Very early in the morning on the East Coast, the Occupy Wall Streeters were swept (sometimes literally) out of Zucotti Park, aka Liberty Plaza Park. New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg made clear that he gave the orders to evict the site, but he also said he had gotten requests from park owners Brookfield Office Properties--the company owns the One Liberty Plaza tower and the adjacent Zucotti Park, which it operates as a privately owned public space. Today Brookfield argued in court that the Occupiers should not be granted a restraining order from the police and Brookfield and disputed "that they had any First Amendment obligations with regard to use of the park, because they are private property-holders," according to the Village Voice. The restraining order was denied and while Occupiers moved back into the park as it got dark, they weren't allowed to bring in tents, sleeping bags, or, according to several reports, food. There are now entry and exit checkpoints. (Meanwhile, officials here are working on getting Occupy LA off the City Hall lawn, although they say they have no immediate plans to evict.) Brookfield is a big international company and their properties in Downtown Los Angeles are both familiar to Angelenos and pretty similar to One Liberty Plaza--let's take a look:
Name: Bank of America Plaza
Location: 333 S. Hope St., at Third
The BOA Plaza has already been occupied--the OLAers pitched tents in the lobby and in the courtyard last week. The property includes the 55 story building designed by Albert C. Martin & Associates, along with "a unique formal garden with over 200 trees and three 24-foot waterfalls," and a 42 foot tall Alexander Calder sculpture, according to Brookfield's website. It also has "more parking per square foot of office space than any other area building."
Name: Figueroa at Wilshire
Location: 601 S. Figueroa St.
Brookfield makes its own local headquarters at Figueroa at Wilshire, a 52 *story building also designed by Albert C. Martin & Associates. The tower has a Brazilian rose granite exterior, two 75 foot tall atria, and an open-air plaza with "a three-story fire and water sculpture titled L.A. Prime Matter." Brookfield notes that it's conveniently adjacent to one percenter private clubs the Jonathan and the California.
Name: Ernst & Young Plaza
Location: 725 S. Figueroa St., at Seventh
Ernst & Young Plaza "is positioned on a newly renovated, beautifully landscaped, 2.5-acre open-air plaza with abundant courtyard seating," and has a 41 story tower designed by SOM. It's also home to the FIGat7th, site of the much-anticipated Downtown Target, as well as a California Pizza Kitchen, a Morton's, and a Starbucks.
· Los Angeles Portfolio [Brookfield Office Properties]
· Occupy Wall Street's Day In Court [Village Voice]
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