Taggers have made a bold mark on a dormant skyscraper in downtown Los Angeles, covering more than 25 stories of the building with graffiti. The building is part of the Oceanwide Plaza project, a $1 billion mixed-use retail and luxury apartments endeavor. Construction on the project halted in January 2019 when the Beijing-based developer faced financial challenges, leaving several towering structures unfinished. The site has since remained inactive, creating an opportunity for graffiti artists to gain access and adorn the building’s exterior with unauthorized artwork.
It remains unclear how the taggers managed to enter the construction site or when they initiated their daring and illegal project. Witnesses, including street photographer Daron Burgundy, observed the taggers spraying the building over several nights. Burgundy mentioned seeing individuals on balconies actively tagging the structure, with some getting detained by the LAPD. The witness expressed surprise that it took this long for taggers to target the buildings, given their prolonged vacancy, and mentioned rumors of people traveling from out of state to participate in the graffiti spree.
Aerial footage of the buildings captured by Sky5 reveals extensive graffiti covering numerous stories, featuring phrases like “set the pace,” “amen,” and various tags such as “SINKOE,” “XN28,” “ROSEK,” and “AMI.” The LAPD has not yet announced any arrests in connection with the graffiti or trespassing on the construction site. However, LAPD’s Central Division indicated that discussions had taken place with a representative from Council District 14 to enhance security measures and secure the sprawling development. The LAPD assured the public that measures would be implemented immediately, and efforts would be made to remove the graffiti. The incident raises concerns about the security of dormant construction sites and the need for increased measures to prevent unauthorized access and vandalism.