After having posted
this the other day, I feel the need to write a proper post-mortem for my late, beloved California State Building.
mine
Fearing that the Art Deco chandeliers and fixtures would remain entombed forever, I donned my pith helmet and set forth for First and Broadway. At least I could get some of the broken-up
marble from the floor!
I had a pretty cool adventure, as Sunday trespassings go (It's kind of my version of church) but it didn't yield me those results.
Apparently the marble from the lobby was the first thing ripped up and was beneath Mount Rubble --
One could still make out the outline of the building...
And here next to Hill St are the remnants of the entry-steps, and that small window to the right I like to imagine is emits light into the aforementioned basement. Which appears to be less full art deco sconces than it is of concrete discard.
Along the back, toward Temple, one can still make out the entrance to the parking garages...which runs down to this nifty little survivor.
Here are the entrances to the underground parking, covered over with concrete pieces and other detritus to keep the locals out and CHUD in.
This is what it looks like inside; note the SOUND HORN sign at the curve. I was tempted to crawl in and explore but no-one knew I was there and if anything happened it would have been a long night.
Do any y'all know what's going into this area? Someone told me the site is to be an extension of Grand Park. But below is some of the excavation work. That kind of pit is for a great big building, not for sod. Which is sad, because I've always enjoyed the uninterrupted sight-vista in front of City Hall from Hill St. Seems they're looking to erect some (unquestionably inferior) structure directly across from City Hall. Sad.
Anyway, I won't take up any more of your time with non-vintage photos of LA. I will say this, though, being at a demo site under the watchful eye of City Hall sort of "took me back" (to a time I'd never been) as it was eerily reminiscent of when we experienced...The Difficulties.
