Claire Dawson
The Los Angeles County+USC Medical Center, formerly known as Los Angeles County General Hospital, is located at 1200 North State Street in Los Angeles, California. The Art-Deco complex, completed in the early 1930s, was designed by the Allied Architects Association and earned the nickname Great Stone Mother. The hospital has played a significant role in public health and community organizing, including the Chicano Movement and the response to the HIV/AIDS crisis. Due to safety concerns, most operations have since been relocated to a new facility, and the original building has been converted for non-hospital use.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Los Angeles County+USC Medical Center (formerly known as Los Angeles County General Hospital, County/USC, County General, LA General) |
| Address | 1200 N State Street, Los Angeles, CA 90033 |
| Phone Number | (323) 226-3680 |
| Website | http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/cms/chdp.htm |
| Facility License Type | General Acute Care Hospital |
| License Category | General Acute Care Hospital |
| Facility Level Description | Distinct Part Facility |
| Licensed Beds | 76 |
| Facility Status | Closed |
| Architectural Style | Art Deco |
| Year Completed | Early 1930s |
| Architects | Allied Architects Association of Los Angeles (AAALA), George Edwin Bergstrom, Francis Pierpont Davis, Myron Hubbard Hunt, Sumner P. Hunt |
| Net Revenue | $1,126,096,345 |
| New Location | 2051 Marengo Street, Los Angeles, California |
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What You'll Learn
- The Los Angeles General Medical Center is a public hospital and USC clinical teaching campus
- The building is an Art Deco landmark, designed by the Allied Architects Association
- The building is known as the Great Stone Mother
- The building is no longer a hospital due to earthquake and fire safety codes
- The hospital played a role in the Chicano Movement and community organising during the HIV/AIDS crisis
The Los Angeles General Medical Center is a public hospital and USC clinical teaching campus
The Los Angeles General Medical Center, formerly known as Los Angeles County+USC Medical Center, is a public hospital and USC clinical teaching campus. It is located at 2051 Marengo Street in the Boyle Heights neighbourhood of Los Angeles, California. With 600 beds, it is one of the largest academic medical centres in the United States.
The origins of the Los Angeles public hospital system date back to 1878 when Los Angeles County opened a 100-bed facility on Mission Road to serve the city's indigent population. Over time, as Los Angeles grew, the county hospital expanded. In the 1920s and 1930s, the hospital moved to a new location at 1200 North State Street, a multi-block H-shaped structure designed by the Allied Architects Association. This building, known as the "Great Stone Mother," became a landmark in East Los Angeles and played a significant role in shaping public health in the region.
However, due to safety concerns and new earthquake safety standards, most of the hospital's operations were relocated to the new facility on Marengo Street in the 1990s. The new Los Angeles General Medical Center is a modern facility consisting of three linked buildings: a clinic tower, a diagnostic and treatment tower, and an inpatient tower. It is equipped with a larger number of intensive care beds to handle patients in the aftermath of disasters.
As a public hospital, the Los Angeles General Medical Center provides healthcare services to the medically underserved in the region. It is a Level I trauma centre, treating a significant proportion of the region's trauma victims. The hospital also specialises in sickle-cell anaemia treatment and AIDS care, serving half of the patients with these conditions in Southern California. Additionally, it operates one of only three burn centres in Los Angeles County and a Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
The Los Angeles General Medical Center is also a clinical teaching campus affiliated with USC. It serves as a training ground for medical residents and Navy medical personnel. The hospital's Emergency Department is one of the busiest in the world, providing valuable clinical experience for trainees.
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The building is an Art Deco landmark, designed by the Allied Architects Association
The Los Angeles County Hospital, located at 1200 State Street, is an Art Deco landmark designed by the Allied Architects Association. The building, known as the "Great Stone Mother", is a multi-block, H-shaped structure with a capacity of 2,000 to 3,000 patient beds. It was completed in the early 1930s and served as a civic and architectural landmark in East Los Angeles.
The design reflects the New Deal ideals of scale, centralised organisation, and beauty in efficient form. The massive structure, constructed between 1927 and 1933, stands as a testament to the county hospital's expansion during the early 20th century, coinciding with the growth of Los Angeles itself.
The consortium of architects, the Allied Architects Association, also designed the 1925 Hall of Justice with input from the County Architect, Karl Muck. The Los Angeles County Hospital is the largest single hospital facility built west of Chicago, making a bold architectural statement.
The building's Art Deco construction and sheer size have made it one of the city's most recognisable landmarks. Its unique design and historical significance earned it a reputation as a civic and architectural icon in Los Angeles.
However, due to safety concerns, most of the hospital's operations have been relocated to a new adjacent building. The original building at 1200 State Street now houses the Wellness Centre on the first floor, which opened in 2014 and includes offices for nonprofit organisations, community outreach initiatives, and wellness activities.
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The building is known as the Great Stone Mother
The building located at 1200 State Street in Los Angeles, California, is known as the "Great Stone Mother." This nickname was earned due to its Art Deco construction, designed by the coalition of architects Allied Architects Association. The large, 19-story concrete structure was built between 1927 and 1933, during the Great Depression. Its design reflects the New Deal ideals of scale, centralized organization, and beauty in efficient form. The building is adorned with imposing concrete statues by Salvatore Cartaino Scarpitta, including an Angel of Mercy comforting an infirm couple.
