Taggers have sprayed graffiti on 27 stories of a downtown Los Angeles skyscraper
Taggers covering 27 stories of an unfinished luxury skyscraper in downtown Los Angeles have triggered a broader debate over urban blight, property rights, and public space. Some see the colorful graffiti on the long-abandoned, foreign-owned development as community expression that highlights speculative real-estate failures and is no worse than ubiquitous billboards, while others condemn it as disrespectful vandalism that contributes to perceptions of disorder and crime. The exchange also touches on broken windows policing, homelessness and empty housing, whether such work qualifies as “art,” and how much sympathy is owed to large developers versus local residents.
Graffiti vs. Billboards and Urban Aesthetics
- Some prefer graffiti over billboards, seeing corporate ads as more intrusive and manipulative than tags.
- Others reject both, arguing neither should be forced on residents’ visual space.
- A few see the painted tower as giving LA a “cyberpunk” or sci‑fi feel; others think it just signals decay and neglect.
- Comparisons are made to cities with strict billboard bans, though there’s disagreement on how easy such regulation is in practice.
Property Rights, Respect, and “Broken Windows”
- One camp treats this as a straightforward property crime: painting someone else’s building without consent is wrong regardless of aesthetics or owner (even if it’s a large developer).
- Others argue that half‑finished, long‑idle luxury developments are themselves a form of disrespect or blight, and that tagging them is a kind of public commentary.
- “Broken windows” theory is cited by some to claim visible disorder (graffiti, litter) invites more crime; others dispute its validity or criticize how it’s used to justify heavy policing.
Art vs. Vandalism; Gangs vs. Writers
- Some dismiss most of the tags as low‑effort, repetitive “name stamps” closer to territorial marking than art.
- Others emphasize this is not gang graffiti but known graffiti writers using a derelict “canvas,” distinct from gang turf markings.
- There’s a recurring contrast between sanctioned murals and unsanctioned tagging; many who like street art still oppose illegal tagging.
Real Estate, Finance, and “Abandoned” Buildings
- Many see the real story as the failed, years‑stalled billion‑dollar development and broader real‑estate/finance issues, not the paint itself.
- Some insist the building is an asset in bankruptcy, not truly abandoned; others say that’s cold comfort when it sits unused amid a housing crisis.
- Debate over whether the tower will be salvaged, completed, or even demolished; concerns about water and weather damage from years of exposure.
Safety, Homelessness, and Urban Decline
- Some locals say such visible neglect, graffiti, and related reports of gunfire contribute to a sense of danger and reluctance to walk downtown at night.
- Others counter that tagging and violent crime are weakly linked today, and that LA crime has broader, more complex drivers (including homelessness and mental illness).