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The inexorable march of bulldozers
The Belmont Yard, aka the Belmont Tunnel, aka the Belmont Art Park has been threatened with destruction by a developer with 276 units of apartments up its corporate nose. Located off the west edge of downtown, the park has served as rare greenspace for a soccer-like game called Tarasca and as a canvas for some breathtakingly talented graffiti artists. While the rains held the bulldozers back for a short interval, the yard and its surrounding graffiti-coated walls have now been plowed into foundation-ready ground for the approved apartments. On February 9, the City Council's Planning and Land Use Management Committee approved designation of the tunnel and substation (pictured) as landmarks, but exactly how anyone will see them after the new construction takes place is beyond us. For now, the best vantage point is from the 1st street bridge as it crosses second. Either that or follow the stray dogs through the gap in fence off Lucas and get a closer-up view.
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Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive from readers like you will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.
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