The Wilshire Financial Tower was built in 1962. This structure is commonly referred to by skateboarders as the WIlshire 10 or Wilshire 15. The building received a Merit Award from the Southern California Chapter of the American Institute of Architects in 1963. The entrance has an 88 foot wide forecourt framed by one story wings. The lobby features a four-section colored mosaic glass mural by Gyorgy Kepes, 12 feet high and totaling 57 feet in length. Welton David Beckett’s architectural firm designed this building. Interestingly, the architectural firm also designed some very interesting buildings and structures that are relevant to skateboard culture. His firm also designed the World’s Fair project in 1964, to NY skaters this is know as “Flushing Meadows”. Another famous skate spot designed by Welton Beckett’s firm is the Chase Tower in Phoenix, AZ. This pot is know as the “Bank Banks”, made famous by Chad Muska and Colby Carter. The firm also designed the Capitol Records building located in Hollywood, CA.
Anyways, let’s get down to brass tax. In pursuit of the completing the “Bake and Destroy” video which was available as a free DVD in every copy of December 2012 Thrasher Magazine. The BAKER skateboards team was in crunch time to get the final clips for the video. Warming up at the Wilshire 10 stair, Justin “Figgy” Figueroa switch backside lipslides the set and avoids oncoming traffic. Andrew Reynolds gets half Cab noseslide, while Michael Burnett documents with a photography sequence. Migrating to the big boy side, a young Franky Villani performs a coping dance with a feeble-to-50-50 and then considers a 50-50 to manual. Figgy, pursing the premeditated switch backside 50-50, get what he came there for. A cold blooded reptile (Lizard Kind) feeds off the heat of the make.
The next day, in San Pedro, CA, Furby nollie kickflips a fatty to flatty between the pam tree field goal. It’s good… Circa 2011 – BEAGLE