LOS ANGELES — Graffiti has become high art in downtown Los Angeles: Taggers have highlighted at least 27 stories of an unfinished high-rise.
The vandalism is the latest twist in the saga of the three-tower project across the street from hosting the Grammy Awards on Sunday, the Crypto.com Arena – near the Los Angeles Convention Center and the LA Live dining and events complex in the growing entertainment center of the city.
The towers were to house a hotel and luxury apartments, but the project stalled in 2019 when the Beijing-based developer ran out of money, the Los Angeles Times reported.
City officials say the graffiti isn’t forever.
The Central Division of Police said in a social media post that officers met with property management and representatives from the area’s municipal district to collaborate on efforts to better secure the property.
“The measures will be implemented immediately and the graffiti will be removed,” it said.
According to police, taggers have been seen in the building repeatedly this week.
A police helicopter crew spotted more than a dozen people entering and possibly painting the building at 12:43 a.m. Tuesday, the statement said. Two men, aged 35 and 25, were arrested by patrol units, ticketed and released.
On Thursday, it was reported that suspects were spray-painting an area on the 30th floor and officers were told the suspects had fled in a vehicle. Officers eventually stopped the vehicle and reprimanded the driver for not yielding, police said. The passenger was questioned and released.