Pacific Electric Viaduct Footings: Is This Any Way To Treat A Historic Landmark?

Photo: Diane Edwardson, May 25, 2014.  Not only are the over- 100-year old concrete landmark viaduct footings painted with brightly hued pastel colors, the vandal artist included mixed media.  (Click on photos to enlarge.)

Photo: Diane Edwardson, May 25, 2014.  Considering we've had multiple rainstorms since the paper was glued to the viaduct footings, you have to wonder what kind of glue he used.  It makes cleaning the footings an even more complex task.  Neighbors are asking what can we do about the "art," as it is vandalism of a historic landmark.  It is not temporary.  The porous nature of the ancient concrete means you can't pressure wash nor sandblast the footings.  

In past discussion with a representative of Central City Action Committee (a non-profit that does graffiti removal in the area), we learned this takes a specialized product for removal of paint, which can become costly.  A grant would  need to be applied for, as it does not fall within their normal budget.  That was based on earlier discussions for graffiti on site which was nowhere near as extensive in coverage as this vandalism.  And of course, everything is complicated by the location on the steep slope on private property.

Photo: Diane Edwardson, May 25, 2014.  Those top 3 footings have been painted over several times by what appears to be the same artist.  The paint seems to have been applied by airbrush or power sprayer. This was not done with a spray can. Perhaps the artist thinks he's doing a service to the community by painting over the graffiti that reappeared there, but it just adds more layers of paint for removal.

Photo: Gary Vlahakis, February 24, 2014.  The same 3 footings from the previous photo are on the top left of this photo.  How many layers of paint, glue & paper now have to be removed because of this artist's vision?  

Perhaps the artist should think bigger - like the Hollywood Sign.  That will be well received for sure.

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There was an understated elegance to the viaduct footings.

Silver Lake's Stonehenge 

Fletcher Viaduct 1904 

Historic Landmarks: Why Not Paint The Historic Pumphouse In Bright Colors Too?

Photo: Red Car Property Neighbor, March 10, 2014.  Just because the Red Car Viaduct Footings aren't pristine like the historic DWP pumphouse across Fletcher, doesn't make them less of a historic cultural landmark.  (Click on photo to enlarge.) 

Because of the viaduct footings' historic landmark status, it now becomes an expensive project to restore the footings.  Not all of the footings the artist chose to paint were tagged with graffiti. 

Historic Viaduct Footings: Is This Any Way To Treat A Historic Landmark?

Photo: Gary Vlahakis, February 24, 2014. Los Angeles Cultural Historic Landmark #770 has been vandalized repeatedly in the past 2 weeks by a guerrilla artist.  The paint is thick and completely envelopes each footing.  (Click on photo to enlarge.) 

The Pacific Electric Red Car Viaduct Footings are concrete blocks in the hillside on the corner of Riverside & Fletcher.  They once supported one of the longest viaducts (viaducts go over land, bridges go over water) in the Pacific Electric Red Car Trolley System.

See: Guerrilla art overstaying its welcome, damaging landmark

See: Silver Lake's Stonehenge

Historic Viaduct Footings: Guerrilla Art, February 2011

Photo: Diane Edwardson, February 15, 2011.  The base of the foreground sculpture was poured concrete that is now permanently a part of the historic viaduct footing.  (Click on photo to enlarge.) 

See yesterday's post for more on the damage to the historic viaduct footing.

Historic Viaduct Footings: Guerrilla Artist Damaged Historic Landmark

Photo: Jonathan Vandiveer: May 22, 2011.  A guerrilla art installation earlier this year involved pouring of concrete onto one of the historic viaduct footings - in the lower right corner.  (Click on photo to enlarge.) 

The concrete was poured into a bucket that apparently was bottomless.  Now, the concrete base is a permanent fixture on the viaduct footings toward the bottom of the hill on Fletcher.

The solar art statement has since been removed and we are left with a permanently altered viaduct footing. I grew tired of giving the guerrilla artist(s) publicity, so I never bothered to document that installation here.  In April, the windmill was dismantled and dumped on the DWP-owned portion Red Car Property, behind the Arco Station.  It is still there today.

The guerilla art consisting of message laden flowers (photo above) can be easily removed. They seem to fall over in the wind and are fitted over the existing wrought iron poking out of each footing.

I usually support guerrilla art.  HOWEVER, if you are going to display art anywhere, take responsibility for it.  Clean up the graffiti and be sensitive to the neighbors.  Maintain your art.  Limit the time the art stays up so neighbors don't get fed up with it. I usually hear people bitching about guerrilla art, once it's up for more than one month. 

