William Crandell on February 09, 2011, at 07:57PM – #1

Robinson's report to the city also included the idea of creating a wide axis along Fifth Street extending west from the front of the train station which stood at Fifth and Central clear west to and beyond Central Park, to a new city library to replace the State Normal School. However, the Alexandria and Security Bank buildings had already been constructed at the Spring Street intersection and these would have prevented the widening of the street, if the city fathers had any inclination to pursue the idea.

When architect Goodhue massed the central tower of the Main Library the way he did, focusing it upon the centerline of Hope Street, he may have been following upon Robinson's suggestion of eighteen years earlier. It was a masterstroke and we're lucky to still have it. Unfortunate that the architects of the expansion of late were forced to kow-tow to the preservationists. That atrium with all of its escalators leading way deep down to a blank wall reminds me of The Pit and The Pendulum. Imagine what architect Norman Foster could have accomplished instead!

BobbyD on February 14, 2011, at 06:25AM – #2

The plans approved by the county supervisors and the mayor of Los Angeles" were titled "Civic Center" not "Civic Center Esplanade". The basic features of the fountain were in the design approved in 1956(including pipes and electical for the pumps) and in the construction at that time with the final finish years later when the donation for that was made. City Manager Will was a real nice guy but the fact is that the fountain was going in with or without him. The county supervisors and Mayor Poulson asked me to design what is now know as that 1956 plan, with nothing fro other other people incorporated into the plan. When a county architect was told to draw the plans as I instructed him, he laughed-I was only 9 years old. The county supervisor standing there said to the architect that he would be fired if he did not do everything I said. A week later the county supervisors and Mayor Poulson approved the plans. At that meeting I chose the construction company, who I had worked with on the Pershing Square project and at the Exposition Park rose gardens, both of which, like the Civic Center project, started with a hole in the ground with no help(nor negative factor) from previous construction). I did not charge anybody anything for what I did for the Civic Center Project. The construction contractor put in a request for a refund of costs totaling $33,000. All history now with no substance, even the credit for the fountain has been hijacked, thanks to the present board of supervisors and the mayor.

BobbyD on May 27, 2011, at 07:00PM – #3

Following the Civic Center completion, I received 20 death threats from 15 people when the Los Angeles Times ran a front-page story about me, a 9-year kid designing the Civic Center and in charge of construction. 2 were sentenced to county jail and one to state prison. Covering up the actions of those people is a good reason for today's design businesses to lie about the history of the Civic Center.

BobbyD on July 23, 2011, at 05:49PM – #4

"The Southland is getting a new jewel to adorn a cluster of beauty that is already world-reknowned," wrote the L.A. Times on February 3, 1957.- that was written by Norman Chandler in my presence and then asked me for permission to publish that statement with the rest of the article that he then published, the article was about me. At that moment the property was plain dirt with one oak tree on the west side that I had planted 21 year prior to the story. The property had remained dirt since the building on that lot was torn down- if their was any other plans they were only in someone's mind, not in reality. I think that the designer of the new civic center made-up(lied) about there being ancient plans to cover-up my being threatened with death by many LA area designers, perhaps the one who designed the civic center being built. Millions and prison time could be at stake if the truth is known by the right people- jurors.