It’s been used as a backdrop for a Sublime music video. It’s been the tongue-in-cheek joke for Long Beach’s gay community: “That sign should be hung as a gateway to the Broadway bars.” And, perhaps most importantly, it’s an architectural gem that has survived for nearly 90 years.
And now, thanks to an architecture tour taking place on Mother’s Day, attendees can not only get to explore the inside of Gaytonia castle at Quincey Avenue between Broadway and Shaw Street, but also visit its penthouse, a space long withdrawn from the public eye.
Originally constructed for about $100,000 in 1930—a nearly unheard of expense but, then again, Long Beach had a penchant for constructing absurdly costly buildings back in the day—the space initially attracted the city’s naval officers (when the U.S. Navy had a heavy presence here in Long Beach) thanks to its bachelor-friendly amenities, including a swimming pool, steam bath, and lounge, along with dishes, furniture, and linen included with each apartment.
Built in the Normandy Revival-style, Gaytonia is technically speaking a castle: Like the Villa Riviera and the long-gone Pacific Coast Club, it is largely built of stone, a material that its designer and contractor, George T. Gayton, was obsessed with (hence his elaborate Belmont Theatre, constructed in 1939). Its use of turrets, conical caps, and corbels—all common characteristics of Medieval architecture—combined with more contemporary practices for the time made the building in Belmont Shore stand out even more given it was placed atop a hill.
The fifth annual, self-driven Steel Magnolias Home Design Tour takes place on Saturday, May 11, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tickets, which incllude four homes and a post-tour reception, are $50 per person and available online at www.thesteelmagnolias.org.
Brian Addison is a columnist and editor for the Long Beach Post. Reach him at [email protected] or on social media at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.