Los Angeles is one of the world's great neon cities, but the Korean and American developers of a new high rise proposed for downtown want to take it up a notch. According to Curbed LA, the owners of the Wilshire Grand hotel — proposed site of a 65-story building — want to create a sign district that could include flashing, tall-wall digital billboards of the type seen in Tokyo.

The project itself would have such buzzing, eye-bursting signage and the proposal would allow other structures in the downtown Financial District to go big and bright. Too much? Blade Runner or Lost In Translation?

The move comes at a time when the city, with some exceptions, including the LA Live development south of the Wilshire Grand, is battling against building owners and outdoor media companies in its attempt to ban “supergraphic” billboards.

States Curbed LA:

Not only would this style of digital advertising on two tall towers be unprecedented in LA, but it would also essentially extend the path of LA Live, bringing the buzz-y style that defines that district towards the Financial District. So what to think? On the one hand, it's a scenario of oooh, Tokyo-style animated fun, electronic art lighting up the sky. On the other hand, it's a scenario of giant digital Charmin ads blinking down at drivers stuck in traffic on the 101 Freeway.

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