[3] The interior was remodeled around 1895, using onyx and marble; the exterior facade was changed in 1922–24 to give it a new look, said to be based on a Roman design.

Pope Pius IX chose the cathedral's name, choosing third-century Roman martyr Saint Vibiana.

Cathedrals traditionally contained the relics of a saint, so the remains of St. Vibiana were removed from the Catacombs of Rome and moved to a gilt-and-plate-glass sarcophagus located in a niche above the high altar.

However, the sudden dismantling of the bell tower on a Saturday morning prompted a frantic save-the-cathedral campaign, and work by the archdiocese was halted by preservationists who had a temporary restraining order placed on demolition.

A state Court of Appeal rejected the archdiocese's argument to be allowed to quickly demolish the cathedral; then-City Councilwoman Rita Walters had moved to strip the cathedral of its historic monument status, an action that would exempt the archdiocese from having to prepare the full environmental impact study normally required for destruction of a city landmark.

[3] Finally a compromise was reached: the City of Los Angeles agreed to swap land with the archdiocese, giving the Church a much larger plot next to the 101 Freeway.

[3] The former cathedral was later renamed Vibiana and converted to an event space,[5] including for post-Emmy Award parties in 2009 and 2010,[citation needed] Art of Elysium's annual charity gala,[citation needed] Warner Music Group's post-Grammy Awards party, and the Alfred E. Mann Foundation Gala.

In 2017, it was added to the National Trust for Historic Preservation list of America's Most Endangered Places "Success Stories"—sites that were named to the "Most Endangered" list that were the focus of successful preservation efforts Amy Knoll Fraser and Chef Neal Fraser are now the owners and operators of Redbird | Vibiana,[6] a wedding, events and performing arts venue located in the Historic Core of Downtown Los Angeles.