| United Artists Theatre | |
|---|---|
 Exterior of the building (c. 2008) | |
| Former names | United Artists Theatre(1927–90) University Cathedral(1990–2011) The Ace Hotel Downtown Los Angeles(2014–2024) |
| Hotel chain | Kasa |
| General information | |
| Status | Completed |
| Type |
|
| Location | Downtown Los Angeles |
| Address | 929 S Broadway Los Angeles,CA 90015-1609 |
| Coordinates | 34°02′30″N118°15′26″W / 34.0416°N 118.2571°W /34.0416; -118.2571 |
| Groundbreaking | March 5, 1927 |
| Opened | (1927-12-26)December 26, 1927 (age 97) |
| Renovated | 2012–14 |
| Cost | $3 million ($54.3 million in 2024 dollars[1]) |
| Height | |
| Roof | 73.76 m (242.0 ft) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 13 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | |
| Structural engineer | Scofield Engineering Construction |
| Other information | |
| Seating capacity | 1,600(The United Theater on Broadway) |
| Number of rooms | 182 |
| Number of restaurants | 1(The Coffeebar) |
| Number of bars | 1(Sauced Wine Bar) |
| Facilities | The United Theater on Broadway |
Historic site | |
| Architectural style(s) | Spanish Gothic |
| Official name | United Artists Theater Building |
| Designated | March 20, 1991[2] |
| Reference no. | 523 |
| Designated | April 12, 2002[3] |
| Part of | Broadway Theater and Commercial District 2002 expansion |
| Reference no. | 02000330 |
| References | |
| [4][5] | |
TheUnited Artists Theatre is a historic formermovie palace and office building located at 937 South Broadway in downtownLos Angeles,California. It was the tallest building in the city for one year after its completion in 1927 and was the tallest privately owned structure in Los Angeles until 1956. Its style isSpanish Gothic, patterned afterSegovia Cathedral inSegovia,Spain. The office space was converted into alimited-serviceboutique hotel in the 21st century, previously operated byAce Hotels and by Kasa since 2024.
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The theatre was designed by the architectC. Howard Crane of the firmWalker & Eisen for theUnited Artists film studio formed byD. W. Griffith,Charlie Chaplin,Douglas Fairbanks andMary Pickford.[6] The theater, a classicmovie palace, was one of many constructed by United Artists and served as a major premier house. The theater occupies three floors of the 13-story building and has a 2,214-seat auditorium.[7] Like many movie theaters, the seat rows sink in toward the front of the orchestra section, so ticket holders there must look up at the stage.[8]
The United Artists Theatre was first leased bytelevangelistGene Scott in 1989, to be used as the location from which to broadcast the live Sunday services of his ministry. Scott held his first Sunday service there in 1990 and continued to hold Sunday services there until his death in 2005. A designated historic monument in itself, the building was for many years topped by the historic "Jesus Saves" neon signs (originally from theChurch of the Open Door). They were located in the rear lower roof, one facing the west and one north, until September 10, 2011, when one sign was removed by crane. The building was claimed to house the largest collection of Bibles in private hands. After leasing for thirteen years, Gene Scott purchased the building in 2002. Following Scott's death, services continued to be held at the Los Angeles University Cathedral by Melissa Scott, the widow of Gene Scott, with services broadcast over TV, shortwave radio, and the Internet. In October 2011, Scott's Wescott Christian Center Inc. sold the building to Greenfield Partners, a real estate investment company located inWestport, Connecticut, for $11 million.[9]
The theater was restored and re-opened on February 14, 2014 as the Theatre at theAce Hotel, with concerts by the British rock bandSpiritualized.[7] L.A. Dance Project, a dance company founded by choreographerBenjamin Millepied, also took residence in the theater.[7]Red Hot Chili Peppers performed a fundraiser at the Ace Hotel on February 5, 2016, in support of presidential candidateBernie Sanders.[10]
In 2024, the theater rebranded once again as The United Theater on Broadway.[11]
The building was completely restored and renovated to serve as a luxury boutique hotel calledAce Hotel Downtown Los Angeles. It featured 182 rooms, a pool, a restaurant and three bars, as well as the restored theatre.[12] It opened on January 16, 2014. In December 2014, Greenfield Partners put the building up for sale, seeking about $100 million as the sale price.[13] In May 2015, Chesapeake Lodging Trust bought the building for $103 million.[14]
The hotel closed on January 31, 2024.[15]
The hotel reopened in February 2024, managed by Kasa Living, Inc.[16] as STILE Downtown Los Angeles by Kasa.[17] STILE Downtown Los Angeles by Kasa is a limited-service, rooms-only hotel, managed via a tech platform, without any food and beverage establishments.[18]
The building was not listed in theNational Register of Historic Places'sBroadway Theater and Commercial District when it was first created in 1979,[19] but it was included when the district was expanded in 2002.[3] The building is also listed asLos Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument #523.[20]
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