during the 1933 Earthquake.

Distance: 1.52 Miles  |  Difficulty:  ●○○○○

Departing from First Street and Pine Avenue, take a moment to study the famous Buffums Department Store AUTOPORT PARKING STRUCTURE just to the west. Built in 1940 the Streamline Moderne details including curved aerodynamic features and ocean liner theme. Walk north to view the terra cotta glazed tile cladding of the Zigzag Art Deco Moderne ❶ ROWAN BUILDING at Broadway’s northwest corner. Continue on Pine turning right at Third Street toward Harvey Milk Park, which hosts the 1935 Works Project Administration ❷ RECREATION IN LONG BEACH MURAL, made up of 466,000 tiles.  Admire the rich ornamentation of the ART BUILDING façade across 3rd Street, just beyond the park.  Continue along 3rd Street where the Streamline Moderne, former ACRES OF BOOKS [south] and 1930’s era UNITED STATES POST OFFICE of “Monumental Art Deco” Style [north] flank Long Beach Boulevard.  Go north on Elm Avenue, to view the iron work window screens of 312 ELM. Go east on 4th Street where the updated ❸ CITRON BUILDING is just beyond the very yellow Park[d] Plaza.  Go South on Atlantic Avenue to see the GOTHAM LOFTS [229 Atlantic] and ATLANTIC STUDIO [226 Atlantic]. Turn right at Broadway to view the Streamline Modern style ❹ METRO APARTMENTS at the northeast and Zigzag Art Deco Style LAFAYETTE BUILDING at the southeast corner at Linden Avenue.  Head south toward the ocean-themed Art Deco UTOPIA BUILDING is located at the north- west corner of First Street.  Continue south and peak into the ❺COOPER ARMS, to see the Art Deco paneling, terrazzo flooring and bronze doors.  Stroll west on Ocean Boulevard until reaching the origin of this walk at Pine Avenue.  

Download Downtown Art Deco Card Here.