History
Completed in 1914 to manufacture Ford Model T automobiles, the poured-concrete and block building was the second Ford Motor plant to be built west of the Mississippi. It has become one the most iconic buildings in downtown Los Angeles.
Honoring the storied past of The Ford Factory, restoration and redevelopment of the site will preserve the architectural integrity of this landmark building, which is designated as a historical structure and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The design and construction team will employ highly sustainable strategies and seek LEED® certification.
The Model T
1913
Plans come together for a fireproof factory structure for The Ford Company.
1923
Originally designed by the architecture firm of Parkinson & Bergstrom, a dominant architectural firm for major Los Angeles structures in the early 20th century.
1925
Electrical lamps are installed up and down 7th Street and Santa Fe Avenue sparking a commercial boom in the downtown sector.
A milestone in industrial history, the Model T was made here until 1927, when Ford introduced the Model A, which continued to be produced at the site until 1929. Since that time, the building has housed U.S. Rubber, Lockheed Aircraft, Bullocks and the Imperial Toy Company among other industrial tenants.
1936
The robust “mushroom” support beams remain a distinctive architectural element of The Ford Factory.
Restoration of The Ford Factory will make extensive use of recycled materials from the property and distinctive elements like the building’s steel window frames and skylights will be retained, although glass will be replaced. While no longer functional, the rooftop water tower remains as a striking visual landmark.
1952
Aerial view of Los Angeles’ expanding downtown district looking west from The Ford Factory site.