Los Angeles’ Oceanwide Plaza: A Canvas for Graffiti Vandals
The Los Angeles skyline is known for its iconic landmarks and towering buildings, but one structure has captured the city’s attention for all the wrong reasons. Oceanwide Plaza, a luxury development situated next to Crypto.com Arena, has remained vacant and incomplete since 2019 when its Chinese developer ran out of funds after investing a staggering $1.1 billion. The abandoned construction project has become a canvas for graffiti vandals, attracting both criticism and admiration from the community.
In December, three daring taggers known as Akua, Sour, and Castle broke into Oceanwide’s highest tower and spray-painted their names across its floor-to-ceiling windows. This audacious act served as a signal to the rest of Los Angeles’ graffiti community, including the prolific tagger, Endem. Endem expressed his desire to see his own name displayed in 13-foot-tall block letters on the building. The incident sparked conversations within the graffiti community, with people wondering about the fate of this notorious landmark.
However, it wasn’t until February 3rd that Endem and his crew, NCT, successfully maneuvered their way past the site’s elderly security guard and made their mark on Oceanwide Plaza. Their actions inspired dozens of other taggers to follow suit. Within a span of 24 hours, one tower was completely covered in graffiti, and by February 6th, all three towers had been defaced.
Drone footage capturing the spray-paint-scrawled towers quickly spread across social media, garnering excitement and celebration within the graffiti community. The towering structure became an emblem of their artistry, visible for miles in every direction. The graffiti even made an appearance behind Trevor Noah during the Grammy Awards, further solidifying its status as an undeniable presence in the city.
Despite the divided opinions surrounding Oceanwide Plaza’s graffiti transformation, it has undeniably become L.A.’s newest landmark. Some argue that it is a spontaneous art happening that sheds light on the city’s housing crisis. Others condemn it as vandalism and crime, labeling it an eyesore that tarnishes the city’s image.
The question now is what will become of these towers. Should they be demolished? Should the city step in, complete the development, and convert it into public housing? Or will they remain as “ghost towers,” serving as a haunting reminder of unfulfilled potential in economically devastated cities?
On February 9th, the L.A. City Council voted to have the buildings cleaned and secured, with the intention of holding Oceanwide responsible for the costs, which could reach up to $4 million. However, the developers are now bankrupt, adding another layer of complexity to the situation. Rick Caruso, a billionaire developer and former mayoral candidate, criticizes the city’s handling of the graffiti issue, questioning who will ultimately foot the bill.
Caruso attributes the Oceanwide Plaza situation to a series of flawed policies that have relied heavily on Chinese investment. He argues that depending on one source of development dollars is detrimental to the city’s growth and prosperity. Furthermore, he believes that weak policies and a lack of accountability for criminal acts have contributed to the current state of affairs.
Despite repeated requests for comment, Mayor Karen Bass did not respond, leaving her stance on the matter unclear. However, her aide, Zach Seidl, deputy mayor of communications, stated that the city is working diligently to prevent dangerous stunts and hold the building’s owner accountable for any expenses incurred.
As the debate continues to rage on, Oceanwide Plaza stands as a testament to the power of graffiti art and its ability to captivate an entire community. Whether it will be seen as a symbol of rebellion or an unfortunate scar on the city’s landscape remains to be seen. For now, the future of these towers hangs in the balance, waiting for a resolution that will shape the narrative of Los Angeles’ skyline.
