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Building History

The New York-based Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) purchased 25 acres of land at the corner of North Fairfax Avenue and Beverly Boulevards in 1950. The company's president, William S. Paley, sought to create a state-of-the-art production studio large enough to produce multiple shows to be shown on his television network. CBS expected great expansion of the medium once the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) completed its report on allocating local television VHF and UHF frequencies. An FCC moratorium imposed in 1948 curtailed the rapid expansion of local television stations for four years, while the complex issue could be studied by a government commission. Release of this FCC report on 04/11/1952, enabled the process of licensing local broadcast affiliates of the main networks of the time, including CBS, the National Broadcasting System (NBC), the American Broadcasting System (ABC), and the DuMont television Network. (SeeEighteenth Annual Report Federal Communications Commission, Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 1952, [Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office, 1953], p. 6-7.)

The firm of Pereira and Luckman, formed in 1950, created the masterplan and designs of main buildings for the complex.

Building Notes

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) awarded the CBS Television City a Merit Award in 1954 for cultural buildings.

Alteration

CBS made large-scale additions to Television City in 1957-1958. Progressive Architecture noted in its 08/1957 issue: "A new expansion program to be completed in 1958 will increase facilities of Television City in Hollywood, Calif. Production-center addition will have an increased 160,000 sq ft while new eight-story administraton building will contain 110,000 sq ft of floor space. Pereira & Luckman, architects-engineers for the CBS city, have integrated the project with the original plan. Production center will include two TV studios, rehearsal halls, other expanded facilities. Admininstration building will be of aluminum and glass with glass-covered spandrel construction: production center wiil be concrete from ground to studio level, steel frame above. Interiors will be executed by Knoll Associates, New York." (See "P/A News Bulletins," Progressive Architecture, vol. 38, no. 8, 08/1957, p. 99.)

An addition was made in 1976 by Gin Wong Associates.

PCAD id: 4322