In April 1922 , the '' Long Beach Daily Telegram '' announced the plan to build a luxury apartment building on the site . The planned development was billed as follows : " Long Beach to Have Finest Apartments in Whole Southland . " The building was constructed from 1923-1924 when Long Beach was undergoing a building and population boom . When construction started in March 1923 , the '' Los Angeles Times '' published a drawing of the Cooper Arms and described it as " an apartment-house which when completed , will be one of the most imposing structures of its kind west of Chicago . " At the time , Long Beach 's skyline lacked other skyscrapers , and the '' Times '' predicted that " this magnificent building will become a landmark that may be seen from ocean vessels miles away . " In 1933 , the Cooper Arms survived the Long Beach earthquake without major damage . One long-time resident recalled standing on the roof of the building when the earthquake struck : I was tinkering with an old radio when the earthquake hit . It knocked me flat on my face . I watched the old Edgewater Building topple down . This building Cooper Arms is built out of steel and concrete . It just swayed from east to west — but it held together . We heard there was going to be a tidal wave after the earthquake , so I gathered my camping gear and fishing pole , got into my Franklin automobile and drove to Lake Henshaw to do a little fishing until the excitement died down . In 1974 , the building celebrated its 50th anniversary with three of the original occupants still in residence . At the time , the Long Beach '' Independent Press-Telegram '' wrote that some of the excitement and luster had faded : " Party days at the Cooper Arms , along with the festive zest which once was the order of the day , have waned with the passage of years . The downtown lounge , with its plush oriental carpeting and ornate baroque ceilings , is now quiet and empty . " The building is currently operated as condominiums by the Cooper Arms Homeowners Association
Long Beach earthquake
1933 Long Beach earthquake
Cooper Arms Apartments