LOS ANGELES — Vandals plastered a downtown Los Angeles high-rise with graffiti up to the 30th floor of the under-construction complex that sits across from the home of the Lakers, a helicopter video shot by NBC Los Angeles showed.
Reacting to a separate video, the LAPD’s Central Division said on the social media platform X that it met with representatives from the City Council district where the Oceanwide Plaza project is located to discuss how to better secure the site.
“The measures will be implemented immediately and the graffiti will be removed,” the LAPD said.
The project is across the street from the Crypto.com Arena, which is the home of the Los Angeles Lakers. Also near the now-tagged tower is the entertainment area LA Live.
The Oceanwide Plaza project was to have two 40-story towers, according to its website.
Construction stopped in 2019 amid questions about whether the company had the funds to continue, the Los Angeles Times reported at the time.
A possible foreclosure was blocked by a state court of appeals in August, real estate publication The Real Deal reported.
It’s far from first project in Los Angeles to become a target for attention-grabbing graffiti.
The brand-new 6th Street Viaduct in downtown, which cost $588 million, was spray-painted by vandals after it opened in July of 2022. Street racing and takeovers also prompted the periodic closure of the bridge shortly after it opened, NBC Los Angeles reported at the time.
