This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Tear It Down: 8500 Melrose Edition
There is a building. It is located at 8500 Melrose Avenue. It is situated in the city of West Hollywood. It sits just down the street from Urth Cafe, and on the corner of Melrose and La Cienega Boulevard. And LAist is pleading the City of Los Angeles to tear it down.
Although featured in a prominent scene in the movie Ruthless People, the pink and black checkered building has done more than corner the market on "public eyesore" for more than a few decades — but has continued to give motorists and pedestrians migraine headaches by simply looking at the Miami Vice tic-tac-toe design for a mere ten seconds.
LAist says tear the damn eyesore down.
Isn't it time that this corner of the city become beautified with some kind of granite or stone or marble that fits our society today? Isn't it obvious that one-hundred years from now no public official will be spending their personal time trying to "Save 8500 Melrose!" from destruction? Don't we care about our children and those moving to Los Angeles enough to remove said eyesore before it is too late?
We think so. How about you? Or is there something even worse that should turn to rubble before this one?