837 N Spring St
Los Angeles, CA 90012

Over its long history dating back to the late 19th century, the site where 837 North Spring Street stands has been a vinegar factory, copper shop, wagon workshop, and blacksmith. The existing building was completed in 1912 for use as a paper factory by San Francisco-based Floriston Pulp & Paper Company. At the time of its construction, it was lauded as one of the most fireproof buildings in all Los Angeles. It operated as a paper factory until 1942 when it was acquired and turned into a spice wholesale outlet. Today the building has been rehabilitated for creative office and retail use, highlighting its industrial architecture, while adding contemporary design features. The building' s location across from the Chinatown Metro Gold Line station makes getting to and from 837 North Spring convenient and walkable. Chinatown has a long, multi-cultural history mixed in with Los Angeles' early industrial years. Originally called Sonoratown, in the 1850s the area was home to a community of immigrants from northern Mexico. Over the years, the neighborhood became an important enclave of immigrant communities from Greece, Italy, Croatia, France and most recently China. Old Chinatown was originally located where Union Station sits today. The construction of the station in 1938 led to the push of early residents to today' s Chinatown. The community has flourished since. Chinatown continues to thrive as a center for Chinese culture and community. New residential projects have been built, with more planned. A concentration of artists, studios and galleries have come to call Chinatown home many of them opening gallery spaces along Chinatown' s heart at Chung King Road. New restaurants like Roy Choi' s Chego, Andy Ricker' s Pok Pok Phat Thai, and ice cream shop Scoops are opening alongside classic Chinese restaurants; and grand civic projects like Cornfield Park (opening 2015), the LA River Revitalization and Union Station' s Master Plan are further enriching the neighborhood' s significance.