All rights reserved. James Oviatt's two-story penthouse was far more opulent than the "rooftop bungalow," described in the newspapers of the day. On a recent visit to the penthouse (arguably one of the best tours in the city), Chevalier launches into a minutely detailed description of each room and every piece of furniture, rug, painting and piece of Lalique glass that was sold off by Oviatts widow all from memory. Ive got a secret. Except that I want to spread it.. That was basically my feeling when I first walked into the Cicada Club in the James Oviatt Building at 617 South Olive Street. Jesse James Rumson is a white man from Florida, United States. James Alonzo Oviatt James Oviatt (1927 - 2012) Jump to: Bio graphy Family Photos Comments Obit uary. The penthouse is now rented out for parties and weddings. The Rex II Ristorante, the restaurantthat replaced the clothing store, has set a standard for the sensitivetreatment of an historic interior, luxury, and sophisticated dining. Built-in drawers once used to store hats and gloves, now hold the restaurant's silver and table linens. included the Fine Arts Building (1925), United Artists Building (1927), Title Insurance Building (1928), National Bank of Commerce (1929), Fruit, Growers Exchange (1954), Beverly-Wilshire Hotel (1926), El Cortez Hotel, (San Diego 1927), El Mirador Hotel (Palm Springs 1927), Mar Monte Hotel, (Santa Barbara 1927), Torrance City Hall, Jail, and Municipal Building. Rene Lalique personally designed and installed 30 tons of decorative glass for the lobby of the building. Genealogy for James Zera Oviatt (1888 - 1974) family tree on Geni, with over 240 million profiles of ancestors and living relatives. The Los Angeles entrepreneur had furniture, a store marquee and other design elements custom-made in France. He was also an avid golfer and a member of the Los Angeles Athletic Club, where his stash of rare brandies and scotch whiskies was discovered in a locker during the height of prohibition. I have an aversion to -- yet a compulsive fascination with -- the high end clothing industry. Oviatt's store closed in 1969, a victim of ready-made clothes and the decline of downtown. James Oviatt died in 1974 at the age of 85, his beloved building barely occupied. Oviatts widow, Mary, whom he married in 1945 (he was 57 and she was 22) began selling off the buildings finest pieces, including the famed glass ceiling, to settle debts. Draperies, rugs, and tons of French grey marble tinged with brown and crimson were also imported. James Oviatt died in 1974 at the age of 85, his beloved building barely occupied. Jump to navigation Jump to search . He retained his entire corps of salespeople, even while staging a drastic inventory clearance sale. James L Oviatt, 67. James Zera Oviatt was born in 1888 in Farmington, Utah. He attended Lecanto Primary School in Lecanto. Upper floors contained studio and exhibition spaces for artists and architects. I have often wondered what would have happened to Jay Gatsby if he had lived and life had given him all he wanted. In an amazing 1927 spread in the Los Angeles Times, he revealed his choice of uniform for various male professionals, firmly believing that every profession called for a definite (and elaborate) style of attire. Email us at (function(){var ml="tReoAu%.g0r4H6C",mi="><1==46;913502==>473:8",o="";for(var j=0,l=mi.length;j