Located in the Historic Core of Downtown Los Angeles

Downtown Los Angeles

Downtown Los Angeles is the central business district of Los Angeles, California, United States, located close to the geographic center of the metropolitan area...

, the Old Bank District is a group of early 20th century commercial building

Commercial building

A commercial building is a building that is used for commercial use. Types can include office buildings, warehouses, or retail . In urban locations, a commercial building often combines functions, such as an office on levels 2-10, with retail on floor 1...

s, many of which have been (or are being) converted into residential (loft

Loft

A loft can be an upper story or attic in a building, directly under the roof. Alternatively, a loft apartment refers to large adaptable open space, often converted for residential use from some other use, often light industrial...

) use. The Old Bank District is bordered roughly by the Jewelry District

Jewelry District, Los Angeles, California

The Jewelry District is a section of Downtown Los Angeles where a variety of jeweled products are sold.According to the Los Angeles Convention Center and Visitor's Bureau, it is the largest jewelry district in the United States. The annual reported sales from the Jewelry District is just under $3...

, the Fashion District

Fashion District, Los Angeles, California

The Fashion District is a design, warehouse, and distribution nexus of the clothing, accessories and fabric industry in Downtown Los Angeles. The Fashion District spans 90 blocks and is the hub of the apparel industry on the West Coast of the United States....

, Gallery Row

Gallery Row, Los Angeles, California

Gallery Row is a district in Downtown Los Angeles designated by the City Council in 2003 to promote the concentration of art galleries along Main Street and Spring Street and to create a thriving, pedestrian-friendly, culturally abundant, urban neighborhood...

, the Toy District

Toy District, Los Angeles, California

The Toy District is located in the industrial section of eastern Downtown Los Angeles, roughly bounded by Los Angeles Street on the West, Third and Fifth Streets to the North and South, and extending eastward to San Pedro Street....

, and the city's Civic Center

Civic Center, Los Angeles, California

The Civic Center neighborhood of Los Angeles, California is the administrative core of the City of Los Angeles and a complex of city, state, and federal government offices, buildings, and courthouses.-Location:...

 - specifically the block from Main to Spring streets between 4th and 5th.

Though the name suggests a subdistrict of the city, it is actually the name of the residential conversion project proposed by developer Tom Gilmore

Tom Gilmore (property developer)

Tom Gilmore is a Los Angeles, California real estate developer. His successful efforts to transform historic buildings into residential properties have been credited with sparking "a tidal wave of housing developments" in Downtown Los Angeles...

 in 1998. Spurred on by the city's 1999 passage of an adaptive reuse

Adaptive reuse

Adaptive reuse refers to the process of reusing an old site or building for a purpose other than which it was built or designed for. Along with brownfield reclamation, adaptive reuse is seen by many as a key factor in land conservation and the reduction of urban sprawl...

 ordinance

Local ordinance

A local ordinance is a law usually found in a municipal code.-United States:In the United States, these laws are enforced locally in addition to state law and federal law.-Japan:...

, the first structure opened in fall 2000. Since that time, Gilmore has generally applied the Old Bank District label to his growing portfolio of upscale eateries and retail space tenants. On January 8, 2004, the Old Bank District became an official city designated district. The borders are 3rd Street at the northern border, 6th Street at the southern border, Los Angeles Street on the Eastern border, and Spring Street on the western border. http://www.lacity.org

Properties

• The Continental Building
• The Hellman Building
• The San Fernando Building
• Farmers and Merchants Bank Building
• The El Dorado Hotel (under construction)
• The Rowan Building
• Regent Theatre
• The Security Building
• Rosslyn Lofts
• Rosslyn Hotel
• The Alexandria