Los Angeles’ Coca-Cola Building Headed for Makeover

The Coca-Cola Building in downtown Los Angeles is gearing up for a major makeover.

Reyes Coca-Cola Bottling plans to refresh both the exterior and interior of its bottling facility at 1334 South Central Avenue, Urbanize Los Angeles reported.

The bottling company shared its plan with the Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission, the body responsible for declaring properties across the city as notable landmarks. The Coca-Cola Building, built in 1939, was designated a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument in 1975.

Reyes Coca-Cola Bottling, which operates out of the building and distributes the soda to the West Coast and Midwest, plans to restore the exterior of the nearly century-old structure and remodel the interior for continued use.

The building will also receive a new rooftop deck ahead of upcoming international sporting events in the city. An existing patio will be redone so Coca-Cola and Reyes can host events there during the 2026 FIFA World Cup and 2028 Summer Olympics.

Reyes Coca-Cola Bottling is looking to restore the building’s windows to the original design from architect Robert V. Derrah. It might also update the building’s paint scheme. Mechanical equipment that would be added to the rooftop in the future would be relocated to avoid visibility from passersby. The rooftop deck will boast additional privacy by being set back from the exterior to avoid visibility from the street.

The interior of the building, converted into office space years ago, will get a makeover as part of the endeavor, with plans calling for a phased redesign with a more open floor plan. Gensler is designing the building’s new look, while Chattel Incorporated and Ryan Companies are handling project planning.

Derrah originally designed the building in 1936 and construction was completed three years later. Derrah designed the building to look like an ocean liner, complete with porthole windows and decorations like life preservers on the inside that read “S.S. Coca-Cola.”

— Chris Malone Méndez