The Citadel was originally built in 1930 as a factory of the Samson Tire and Rubber Company. Designed by architects Morgan, Walls and Clements, it modeled after the 7th Century BC Assyrian palace of King Sargon II. Its 1700-foot long wall facing the Santa Ana Freeway is a L.A. landmark.
In 1962, after corporate mergers, it became a factory of the Uniroyal Tire, which closed it in 1978. It reopened in 1991 as the Citadel Outlets, an outdoor shopping mall with an adjacent hotel and office buildings.