A reader wants to know what's going on just across the 1st Street Caesar Chavez Boulevard Bridge from Downtown Los Angeles.

"Curbed, can you please answer a question that has been bubbling inside of me for a long time. For as long as I can remember there have been ugly dirt and rubble mounds on the east side of the LA River, just off the 1st St. Caesar Chavez Blvd. bridge. I think they're growing. What a terrible gateway to Boyle Heights - big dirty mounds. Where is all this rubble coming from? Is this a new LAUSD school for mole people? It's such a blight, why can't they ship this eyesore collection to the Valley where it would go unnoticed?"

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Sending in the following photo of a black and gold building on Western and 3rd, a reader writes: "What exactly is it? Who owns it? And was it built around the same time as the famous Richfield Tower (whose color scheme was meant to recall the 'black gold' of Richfield Oil)?" Similar to the former Security-First National Bank of Los Angeles branch at 5209 Wilshire Boulevard, the building is the only other still-extant black and gold Deco structure in the city that we're aware of. Perhaps it's simply an overlooked Deco gem in need of some Conservancy attention?
̭ BuildingSpotter: Le Melange On Fairfax [Curbed LA]

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Okay, once again Curbed editors have out nerded the lot of you. We were expecting to find our email inboxes clogged with reports of a well known Los Angeles loft lobby that made a few cameos in the monster flick Cloverfield, which everyone saw over the weekend. Above are a few pics to help you out. It almost seems fitting that this cursed building would be at the center of some sort of monster attack...

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Writes a curious reader: "Do you have any info on the building going up on Fairfax near Wilshire (it's been under construction for ages). A Google search only turned up the following: Summerland Partners, Inc, Project name: Le Melange, Project Address: 637 S. Fairfax Ave., Los Angeles, Ca 90036. I've included a crappy cell phone pic from my office window." After calling the development company, we can report that Le Melange is French for a six-story mixed-use condominium project with ground floor retail.
· BuildingSpotter: Ornate Victorian In Strip Mall Hell [Curbed LA]

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Remember that mustard-hued, Echo Park sales-turned-rental building that everyone bashed for being ugly? It's called Quintero Townhouses, and a recent visit revealed that the 16-unit building is comprised of three-bedrooms ranging from $2,500-$2,700/month. Seven units have been rented, and majority of the people moving in are 20-somethings, according to the leasing agent. Are these local hipsters each paying $800 a month for close proximity to the Short Stop? We gotta guess no, but didn't actually see any of the renters in person.

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Hey, the first BuildingSpotter of the year. "What's the deal with the 'Victorian' building at the corner of Sherman Way and Corbin in one of the unloveliest parts of the Valley... is this a remnant of ol' timey Los Angeles or part of that brief 80's architectural wave of CaliVictorian Revival. It's a nice building in a terrible location... any back story?"

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Although obscured by the sun, the lettering on the building (arrow points to it) reads: Coyne Building. It's located at 1262 Crenshaw, at Pico. Who's Mr. Coyne? And yes, we called that phone number on the banner hanging on the building. They're looking to rent out offices, FYI.

A reader sends in a photo of the Sunset Strip building, now completely suffocated by an ad for "Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium." Not much we can add.

Sensing that this UCLA store is not affiliated with the university, a reader sends in this photograph, demanding answers. It's located on the corner of Vine Street and Willoughby. "Does anyone on god's green earth know what this building is
really about? You can just smell the academia in the air...or is that cactus tacos?"

A cursory search of the web revealed nothing about this place, but perhaps UCLA has some sort of run-down looking branch. Or perhaps it's the local office of the United Chlorine Laborers Association or the Underfed Clothing Labor Assistants. No clue.

Last week, Curbed got beat up for posting old-timey signage--located on a downtown wall--after it wasn't deemed old-timey enough because it was a poster from, uhm, probably the 1990s. Let's hope this signage is a tad older--who knows--and not drawn from a stencil kit purchased at Urban Outfitters. Spotted in Venice, off Main Street. That's Wash: 15 cents, Dry: 5 cents. Big building reveal after the jump.

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