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Overview

This notable building accommodated a Kress five-and-dime department store between 1923 and 1981, and contained many offices on upper floors, used by a variety of corporate and professional clients.

Building Notes

Some of the first-floor storefronts of the Long Beach Kress Building accommodated a S.H. Kress and Company Five-and-Dime Store from its opening in 1923 until 1981. Offices were located on the seven-story building’s upper floors.

The high-rise remained vacant between 1981 and 1992, until developers Peter Janopaul and Anthony Block transformed the building into 49 loft apartments and two retail spaces. These lofts ranged in size between 900 and 2,100 square feet. The rooftop became a communal deck, available for social events. Restoration included the repainting of a wall sign advertising the Kress Five-Cent and Ten-Cent Store, and a new wall sign, in a type face emulating the other, advertised the new Kress Lofts.

Janopaul and Block's restoration occurred over 2-and-½ years between 1992 and 1995, very early for Downtown loft conversions in either Los Angeles or Long Beach, which are now common, particularly in former city. The Kress redevelopment was the first in Long Beach, and took about 2-and ½ years to sell completely to buyers. (See Susan Carrier, Los Angeles Times.com, “Loft Living,” published 03/07/1999, accessed 05/13/2020.)

Building Notes

There were also rental offices on the upper floors of the Kress Building. Architect Frank Wynkoop (1902-1978) occupied one of these rooms, #800, in 1926. (See Long Beach, California, City Directory, 1926, p. 659.)

The Pacific Institute, a business school teaching stenography and bookkeeping, leased Room #406 in 05/1928.

During the 1930s, the Kress Building had a lunch counter in its basement.

The Long Beach engineering partnership of Moffat and Nichol had its office in Room #603 of the Kress Building in 1955.

PCAD id: 14686