Do not vote for anyone currently in City Hall that includes the Mayor & Councilmembers, Wendy Gruel & Trutanich. Toss them into a Farmers field where they belong.
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The city's consultant, CSL, whose "Los Angeles Event Center Signage Analysis" goes on for 22 pages, used the word "billboard" nowhere, instead repeating the phrase "architectural digital print."
Los Angeles Deputy Director of Planning Alan Bell says he doesn't know what an "architectural digital print" is.
"That's a good question," says Bell, and it's "something that needs to be defined." Bell wonders if it is "analogous to the architectural lighting" the City Council has approved on the proposed 65-story Wilshire Grand skyscraper.
In addition to digital billboards nearly 100 feet high, the Wilshire Grand will be covered in a multistory LED design of images such as vines and leaves. But once those several million LED bulbs are built into the skyscraper's skin, the lights can be transformed to gigantic commercial ads with a flick of a programmable switch — by order of the City Council.
Los Angeles residents are increasingly mistrusting of the avidly pro-billboard City Council. In 2006, billboard proponent and City Council president Eric Garcetti and City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo agreed to let national outdoor advertising giants erect nearly 900 digital billboards in L.A. neighborhoods.
Garcetti's "green" reputation was badly tarnished by the resulting outcry. The widely hated billboards were halted after about 80 had been installed.
Some residents see the emerging Farmers Field details as another sellout to the commercialization of L.A.'s public spaces, forcing 113 million motorists a year to view crass ads that degrade the city's livability but enrich AEG.
Westwood activist Sann says of I.M. Pei, renowned architect and the designer of the Convention Center expansion, "I bet they thought their assignment was to design a building, not a billboard."
Victor Citrin, a substitute teacher, says obnoxious advertising shining from the top floor of AEG's L.A. Live entertainment center has badly degraded Pico-Union, a working-class neighborhood that predates L.A. Live by several decades.
Thanks to an exception granted to AEG by the City Council a few years ago, lights from a handful of huge outdoor billboards stream into his son's bedroom.
Says Citrin: "There's a circular, cupola kind of thing" on the AEG Regal Theaters complex, "and at the top of that building are the signs that advertise. Their light really penetrates into our neighborhood, into my son's bedroom. That thing is on all night long."
Architects and design professionals increasingly question the council's handling of its skyline. "The city has not been very wise about how they're giving away the store to billboard companies or AEG, to allow something that has tremendous impact on how you view the city," says Stuart Magruder, an architect who worked for New York–based Richard Meier & Partners before moving to L.A.
Magruder questions the city's argument that developers need to install commercial billboards to make their projects financially viable. "That's not the case in other cities," he says. "It didn't happen in New York or San Francisco."
22 comments
I am shocked how horribly Trutanich has jumped on the AEG bandwagon. I will say it over and over people with the economy don't have money to spend on $50 or $100 Laker tickets, Kings games, LA Galaxy and now a NFL football team. Going to LA Live is for the rich. Parking is $20 just to get out of your car. I'm amazed at the cliques of politicians, unions and developers all in bed with each other. I'm shocked the media refuses to report to their AEG stories the money AEG has donated to all the city council and others campaigns. If you want to get a glimpse of the most corrupt group running LA stand outside the Marriott on Tuesday for the Police POlitical League's Eagle and Badge dinner. DWP Nichols, Austin Beutner, Heavy IBEW Boss D'Arcy, Paul Weber and the goons from PPL, Failure of a Mayor, Trutanich, Wendy Greusome and all others who have sold out our CITY will be there..
Why can't we make LA livable and beautiful rather than selling every inch of public space for ad bucks? Bad idea. LA should be getting rid of billboards, not building more. It's blight.
Billboards, mural ads, super graphics and especially LED billboards are disgusting.
Unfortunately, the outdoor advertising industry knows it is easy to buy support and votes from elected officials.
Anybody who has a fender bender on these freeways due to distraction at looking at these billboards, you hit the lotto. Sue the City of LA, who allowed these billboards. You will win big time each time. The politicians don't care. They'll have moved up to bigger jobs, even as our idiot LA Times keeps promoting our idiot Mayot to become your Senator or Governor. Don't worry, as long as you don't get killed, SUE LA, you'll be rich. Don't bother suing AEG--they are doing only what your politicians allow them to.
This blizzard of billboards solves a problem which has bothered me since the 1960's. Almost every New Year's Day, the darn sun shines brightly on the Rose Bowl Parade with the snow capped mountains in the background and then there's that darn football game with the warm weather and palm trees. Next thing you know, a few hundred thousands snow-belters up and move to LA.
I realize that mayor wannabee Garcetti has done an admirable job of deteriorating Hollywood so that we are experiencing and exodus of the better educated and talented. Yes, the flow is going the right way -- away from my house.
With the help of Philly Asshutz, wanna bee mayor Garcetti has hit on another great deterrent -- turn LA into a futuristic hell with gigantic flashing signs and increasing gridlock. I am certain the rest of America will be shocked to see that the freeway become a place where you are forced to watch commercial after commercial after commercial. At least at home, I have a remote control. When the rest of the country sees the nightmare that has become LA, I hope they will shed a tear and say a prayer -- and stay away.
I shall remain ensconced north of Franklin in my Hollywood Hills sanctuary.
"Furthermore, NONE of this information is news to anyone that keeps up with the very available workings of City Planning". No idea what this means. Can you elaborate?
This is just awful careless journalism. In the event you're allowed to write a smear piece for this magazine again, don't repeatedly use terms such as "has accepted billboard-industry money" without providing some backing evidence or figures. Furthermore, NONE of this information is news to anyone that keeps up with the very available workings of City Planning. Taking public record and adding shocking buzz words to it doesn't make it journalism, it just makes it fear mongering.
