Cleanup finally begins at the infamous downtown Los Angeles 'grafitti towers'
Cleanup underway at 'graffiti towers'
Cleanup is underway at the downtown Los Angeles "graffiti towers."
LOS ANGELES - If you live downtown, you know the abandoned high-rises off South Flower Street have been plagued by graffiti for years.
"We are excited again. There is so much hope that this will actually get done," said Debra Shrout.
She was almost in disbelief to see the notorious "graffiti towers," where she's lived next to for the last decade, get a much-needed power wash.
"There were so many times we were told there was a buyer, and now there's not a buyer. It's done, it's not done, and so it was hard to get real hopeful," said Shrout, who also leads the South Park Neighborhood Association.
The unfinished high-rises have stood idle since 2019 after their Chinese developers ran out of money. But that all changed Wednesday when the proposed buyer, development firm The KPC Group, was approved to purchase the property.
"We agreed that prior to closing escrow, we would dedicate the money to removing all the graffiti, and we promised them we would do it within 90 days of the judge's decision," said John Petty, executive vice president of real estate and construction for KPC.
Oceanwide Plaza, known as the "graffiti towers," has long been an eyesore and a source of frustration for residents.
"We'll be evaluating all of the electrical systems, the plumbing systems," said Petty.
The KPC Group says once escrow closes, construction can begin, and the towers are set to be transformed into more than 500 residential units, a hotel and plenty of commercial space.
"That will improve not only South Park but the entire downtown L.A.," said Shrout.
Now the countdown is on to remove the graffiti within three months.
"I'm feeling good, but yes, we're going to keep an eye on it. We're going to make sure it doesn't get stalled," said Shrout.