FASHION DISTRICT

Fashion District Sees Old Building Turned Into Apartment Building

The Maxfield Building, once owned by the Needleman family, used to house a number of clothing businesses when it was opened in 1925.

A few years ago, the Maxfield Building looked a little down at the mouth with its faded lime-green Art Deco exterior bleached by the sun and a lobby that has seen better days.

That has all changed. In 2012, Los Angeles–based Capital Foresight Development, headed by Naty Saidoff, bought the architectural gem at 819 Santee St. for $6.2 million as well as a nearby historic structure, the Garment Capitol Building, for $5.1 million.

His goal was to turn the two buildings into residential compounds. Demolition at the Maxfield Building yielded some surprises. Crews discovered a vault behind a second-floor wall. When they opened it, they found jewelry and old family photos that belonged to the Needleman family. They were returned to Steve Needleman, who at one time had his Anjac Fashion Buildings office there until he sold the building. He said he was happy the new owners returned the brooches, necklaces and earrings, which had belonged to his mother and grandmother and carried a lot of sentimental value.

The Maxfield Building, now called the Maxfield Lofts, recently opened its doors as one of the few new apartment complexes in the district. Gone is the faded green exterior, replaced with a softer blue.

Residents get a bird's eye view of downtown from the upper levels of the historic structure. Studios are renting for $1,540 to $2,377 and one-bedroom places rent for $1,830 to $2,449. About one-fourth of the 96 units have been rented.