The first Los Angeles federal building, more formally the Los Angeles Federal Courthouse and Post Office or U.S. Post Office and Custom House[1] was a Richardsonian Romanesque red brick, brownstone and terra cotta structure[2] designed by Will A.

The post office was housed at a series of locations until the second Los Angeles federal building opened in 1910.

[8] The building, after a modest expansion, eventually contained three main floors, a basement and an attic, altogether offering approximately 460,000 cubic feet of workspace.

[2][7] However, circa 1901, the building was deemed inadequate for the needs of the growing city, vacated,[8] and partially but not wholly demolished.

[8] Meanwhile, the post office moved between a series of temporary quarters: The federal district court,[10] the U.S. attorney and the U.S. marshal[11] moved to fourth floor of the Tajo Building on the northwest corner of First and Broadway in 1901,[12] and remained there until 1910.