These are your four (4) questions. Thursday, with the help of reader responses, we provide the answers. If you know an answer to one of these excellent questions, please email us at la@curbed.com or leave a comment.
[Pershing Square Building, Downtown LA]
1) Westlake/Pico-Union: For some reason we remember writing about houses moving about in this area. Perhaps this is related. Via a questioner: "Any idea what the two old, boarded-up houses along Alvarado St between 11th and 12th are doing there? The houses appear to have been moved there relatively recently, as they are supported by a wooden frame and the area is still just an empty, dusty lot on Google Maps. I think the lot is in Westlake, but the Pico-Union Library is only a few blocks away so beats me. Where's the line between those two anyways?"
2) Downtown: More mysterious loft development downtown? "Last night I saw that the Pershing Square Building at 448 S Hill Street in downtown has scaffolding up. I live in downtown and haven't noticed it before. I don't think it's being converted to lofts/condos, so maybe renovated office space? What's the scoop?"
3) Westlake: Wow a second Westlake question. "When on earth is someone going to do something about the big ugly parking lot at Wilshire and Hoover? (Bounded by Wilshire, Hoover, Sunset Place, and some little alleyway) ... It's across the street from LaFayette Park and surrounded by beautiful old buildings like the Royale Wilshire and the Bryson. It's near the Red Line and in the middle of a pleasant, walkable, urban neighborhood. Only it makes the place less pleasant and less walkable by filling up all that space with cars for rent...."
4) Old Timey Los Angeles: A reader has a "weird" question about disturbing memories from his childhood in LAUSD. "Back in the late 70s, my junior high social studies class had this boxed set of aerial photos. The photos could be residential or commercial areas. I believe there were some topical as well. On the flip side were some zoning and land use questions.
I don't know anyone else who had these in class. Can anyone tell me what the heck these things were as I would like some explanation on my bizarre infatuation with google maps and all things aerial."