DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES (KABC) — Two men suspected of spray-painting dozens of floors of an abandoned high-rise building in downtown Los Angeles were arrested. Now, city officials are looking to address the vacant building.
Floor after floor has been tagged on several sides of the empty three-tower complex near Crypto.com Arena and L.A. Live.
Los Angeles Police Department officers from the Central Division responded to a vandalism call Tuesday in the 1200 block of South Figueroa Street, between Pico and Olympic boulevards, after a tactical flight officer with the Air Support Division saw over a dozen suspects in the building, trespassing and possibly spray-painting on the building, according to the LAPD.
Additional patrol officers arrived and arrested two suspects, Victor Daniel Ramirez, 35, and Roberto Perez, 25, for trespassing. Both were later released, police said. The other suspects ran away before police arrived.
On Thursday, officers responded to a call for vandalism at 12:52 p.m at the abandoned luxury skyscraper in the Oceanwide Plaza development that is under construction in the area of 11th and Flower streets and were told by on-site security a group of suspects had been spray-painting on the 30th floor of the building and had since drove away. The officers found the vehicle and ordered the suspects to stop, but they ignored police and drove away, the LAPD said. Police finally stopped the vehicle a short distance away and cited the driver for failing to yield to an officer. The vehicle’s passenger was questioned and released.
An unfinished skyscraper in downtown Los Angeles is described by some as an eyesore. Now, it’s even more unsightly after 27 of its floors were vandalized with graffiti.
Advocates say the graffiti is not only a nuisance to the area, but it is also a safety risk.
“It’s of course an eyesore but it’s unsafe. Even sending officers into the building as I understand… they’re at risk as well. They don’t have hard hats,” said Nella McOsker, president and CEO of Central City Association.
Construction work on the building stopped in 2020 after the project’s China-based developer ran out of money.
Meanwhile, Councilman Kevin de León says he will introduce a motion during Friday’s City Council meeting directing the city to address the defaced skyscraper.
The unfinished skyscraper, which was set to have upscale condos, a five-star hotel and a shopping mall has reportedly been up for sale for more than a year.
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