Red Car Viaduct Footings: Guerrilla Art Built To Last

Photo: Diane Edwardson, January 30, 2011. The guerrilla art project that sprouted on the historic landmark Red Car viaduct footings is still standing almost a year later. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Historic Viaduct Footings: Unpermitted Alterations Remain

Photo: Diane Edwardson, October 2, 2010. The City notice to remove rubbish from would include the unpermitted combustible structure on the historic viaduct footings. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

More than seven months ago, unpermitted alterations began to the Red Car Viaduct Footings, (City of Los Angeles Cultural Historic Landmark #770). The City gave notice to remove the unpermitted alterations on June 20, 2010, but then failed to remove the structure.

Despite routine reminders to City Council President Eric Garcetti's office (CD13), the structure remains an eyesore and a fire hazard. Silver Lake Deputy Ryan Carpio failed to respond to several email reminders in the past month. But then, what's one more piece of crap to look at when you have power lines, ugly rooftops, major commuter streets and the 5 Freeway to clutter the view.

Photo: Diane Edwardson, October 2, 2010. Unpermitted alterations stand about 20' high atop the much abused historic landmark at Riverside & Fletcher. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

See all our posts on the unpermitted alterations.

The Eastsider has covered the alterations too.

Historic Viaduct Footings: Stop Already!

Photo: Diane Edwardson, June 30, 2010. While waiting for the signal at Fletcher & Riverside, I noticed the recent addition of a stop sign to the unpermitted alterations of the historic landmark viaduct footings. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Historic Viaduct Footings: Unpermitted Alterations

Photo: Diane Edwardson, June 23, 2010. Someone's guerrilla art project is an unpermitted alteration of the historic landmark viaduct footings. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

When the City Department of Lot Cleaning was clearing brush with a backhoe, I asked CD13 to have them clear the unpermitted construction on the historic viaduct footings at the same time. I made the same request for removal, illustrated with photos, many times over the past few months.

The unpermitted violation of the viaduct footings has been under construction since February. It has yet to be cited by Building & Safety.

Brush clearance, by both the City and private contractors on the Red Car Property earlier this month, revealed old graffiti on the historic viaduct footings. This is a fine welcome to Silver Lake.

Historic Red Car Trolley Viaduct Footings: The Big Parade Day 2

Photo: Diane Edwardson, June 13, 2010. The Big Parade climbed down from the Red Car Property, using the pubic right-of-way adjacent to the historic Red Car Trolley Viaduct Footings. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Photo Diane Edwardson, June13, 2010. The Big Parade crossed Fletcher at the crosswalk, continued through the DWP-owned parking lot of HOME Restaurant and up the Public Staircase between Fletcher and Waverly. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

The Big Parade II is the 2-day 100+ public staircase hike from Angel's Flight to the Hollywood Sign: www.bigparadela.com.

See The Big Parade's photostream on Twitter.

LAist reviews The Big Parade.

Click here for all our historic viaduct posts.

Historic Viaduct Footings: Definitely Not A Viaduct Reproduction

Photo: Diane Edwardson, April 26, 2010. This is not permitted work on Los Angeles Historic Landmark 770. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

If anyone knows what this is or who is building what appears to be a Ferris wheel on the historic Red Car Viaduct Footings, send us an email: redcarproperty@gmail.com. It is definitely not an approved use of a cultural historic landmark.

Historic Viaduct Footings: Unpermitted Alterations

Photo: Diane Edwardson, March 20, 2010. Wood framing atop Historic Landmark 770 hasn't changed much in the past 3 weeks. (Click on photo to enlarge.)
Photo: Diane Edwardson, March 20, 2010. Holding pens have been moved around on the flat part of the lot above the viaduct footings. (Click on photo to enlarge.)
Photo: Diane Edwardson, March 20, 2010. At least one of the six pens migrated south a few hundred feet. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Permits have NOT been applied for to alter the City Historic Cultural Resource. If you know what is going on with the current vandalization of the historic viaduct footings or dumping of the holding pens, please contact redcarproperty@gmail.com.

Red Car Property: Rebuilding The Historic Red Car Trolley Viaduct?

Photo: Diane Edwardson, March 1, 2010. Since Friday, additional framing arrived on the viaduct footings. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

It looks like someone is building a model of the original viaduct with wood trestle construction atop the historic viaduct footings. The new framing either fell down, or is not yet completed.

If you know what's going on here, please contact us: redcarproperty@gmail.com.

Red Car Property: Another Mystery

Photo: Diane Edwardson, February 26, 2010. A few days ago, what appears to be an easel for a sign appeared on the already graffiti vandalized historic viaduct footings. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Photo: Diane Edwardson, February 26, 2010. This morning, I discovered what appears to be wooden pens on the plateau above the viaduct footings. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

If you know what's going on here, send us an email: redcarproperty@gmail.com.

3-1-10 UPDATE: A reader suggests the wooden pens are "for all the blasted clueless yuppies that have moved into the area. We needed a place to hold them while we figure out how to return and re-introduce them to their former habitats."