Cato Hernández
has scoured through tons of archives to understand how our region became the way it is today.
Published December 28, 2023 5:00 AM
A view of the marquee outisde the theater during 2017 Sundance NEXT FEST at The Theater at The Ace Hotel on Aug. 11, 2017.
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Emma McIntyre
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Getty Images for Sundance
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Topline:
The Ace Hotel is on its way out, likely ushering in another chapter in the historic building’s long existence. We look at its past and ahead to see where it might go next.
Why it matters: Downtown has struggled to get foot traffic back since the pandemic, so the hotel leaving could again bring change to the area. The theater will continue to operate under an unknown owner.
Keep reading... to learn more about the many phases the Spanish Gothic building has gone through since opening in 1927.
The Ace Hotel in downtown Los Angeles is closing at the end of January, and with that the most recent chapter in the Spanish Gothic building’s storied past.
A spokesperson for the Ace Hotel, an international chain, told LAist that the owners of the building, which includes the Theater at Ace Hotel, will be converting the property to a “limited-service, rooms-only operation, managed via a tech platform.”
The location at 929 South Broadway has gone through many transformations, including an office conversion, an arts theater and a church. While there’s little known about what exactly the change will look like, it’s a marked difference for downtown.
The building’s history
Groundbreaking ceremony for the United Artists Theatre, looking toward the grandstand. The theater was built in 1927 and was part of the Texaco Building.
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Security Pacific National Bank Collection
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Los Angeles Public Library
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Before it was a swanky hotel, it began in 1927 with a bit of a double life.
It housed the California Petroleum Corporation office, later known as the Texaco Building, in the spaces above, and behind that, the United Artists Theatre. Business up front, party in the back.
United Artists had been created less than a decade before, when a group of film legends including Mary Pickford and Charlie Chaplin left the studio system to form their own company. It gave them total control over the creation and distribution of their work, and the downtown theater was their flagship film spot for West Coast showings.
The 13-story building’s Spanish Gothic design mirrored trends of the 1920s, and some of the decorations are copied from the Segovia Cathedral in Spain. Pickford put so much money into the theater’s design that the plaster cast molds had to be re-used in Detroit and Chicago to cut down costs.
In 1989, the property took on a new life. Televangelist Gene Scott acquired it to hold services for the University Cathedral Church until it moved out in 2011. He put giant neon “Jesus Saves” signs on the building, which had come from the Bible Institute of Los Angeles after it was torn down.
“Scott had bribed them, the demolition contractor, to take the ‘Jesus Saves’ signs back to their yard,” said Richard Schave, who leads historical tours around L.A. through Esotouric. “And he came and picked them up the next day. He saved the signs.”
One “Jesus Saves” sign is still on the downtown building, which has become a bit of an icon. The building was listed as a city historic-cultural monument in 1991.
The Ace Hotel’s arrival
Guests attend Adult Swim's DREAM CORP LLC Season 2 Premiere at Ace Hotel on October 17, 2018 in Los Angeles, California.
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John Sciulli
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Getty Images for Adult Swim
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After the church closed, the building was renovated and the office space was converted into a hotel.
The Broadway district drifted away from its polished, energetic roots after corporations moved in and the streets became run down. When the Ace Hotel arrived in 2014, the operators were interested in “reactivating” the theater as a focal point for culture in downtown.
Transparency note
The Ace Hotel has supported LAist in the past. Our newsroom maintains a firewall between our journalism and sponsorship teams, and the Ace Hotel had no control or input on the writing of this story
Since its stewardship, the Theater at Ace Hotel has held numerous big shows, including ones with the Sundance Institute and Cinespia. It’s hosted live reads and screenings like the Mad Men series finale. LAist has also participated in a number of public radio shows at the hotel.
Building ownership changed hands a few times but the Ace Hotel Group stayed throughout. While an Ace Hotel spokesperson declined to confirm the sale details with LAist, the building was reportedly most recently sold to an unnamed investor in November 2019 for $117 million. And through that time, the theater’s weird-yet-iconic “Cathedral of Our Lady Fingers” stuck around too.
Esotouric's Richard Schave and his wife, Kim Cooper, have led tours downtown for about a decade. During that time, they saw the area around the Ace Hotel change during former city councilmember José Huizar’s revitalization efforts, ‘Bring Back Broadway’ which started in 2008.
“It only worked down around the Ace,” Cooper said. “It created this sort of ripple effect where in the immediate vicinity of the Ace, things actually happened, as opposed to the dead zone from about — I think it’s 7th through 4th — where we just saw everything die.”
Cooper said they saw buildings get flipped and small businesses get evicted as new real estate moved in. She and her husband want to see the Broadway District revived to its former, busy glory.
