Overview

This four-story, masonry building was designed by Ira Earl Frary (1890-1919) for D.F. Hill, a banker and investor. It was located in a rapidly expanding part of Downtown Los Angeles in 1912.

Building History

Frary did not produce much independent work during his short life. This hotel and another proposed for Venice were his primary known design, done outside of his partnership with Eugene Howard MacGibbon (b. 1883). The Los Angeles Times reported in its issue of 08/25/1912 about the proposed Hill Hotel: "Following closely upon the announcement that work will be started within a few weeks upon the construction of a three-story store and hotel building at the northeast corner of Ninth and Hill streets comes the definite statement that plans are being prepared for a four-story and basement brick hotel building to be erected at 819 South Hill street for D.F. Hill capitalist and treasurer of the Funding Company of California. The site is now occupied by an old frame building and the owner states that building operations will begin just as soon as possession can be obtained, which will be in about thirty days. Architect I.E. Frary is preparing the plans for the new building which will have a frontage of sixty feet on Hill Street and a depth of 155 feet. The cost of the improvement will be approximately $75,000. There will be 102 guest rooms, nearly half of which will have private baths attached. Public toilets and bathrooms will also be provided on each floor of the hotel. On the ground floor will be a lobby and two storerooms extending the full depth of the building. The lobby will have tile floor and marble wainscot. the front of the building, which will be quite ornate, will be faced with pressed brick." (See "New Hostelry To Be Ornate," Los Angeles Times, 09/13/2016, part V, p. 1.)

PCAD id: 20560