The building that is now home to the El Dorado Lofts was originally built in 1913, as the 12-story Hotel Stowell. Hotel Stowell was perhaps the finest project of Developer N. W. Stowell, who also fathered the Mayan Theater as well as the first five-story building in Downtown Los Angeles, in which the first electric elevator in Southern California was installed. Centered in what was known as the “Wall Street of the West” at the time, Hotel Stowell catered to the wealthy businessmen and tourists of the day greeting each of them with its Green glazed brick clad façade and golden toned, Batchelder tiled interior. Hotel Stowell was renamed the El Dorado in the 1940s and eventually fell into disrepair in the latter half of the 20th century, closing completely in 1992.
The building was reborn as El Dorado Lofts is 2010, after an extensive three-year renovation designed by Rockefeller Partners Architects. With nearly $40 million in upgrades advanced by developer Downtown Properties, the El Dorado Loft’s Gothic Revival and Art Nouveau features are a true masterpiece. Balconies have been added to the south side of the building, while the original façade and other historic elements have been immaculately restored.
Today El Dorado Lofts features 65 units ranging from 850 to 1,700 square feet. Owners and their guests are greeted by a 7,500 square foot, two-story, lobby featuring original mosaic-style floors, skylights and Batchelder tiled columns and walls that lead to a 15-foot wide stairway which leads up to a mezzanine level. Residences vary in design from traditional lofts to layouts with enclosed bedrooms, but each includes hardwood floors, at least one balcony, and wooden doors dating to 1898 that were once office doors at the prominent Douglas Building.
Building Highlights
Decadent 19th Century Façade
Grand Dual Level Lobby
Surrounded By Downtown Los Angeles’ Sparking Skyline
Peter Ryan Real Estate 