The “LF” refers, of course, to the original owner, Mr.
An extra touch of elegance was the ornate medallion with the monogram “LF” in the center adorning the second level to the left of the street entrance. There was also a decorative finial detail on the raised points of the parapet. The building was capped by a flat roof with a parapet and decorative dentil molding running across the en-tire length of the structure. Concrete steps, with an attrac-tive brass railing, lead from the sidewalk to the basement entrance. This not only provided durabil-ity and strength, but was also more economical than brick.
The floors were supported on steel beams and columns, which, if exposed, were encased in concrete. The building was a three-story plus basement, brick and steel structure, making it slightly taller than many of the surrounding buildings. This provided an imposing facade of fifty continuous feet, which greatly enhanced the appearance on the street. Fritz selected Edmond Blachman as the architect, who de-signed the structure with architectural lines to coincide with the building to the north, the Loring and Company building. The new building, which cost $30,000, was to be used as a store and offices. The owner of the structure was Louis Fritz, a German im-migrant who was, additionally, one of the founders of the Golden Lion Cafe, a very popular restaurant and saloon on 4th Avenue. However, some were designed to provide not only utili-tarian purposes but also to reflect the elegance of the era and of the owner. Since the main purpose of such a facility was to display merchandise or advertise services, most of the structures were relatively plain by Victorian standards, with large display win-dows and fairly spacious interiors. As a result, many modern styled commercial structures were built. Venues were needed to house all the new commercial pur-suits being put forth. Consequently, the influx of entrepreneurs put a premium on real estate. The unbeatable weather and boundless tourism provided many opportunities for en-terprising businessmen to pursue their fortunes. During San Diego’s boom days in the 1880s, numerous people were arriving in our fair city.
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