Location: Pine Avenue, Downtown Long Beach
District: District 1
Description: Restoration of exterior facades of the Kress condominium development. The restoration of the building's original department store Renaissance Revival façade proudly exemplifies Pine Avenue's history as a retail avenue. Originally constructed in 1929, the eight-story building was an important link of the national chain created by Samuel H. Kress. The façade's ornate capitals and cornice frieze, with a swag relief, were refurbished. Aside from the architectural detailing; the façade also features an original advertisement of the Kress store. This boldly colored nostalgic mural reminds us of the carefree days of buying soda pop for a stroll down Pine Avenue to the ocean. The juxtaposition of the two signs, Kress Lofts and Kress Store, strengthens Long Beach's desire to move forward, use its commercial history as a foundation.
Funding: Commision $72,000. Under the RDA Percent for Public Art program, the developers, Pine Avenue Partners II Ltd and the J. Peter Brock and Land Grant Companies, were required to spend eighty percent of one percent of the projects total costs on restoration of architectural detailing, in lieu of a public art project. The remaining twenty percent was deposited into the PCA's Public Art Fund.
Completion: March 25, 1995
< Back to Section 1