What’s next
Downtown has largely been quiet since the pandemic as nearby offices go unused, so the departure of the Ace Hotel may not surprise some.
“We count ourselves fortunate to have made a home in Downtown Los Angeles for the past decade,” according to the hotel’s statement. “And while the neighborhood has been slow to recover following Covid, it was remarkable to be a part of the exceptional revitalization the area experienced during those years.”
With the Ace Hotel on the way out, there are unanswered details about the building’s future.
The theater will remain open, managed separately by an unnamed group. And there’s talk that the “tech platform” that will operate the hotel portion could be something like Sonder or Airbnb.
A spokesperson declined to answer whether the Ace Hotel Group would open another location in L.A.
“We’ll always have love for Los Angeles,” the hotel statement continued, “and look forward to sharing what’s on the horizon for the brand in the year to come.”
The Ace Hotel’s last day in the building will be Jan. 31.
First artifacts installed in LA museum's expansion
Makenna Sievertson
has been covering space shuttle Endeavour's journey at the California Science Center since December 2023.
Published November 18, 2025 4:08 PM
The first of many artifacts have been installed in the Kent Kresa Space Gallery, including a space shuttle main engine (right) and a solid rocket booster segment.
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Makenna Sievertson
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LAist
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Topline:
The California Science Center unveiled Tuesday the first of many launch vehicles, engines and other artifacts set to be installed in the museum’s 200,000-square-foot expansion coming to Exposition Park.
Why it matters: Jeff Rudolph, president and CEO of the California Science Center, said the $450 million expansion is California’s biggest “endeavor” yet that will inspire the next generation of scientists, engineers and explorers.
Why now: The first artifacts in the expanded museum were placed in the Kenta Kresa Space Gallery, including a three-story-tall Electron launch vehicle from Rocket Lab in Long Beach.
The backstory: It’ll be the only place in the world where visitors can see an authentic space shuttle in its “Go for Stack” position, which is what museum officials called the process of moving each of the space shuttle components into place.
What's next: Officials expect to announce next year an opening date for the expansion.
Read on ... for a peak inside the expansion coming to Exposition Park.
The California Science Center unveiled Tuesday the first of many launch vehicles, engines and other artifacts set to be installed in the museum’s 200,000-square-foot expansion coming to Exposition Park.
Once complete, the new Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center will include multi-level galleries built around a towering centerpiece — the space shuttle Endeavour — displayed in its 20-story vertical launch position.
It’ll be the only place in the world where visitors can see an authentic space shuttle in its “Go for Stack” position, which is what museum officials called the process of moving each of the space shuttle components into place.
Museum admission will be free.
Jeff Rudolph, president and CEO of the California Science Center, said the $450 million expansion is California’s biggest “endeavor” yet to inspire the next generation of scientists, engineers and explorers.
“The enthusiasm that people have when they come in and see this stuff and get excited about it will hopefully lead to many more people, young and old, but particularly young people wanting to pursue more education in science,” Rudolph told LAist.
Museum officials expect to announce next year an opening date, according to Rudolph.
A look inside the center
The Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center will feature three main galleries: the Samuel Oschin Shuttle Gallery, the Korean Air Aviation Gallery and the Kent Kresa Space Gallery.
Guests will be guided through hundreds of exhibits and authentic artifacts focused on the exploration of the universe — including rocket ships that carried humans into space and telescopes used to view stars and galaxies beyond our reach.
A real Electron launch vehicle from Rocket Lab in Long Beach spans several stories tall in the Kent Kresa Space Gallery.
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Makenna Sievertson
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LAist
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The first artifacts in the expanded museum were placed in the Kenta Kresa Space Gallery, including a three-story-tall Electron launch vehicle from Rocket Lab in Long Beach.
Adam Spice, chief financial officer of Rocket Lab, told LAist the Electron helped lower the cost of getting to space by sending satellites in smaller, cheaper rockets. The new center is an opportunity to get up close and personal with an Electron for the first time outside of a factory.
Spice said he hopes it’ll show visitors their dreams can become a reality.
“They can be part of something much bigger than probably they ever thought they could,” he said.
The first artifacts installed in the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center include a solid rocket booster segment. Kenneth Phillips, aerospace curator, shows the scale of the piece, which has flown into space several times.
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Makenna Sievertson
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LAist
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The solid rocket booster segment will become a walk-through interactive experience in the Kent Kresa Space Gallery.
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Makenna Sievertson
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LAist
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A segment of a solid rocket booster that flew into space several times is laid on its side on the second floor of the gallery.
Kenneth Phillips, the California Science Center’s aerospace curator, told LAist it’ll be turned into an interactive exhibit with audio, video and educational graphics.
“It's 12 feet in diameter, so people can actually walk through it and learn about the function of it from the inside out literally,” Phillips said.
Visitors will be able to get up close and personal with a space shuttle main engine.
