Olympic Tower glitterati of that time. The planned use of the building was a groundbreaking concept at that time because it was the first mixed use zoned for Fifth Avenue, which had 21 floors of offices, 30 of condominiums and high-end retail on the first floor. It was constructed by shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis and his company, Victory Development, in joint venture partnership with Arlen Realty & Development Corporation. Olympic Tower was designed by the architectural firm of Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, notable for designing Willis Tower, the former Sears Tower and John Hancock Center in Chicago, among many other high-rise buildings
Sears, Roebuck & Company Mail Order Building (Los Angeles, California) Deco tower and "Sears" sign became a "beacon for Eastsiders returning home on area freeways," and has been described by the Los Angeles Conservancy as "one of the dominant visual icons of the Eastside" of Los Angeles. The distribution center was closed in January 1992, eliminating jobs for 585 full-time workers and 775 part-timers. The facility's general manager said at the time that the Boyle Heights center was the most expensive that Sears operated, partly because the facilities were "outdated." In 2004, developer MJW Investments announced it had acquired the building and would make it the centerpiece of a proposed