Work is ongoing inside the historic Wilshire Tower in the 5500 block of Wilshire Boulevard. (photo by Edwin Folven)

One of the most recognizable art deco buildings on the Miracle Mile is undergoing an extensive interior renovation, although the extent of the project has not been divulged.

The Wilshire Tower building, which is also called the Desmond’s building because it once housed the upscale Desmond’s and Silverwoods department stores on the ground floors, was completed in 1929 at 5514 Wilshire Blvd., occupying an entire city block between Burnside and Dunsmuir avenues. Designed by architect Gilbert Stanley Underwood, it was the first Art Deco building on the Miracle Mile.

The luxury department stores operated at the site for decades until Desmond’s closed in 1980 and Silverwoods shut its doors in 1991. The upper floors of the 11-story tower, which once contained offices for doctors, dentists and business professionals, were used in later years as commercial office space. The building was designated as a Los Angeles historic-cultural monument in 1987.

The Associated Estates Realty Corp. purchased the property in 2013 and constructed a seven-story apartment building on the parking lot behind the Art Deco landmark. The Wilshire Tower building, which is protected from major exterior development without extensive city review, was sold to CIM Group in 2018. Multiple requests to CIM Group for information about the project were not returned, nor were calls to leasing agents listed on the building.

While it is unclear how long the renovations will take and few specific details are available, historic preservationists are encouraged the work will help bring the tower, which closed prior to the pandemic, back to life.

“You can’t get more significant, talking about Art Deco landmarks, than this building and certainly the Miracle Mile. This is the first and the biggest, and it really set the whole tone for the Miracle Mile district,” said Adrian Scott Fine, president and CEO of the Los Angeles Conservancy. “As an Art Deco building in the city, it’s certainly iconic. That’s why it achieved designation in the late ‘80s to ensure it was protected. And while it has had some changes in recent years and new ownership, it’s still very critical to ensure that it is protected.”

The building, which formerly housed a Desmond’s store, is undergoing upgrades. (photo by Edwin Folven)