The "Great Stone Mother" originally served as Los Angeles County General Hospital, or LA General, and was one of the largest teaching hospitals in the United States. Thousands of physicians, nurses, and other healthcare professionals received their training within its walls, gaining skills and knowledge that "weren't in the books." The hospital played a central role in disaster response and infectious disease care, serving the community for decades.
However, the building's fate as a medical facility changed after the 1994 Northridge earthquake. The earthquake damaged thousands of buildings, including the "Great Stone Mother," which brought attention to the need for improved hospital safety standards. As a result, new seismic safety laws were enacted, and the "Great Stone Mother" was found to be non-compliant with the updated codes. The hospital services were subsequently moved to a newer facility, the LAC+USC Medical Center, located next door.
Despite no longer functioning as a full-service hospital, the "Great Stone Mother" still stands today. The lower floors are used as a wellness clinic and office space, with the first floor housing the Wellness Center, which opened in 2014. It includes offices for nonprofit organizations, community outreach initiatives, wellness classes, a dance studio, and a small YMCA branch. The building continues to hold tremendous sentimental value for many, and there are plans to redevelop it into affordable housing units, addressing the community's need for accessible housing options.
The "Great Stone Mother" has left an indelible mark on Los Angeles, both physically and in the hearts of those it served. Its iconic architecture and rich history have earned it a place of significance in the city's landscape and cultural fabric.
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The building is no longer a hospital due to earthquake and fire safety codes
The Los Angeles County+USC Medical Center, formerly known as Los Angeles County General Hospital, is an Art-Deco complex located at 1200 North State Street in Los Angeles. The building, completed in the early 1930s, was designed by a coalition of architects known as the Allied Architects Association and earned the nickname "Great Stone Mother". With 3,000 patient beds, it was the largest single hospital facility built west of Chicago.
However, the building's age and the new earthquake safety standards for medical buildings following the 1994 Northridge earthquake meant that it no longer complied with earthquake and fire safety codes. The California Hospital Seismic Safety Law, signed into law on September 21, 1994, rendered the building unsuitable for use as a hospital. As a result, most of the operations of the LA General Medical Center have been relocated to a new, modern facility nearby at 2051 Marengo Street.
The new hospital consists of three linked buildings: a clinic tower, a diagnostic and treatment tower, and an inpatient tower, with a total of 600 patient beds. The new facility has a larger number of intensive care beds to handle patients in the aftermath of disasters. While the original building at 1200 State Street no longer meets the California Hospital Seismic Safety Law, it does meet current seismic standards for non-hospital use. The first floor of the old building has been converted into a Wellness Center, which is open to the public and includes offices for nonprofit organizations, community outreach, and classes for wellness activities.
In 2023, the County of Los Angeles Board of Supervisors voted to reinvest in the long-vacant Art Deco landmark. The plan includes incorporating up to 885 new housing units (with at least 25% being affordable) within the historic building.
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The hospital played a role in the Chicano Movement and community organising during the HIV/AIDS crisis
The Los Angeles County+USC Medical Center, located at 1200 State Street, played a significant role in the Chicano Movement of the 1970s and community organising during the HIV/AIDS crisis in the 1980s and 1990s.
The centre, also known as LA General, has been pivotal in shaping public health in Los Angeles due to its dual identity as a county-run public hospital and a USC clinical teaching campus. The facility is one of the largest academic medical centres in the United States and is known for its iconic Art Deco design, earning it the nickname the "Great Stone Mother".
During the Chicano Movement, the hospital served as a site for community organising and advocacy for the rights and empowerment of Mexican-Americans. The movement sought to address social and economic inequalities and improve the living conditions of the Chicano community, particularly in East Los Angeles, where the hospital is located.
As the HIV/AIDS crisis unfolded in the 1980s and 1990s, the hospital became a focal point for community responses to the epidemic. Organisations such as Act Up L.A. mobilised and advocated for action and change during this time. The HIV/AIDS crisis disproportionately affected marginalised communities, and the hospital's role in providing care and treatment was critical in addressing the health needs of these communities.
The Los Angeles County+USC Medical Center's role in these pivotal moments in history underscores its significance in the broader context of public health and social justice in Los Angeles. The facility continues to serve the community, offering medical services and community outreach programs, even as most operations have relocated to a newer adjacent building due to safety concerns and the age of the original facility.
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Frequently asked questions
The Los Angeles County+USC Medical Center, also known as LA General, is a public teaching hospital located at 1200 State Street in Los Angeles, California. It is one of the largest academic medical centers in the United States and has 600 patient beds.
1200 State Street was the address of the Los Angeles County General Hospital, a monumental Art-Deco complex and an architectural and civic landmark in East Los Angeles. The building was designed by a coalition known as the Allied Architects Association and was completed in the early 1930s. It has since been converted to office use.
Due to the age of the facilities and equipment, as well as new earthquake safety standards, most of the operations of the hospital have been relocated to a new adjacent building at 2051 Marengo Street. The original Los Angeles County General Hospital building at 1200 State Street still stands and is now used as a Wellness Center, which is open to the public.
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