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How the Wilshire Grand tower project was born

Construction workers guide a jumping wall form system into place as it is lowered into position by a crane into the core of the 73 story, 1100 foot tall Wilshire Grand Tower in Downtown Los Angeles that will be the tallest structure west of the Mississippi River, its developers say, when its 160 foot spire is included.
Construction workers guide a jumping wall form system into place as it is lowered into position by a crane into the core of the 73 story, 1100 foot tall Wilshire Grand Tower in Downtown Los Angeles that will be the tallest structure west of the Mississippi River, its developers say, when its 160 foot spire is included.
(Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)
By Thomas CurwenStaff Writer 

For 84 years, members of the California Club downtown have gazed upon this city’s evolving skyline from Flower Street.

Los Angeles’ first skyscraper, completed in 1904, stood 175 feet tall and was a few blocks east at Fourth and Spring streets. The city later imposed height limits on its buildings, and for 40 years, City Hall, rising 454 feet, was the most conspicuous exception.

Today the honor of tallest building goes to the U.S. Bank Tower, an imposing fireplug that looms over the California Club, where on a summer evening in 2004, Chris Martin and Yang Ho Cho met for the first time over dinner on the outdoor terrace.

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Thomas Curwen

Thomas Curwen is staff writer for the Los Angeles Times, specializing in long-form narratives, and was a Pulitzer Prize finalist in 2008 for feature writing.

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