Los Angeles officials warn about dangers of abandoned skyscraper
LOS ANGELES, Calif. (NBC, KYMA/KECY) - Officials in Los Angeles are warning about the dangers posed by a now-iconic abandoned skyscraper that has become the target of graffiti artists and thrill-seekers.
Jaw-dropping video, shared on YouTube, appears to show four people base jumping from these unfinished towers in Downtown Los Angeles.
The same buildings are drawing global attention after they were tagged with nearly 30 floors worth of graffiti.
And now, city officials are making an urgent warning to the public.
"I guarantee you tragedy will take place there if that place is not boarded up quickly," said Karen Bass, Mayor of Los Angeles.
Surrounding the property
On Friday, the LA City Council issued a deadline for the owner to secure and clean up the site or else the city will and send them the bill.
"The owner of the building should be held accountable...He should reimburse the city for every dime spent," Bass expressed.
Police Chief Michel Moore said his officers now surround the property around the clock, stretching already thin resources to their limits.
At least 18 people have been arrested in connection to the vandalism and trespassing case, but police say only four are locals.
"It unfortunately has become an iconic location to draw people for nefarious acts," Moore shared.
A moment for the history books
Last month, NBC Los Angeles filmed two people with backpacks climbing through a hole in the fence. Their news helicopter later caught vandals making their mark on the skyscraper.
"Nothing like this has happened in graffiti for quite some time," said Jon Grim, a graffiti artist from Pennsylvania.
Grim called it a moment for the history books.
"It definitely is a crime. That's part of the reason why many people do graffiti in the first place is for that. That thrill. That excitement, and there's only the excitement if it's a crime," Grim added.
Construction halted
Construction on the infamous "Oceanwide Plaza" was halted in 2019 when the chinese developers say they ran out of money.
NBC News reached out to the property owner, Oceanwide Holdings Inc., for comment, but they did not respond.
A prime piece of real estate, in the heart of downtown, once hoped to lure luxury tenants. Now, a haven for thrill seekers.
"There is a real present danger to people inside that facility of falling to their death," Moore spoke.
As of Monday, the owners of the skyscraper had still not responded to the city's request to secure the vacant building.
City leaders say the long-term plan is to find a developer to take over the project and finish it, but they estimate the billion-dollar project will need an additional billion dollars to complete.
