The Merritt Building
Hulett C. Merritt was born in Duluth, Minnesota, on August 17, 1872. He started out in business there helping his family as an employee of the Duluth Missabe & Northern Railroad. It was the Merritt's who had expanded DM&N by laying railroad track to Duluth in 1893, connecting the world's greatest iron ore deposit with Lake Superior. At the age of 21, which was as early as he was legally eligible, Hulett became a director of the railway, a line which had a greater record for profit than any other in the world. Representing the family firm, who owned two-thirds of the capital stock of the Missabe Mountain Iron Co, he conducted successful negotiations with steel magnet Henry W. Oliver, leasing the Missabe with a 65 cents a ton royalty payment, with a guarantee to mine not less than 400,000 tons annually. It was the highest royalty ever obtained for the lease of an iron mine in the history of the iron trade and Hulett's work on this deal won him a national reputation.
His next step helped form the Lake Superior Consolidated Iron Mines, also known as the Merritt-Rockefeller Syndicate, and in this enterprise Hulett became the largest stockholder outside of John D. Rockefeller himself. The Merritt family's shaky financial position, brought about in part by the Duluth rail expansion, allowed for Rockefeller to gain control of the DM&N railway. The Merritts filed a civil suit in 1895, but Hulett sided with Rockefeller - and Rockefeller won. It would prove to be a win for Hulett as well. In April, 1901, the Merritt-Rockefeller Syndicate made a major deal turning over all the ore and railway holdings to the U.S. Steel Corporation for $81,000,000, one of the largest single financial transactions recorded in America. As part of the deal Merritt also became one of the ten principal members of U.S. Steel - which would become the greatest single corporation on earth.
Relocating to Southern California in 1898, his estate Villa Merritt Ollivier in Pasadena was built on four acres for $1,100,000 in 1905 - 1908. The area on Pasadena's South Orange Grove Avenue was referred to locally as "Millionaires' Row." Merritt was successful with various real estate and business ventures. He became president and treasurer of the United Electric, Gas & Power Co., controlling the electric light and gas plants of seventeen cities in Southern California and the street railway system of Santa Barbara. The company would eventually consolidate with Southern California Edison. Following the financial panic of 1907, Merritt set his sights on two of the best downtown business corners of Los Angeles. In May of 1908 he purchased the northwest corner of Broadway and 8th Street for $234,000 from the Hamburger Realty and Trust Co.
Merritt hired the now legendary Reid + Reid Architects to design what he would call "a monument" to his family. The Reids are best known for their design of San Diego's Hotel del Coronado, as well as several San Francisco landmarks including the City's legendary first skyscraper The Call Building (aka The Claus Spreckles Building), the Fairmont Hotel and the Cliff House. Merritt wanted to construct a 23-story tower on that corner in downtown Los Angeles, but his plans were thwarted by the Los Angeles City Council.
Out West writes at that time, "Out West has not noticed any triumphant flourish of iterary trumpets in any of the daily newspapers of Los Angeles announcing the erection of a building at Eighth and Broadway by Hulett C. Merritt of Pasadena. Lest these inspired organs of the public conscience neglect or refuse to give all details to the waiting public, not only of Los Angeles, but of the World, Out West will assume the task. The 'Builder and Contractor' says: 'Paul Haupt [Hulett's grandson] has the contract to erect a one story brick store building, 60 by 110 feet, at the northwest corner of Eighth and Broadway for Hulett C. Merritt. It will have a cement floor, cream pressed brick front, copper sash, prism glass entrances, mahogancy interior trim, plumbing and electric wiring.' Lest we forget, it is wise to recall a few things about that particular corner of Eighth street and Broadway.
Only a few months ago, Hulett C. Merritt wanted to erect a skyscraper at that particular corner and on that particular piece of ground. He desired to build higher than the existing ordinances permitted and had every reason to think that he would be given the right, because other ambitious builders had been given the same right. Instantly there was a great outcry from the faddists and theorists who talk about the 'City Beautiful.' They could not countenance the erection of the proposed building to such a height - something over 200 feet. Mr. Merritt wanted the building to serve as a monument for the Merritt family, or something to that effect. Now while Out West saw no special reason for a monument to the Merritt pile of dollars, which were accumulated, we believe in the Michigan iron deposits, we did think that Los Angeles wanted that improvement. A miscellaneous aggregation of busybodies besieged the city council and implored that body to refuse the Merritt request; all of the theoretical beautifiers from women's clubdom inveighed against an 'architectural horror' at that corner. There was, in every way, a terrible to-do about the enterprise of Hulett C. Merritt. He lost -- the theorists won. Well they have their addition to the 'city beautiful' -- and isn't it a credit! It is full one story high. It is to have a cement floor and will have a cream pressed brick front. The sash will be of copper and the roof of composition. There wil be an interior 'mahogany trim' which, interpreted, means that mahogany stain will be used. It will help Hulett C. Merritt to pay the taxes on the corner and will in every way to an artistic addition to the city's architecture - according to the City Beautifullers."
Merritt and the Reids didn't stick with the one-story filing, but went with a ten-story design which was legally within the ordinance guidelines that would feature a rendition of Assisi's Temple of Minerva on top of a three-story base. While Merritt's real estate developments were routinely sold upon completion, The Merritt Building was his and he claimed the top floor entirely for himself when it made its debut in 1915. Merritt would go on to become president and treasurer of the Spring Street Company and the Pacific States Corporation, on top of owning several million dollars' worth of business and residential property in Los Angeles and Pasadena. He would also eventually control the Tagus Ranch Co, California Farmland Co., and the Superior Beet Sugar Corporation. Throughout his career he maintained his role as president and treasurer of Merritt Banking & Mercantile with offices in Los Angeles, Duluth and New York City.
Over the years the Merritt Building would eventually evolve, housing an array of offices with various retail stores on the ground floor. Pan America Bank of California was a noteworthy early tenant. When the Merritt Building became home to Siltons Jewelers, many began to refer to it as the Siltons Jewelry Building and some still do today. Silton's would not last nearly as long as their name though. The company, owned by Irving Diamond, would eventually find themselves without a home.
The Pasadena Star News reported on January 15, 1956, that Hulett C. Merritt had suffered a broken hip in December 1954 in a fall while getting out of his vehicle in front of the Green Hotel. After recovering at the Huntington Memorial Hospital, he was moved to "Far Afield" - his Santa Barbara residence - where he died on January 13, 1956. The New York Times printed his obituary with the headline: "HULETT MERRITT, FINANCIER, DEAD; Multi-Millionaire at 21 Was Largest Stockholder in U.S. Steel, Art Connoisseur." At the time of his death, Hulett Sr. had outlived his wife Rosaline Calistine Haben, both his children - Hulett C. Jr and Rosaline Eunice Merritt - and his only grandson, Edward Paul Haupt, who was killed during WW II while serving in the US Navy.
Following his death the architectural wonder known as The Merritt Building would be delivered a very difficult blow as well. The stunning structure and monument to the Merritt family would be acquired by Home Savings & Loan and the financial institution, looking at the property they had purchased, would bring in their primary architect for an unnecessary redesign. Millard Sheets cast his eye upon the white marble structure and would have most of the windows from the lower floors removed in favor of adding a grand entrance on Broadway. The Savings and Loan would remain owners of The Merritt Building until HF Ahmanson, their parent company, was purchased by Washington Mutual in early 1998.
Shortly thereafter, The Merritt Building, like many structures on Broadway, began to sit empty - with the exception of ground floor low-end retail. While some have cast an appreciative eye on seeing The Merritt converted to lofts, it doesn't appear that the once grand structure will be getting any sort of just reward anytime soon.