It sits in one of the sketchiest parts of Downtown, but it’s worth taking your life in your hands to see the wonder that is the Coca Cola Bottling Plant (often referred to as The Coke Building)
This enormous circa 1939 behemoth was designed by Robert V Derrah in the Streamline Moderne style. (Darrah had previously designed LA’s first outdoor shopping mall, The Crossroads of the World, in 1936)
The wonder of it is that is designed to look like an enormous white ship (with Coca Cola red trim, of course)
It sits on a huge corner block, so you have wonderful views of its seafaring details including portholes, deck, catwalk and bridge.
One of its many wonders is knowing that this wonderful building is basically a remodeling of the five separate buildings that previously made up the bottling plant (or Coca Cola Syrup Plant as it was sometimes known then)
Look for other quirky modern additions to. the site, including a giant Coke bottle and iconic Coca Cola signage.
Sadly, there are no tours of the plant, and you can only look at the building from the street.
The Coca Cola building was designated a Los Angeles Historic Cultural monument in 1975.
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Southern California -No. 167 - last visited March 2022
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