Direct the public to participate in the process (which they can, and should) rather than frightening them with your careless articles.
Hi, Ben, this is Tibby Rothman one of the two by-lined writers on this story. Actually, "NONE of this information is new" is incorrect.
I'd point out the LA Weekly broke the news of the July 20 chart and map which proposes an increase of 'changeable message' boards for the area to nineteen and includes 'changeable message' boards on the freeway side of the convention center. I would be highly surprised if you could find this document readily available to the public at the time this story broke. Not even a councilmember assigned to the ad hoc committee examining the project knew about this.
I hope you and everyone else responding to the story are having a great week and staying hydrated.
Brian, there's nothing wrong with a downtown stadium. The problem lies in the fixes necessary to make a downtown stadium work. And as Mr. Futch's story points out, nobody knows nothin' when it comes to how much it's going to cost to repave much of downtown and who is going to pay. Right now it looks like the taxpayers are going to be fleeced because the city council didn't have the balls to stand up to AEG and get a deal that would require AEG to pay for all fixes not just its "fair share" whatever that means. The council also failed when it gave AEG the right to advertise on the people's convention center and then take the money to pay for its stadium. Lieweke and AEG may say the stadium isn't going to cost the taxpayers a dime. It's not. It's going to cost the taxpayers millions.
I think the cost should be upwards of $1 Billion. CRA's Hollywood-Highland Coplex alone lost almost $1/2 Billion.
LA Weekly, not that I expect you to fact check like real journalists, but you are blatantly and unforgivable inaccurate when you write: "the city has already selected 14 neighborhoods where developers could apply for "sign districts," including Koreatown and Studio City."
To be clear, the City has not selected any of these potential districts to be sign districts. The applications for them come from privat entities, the City would only allow them to continue under the rules (today's rules) under which they applied.
Get your facts straight.
Joe, it appears that you are the one who does not understand the city processes & procedures. The new sign ordinance has so substantially changed the one approved by the City Planning Commission that legally it was required to go back to the Commission. A Director's sign-off on such substantial changes is a misappropriation of powers not granted to the Director. The 14 neighborhoods where sign districts can be allowed is a new addition that was not part of the original approved by the Commission. That nobody in City Hall cares about legalities, blight in communities and their protests is another story.
Thanks to "Anonymous" who correctly replied to why "Joe" is confused about the city's upcoming sign district ordinance to be debated by PLUM on October 18. The city has in fact pre-selected 14 neighborhoods, some of them quite huge such as most of Koreatown and a huge stretch of the Wilshire District. Few residents know what is coming -- loads and loads of billboards, if developers apply for and get approved by the city to turn their targeted streets and blocks into "sign districts." The media have been largely silent on this. -- Jill Stewart, LA Weekly News Editor
I agree, our local politicians should be for the people and they should allow the billboards to go up! It would stimulate positive attention into the down town area.
I hope to see a bright L.E.D. billboard for Dr.Pepper soon!
Crass ads that degrade the citys livability? Ha! O.k. Remember down town in the mid 90's before L.A. Live and the staples center after 5 p.m.?
Yeah. That's right, Jerell. Let's turn the city into Bladerunner. I thought the movie was so cool when it came out in the 80s. The 1,000-foot-tall digital billboards, the never-ending black acid rain. What a sick looking mess. I didn't think that future world would happen in my lifetime but here it comes. The city council -- I wonder how many will go to work for AEG when they leave office -- gave away the farm and will allow AEG to make the city into its own Vegas. Isn't one enough? I used to live back east in a small town where the mayor made his living as a grocery store owner. The rest of the city council included a pharmacist, a fishing guide, and a couple of real estate people. They worked for the good of the community. I still thought of them as Podunk, USA. Then I moved to LA. I told my friends in Florida that I expected some real professionals in political office when I got to the big city. What do I find? Andy of Mayberry without an Andy. Eric Garcetti is Barney Fife, Tom LaBonge is Goober, Jan Perry is Aunt Bea or maybe her friend Cora. The rest of the council could all be Floyd the Barber. Angelenos. You're in trouble. I'm glad reporters like Tibby Rothman and Jill Stewart are on the job and paying attention.
Steve Sann... speak for your own old generation haha
what makes you think my generation hates billboards??? i LOVE em!! bright and gives the city a great entertainment and busy vibe... look at Tokyo.. they can do it.. even the old japanese folks aren't bothered by em... and who doesn't love Tokyo??? i've only seen positive effects from the development of L.A. Live, it brings a lot of people back to the city, because what can you do in the suburbs??, and people who come to THE CITY spend money on businesses. The south park area of downtown is a new light and sign district just like hollywood... draws in A LOT of locals and tourists.
You don't like it?? move to San Fran... or Montana.
No, you move if you love that crap. The fact is this is going to endanger everyone who drives on that freeway, and blare bright LEDs into the eyes of drivers coming from Santa Monica or points east. You come to my studio sometime, young man, and you can watch the accidents rolling across the screen, one after another, and have yourself a think about the mayhem and death and cruelly, preventably ended lives, stacking up week by week, day by day...check the mortality numbers----it's the epidemic no one talks about and YOU think stimulation and entertainment for the rich folk (because I sure can't afford the entertainment in that district at my job as a lowly traffic reporter)--is what makes life worth living---and are willing to sacrifice lives so that you can have your bright lights shining on the freeway------man, you got a lot to learn. You might even end up losing someone to a car accident, or dying in one yourself. Busy vibe? That freeway's already busy and DEADLY at that interchange. You got a lot to learn, including respect for people who've been around longer than you.
Keep electing these whores to the City Council & Mayor. Angelenons deserve to live in soon to be the crappiest city in the country.
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