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Makenna Sievertson
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LAist
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A detailed model of a space shuttle main engine is set up next to the solid rocket booster. Three of those main engines helped boost space shuttles into orbit by providing about 20% of their power, Phillips said.
What's next
Construction of the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center started more than three years ago and is on track to be completed in the coming weeks, according to museum officials.
With construction of the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center weeks away from completion, crews have started to put in landscaping around the outside of the expansion.
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Makenna Sievertson
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LAist
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The exterior of the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center as of Tuesday.
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Makenna Sievertson
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LAist
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The remaining exhibits and artifacts will then be installed over "many months," Rudolph said. Officials expect to announce next year an opening date for the expansion.
The California Science Center also is looking to raise about $70 million more for the $450 million project before it opens. You can learn more about its “EndeavourLA” fundraising campaign here.
Matt Dangelantonio
directs production of LAist's daily newscasts, shaping the radio stories that connect you to SoCal.
Published November 18, 2025 3:58 PM
The Westwood Village Theater will be operated and programmed by American Cinematheque when it opens
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George Rose
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Getty Images
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Topline:
The group of directors restoring the Village Theater in Westwood are tapping film nonprofit American Cinematheque to program and run the venue when it opens.
Why it matters: American Cinematheque also programs the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica, the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood and the Los Feliz Theater, making it a visible and active film arts nonprofit in the industry.
The backstory: The nearly century-old movie palace went up for sale in 2024 before Village Directors Circle bought it in February. The group is comprised of more than 30 notable filmmakers. They're led by director Jason Reitman (Thank You For Smoking, Juno) and their ranks include Guillermo del Toro, Alfonso Cuarón, Lulu Wang, Chloé Zhao, Christopher Nolan and Ryan Coogler.
What's next: VDC says it's eyeing a 2027 opening for the Village Theater, and is currently in the quiet phase of a capital campaign to raise $25 million to restore and remodel the Village Theater into a more than 1,000-seat venue.
For January fire survivors looking for fresh start
Gillian Morán Pérez
is an associate producer for LAist’s early All Things Considered show.
Published November 18, 2025 3:46 PM
Residents embrace in front of a fire-ravaged property after the Palisades Fire swept through in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles on Jan. 8.
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Etienne Laurent
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AP
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Topline:
The city of Long Beach has launched a new jobs program to help people affected by January’s fires.
Who is it for? The initiative will provide paid career opportunities and financial assistance to people looking for a fresh start in Long Beach.
To start, 10 people will get up to 300 hours of paid work experience with local employers. Another five people also will get training scholarships of up to $7,500 in high-demand fields like health care and information technology.
Who's paying for it? The initiative is funded by a $130,000 federal act called the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.
How to apply: Anyone interested in applying can contact Nakawa Shepherd, Career Center manager, Economic Development and Opportunity, at Nakawa.Shepherd@longbeach.gov or visit the LBWIN Adult Career Services Center.
How to participate: Long Beach’s Economic Development and Opportunity office also is looking for local employers to provide on-the-job training for applicants.
Jacob Margolis
covers science, with a focus on environmental stories and disasters.
Published November 18, 2025 2:51 PM
This undated photo provided by the U.S. Attorney's Office shows Jonathan Rinderknecht, who has been accused of setting a fire that led to the Palisades Fire.
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U.S. Attorney's Office
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Topline:
The man accused of igniting a fire that led to the deadly and destructive Palisades Fire in January will remain in custody without bond, U.S. Judge Rozella Oliver decided Tuesday in Los Angeles. Jonathan Rinderknecht has been in custody since his arrest in Florida on Oct. 7.
Where things stand: Rinderknecht was indicted by a federal grand jury in October and is charged with one count of arson, one count of timber set afire and one count of destruction of property by means of fire. Rinderknecht pleaded not guilty in mid-October and faces anywhere from five to 45 years in federal prison if convicted. His trial is set to begin April 21, 2026. His lawyers recently asked the court to allow him out of custody as he awaits trial.
Argument against release: In a filing on Monday, prosecutors said Rinderknecht is a flight risk because of his familial ties to France, as well as a danger to the community. The filing states that Rinderknecht threatened to burn down his sister’s home and that he purchased a gun and threatened to kill his brother-in-law. Prosecutors also raised the fact that a judge determined in October that the suspect’s mental health had declined.
The allegations: Authorities allege Rinderknecht set fire to brush near the Skull Rock Trailhead in the Santa Monica Mountains at around midnight Jan. 1, starting the Lachman Fire. Though the fire was held to just 8 acres and was believed to have been extinguished, authorities say it flared up once again amid strong, dry winds a week later. That fire grew into the Palisades Fire, which killed 12 people and destroyed more than 6,800 structures.
