“The Metro Rail Subway is finally coming to Hollywood. Nearly six years in development in what seemed an eternity of construction, the subway will finally make its debut on the streets of Hollywood June 12.
I have spent the last few years observing the fencing, piles of dirt and construction sites all over my neighborhood. A building on Highland Avenue was torn down to make way for the subway station. All this in the hopes of making my community a better place to live.
Considering how controversial the subway has been, I was surprised and pleased to see how beautiful the two Hollywood subway stations are. When MTA spokesperson Gary Wosk took me on a tour of both the Hollywood/Western Station and the Hollywood/Vine Station. I could tell that people are going to enjoy using the subway.
Check out the “Chiclets” colored tiles
The Hollywood/Vine station captures the history, glamour and excitement of the Hollywood film industry thanks to a collaboration between artist Gilbert Lujan and architects from Miralles Associates, Inc. On the station’s street level, there’s the bus shelter designs that were constructed to look like the Chinese Theater, a limousine and the Brown Derby restaurant. The elevator to go downstairs takes the shape of a movie theater with a marquee to read. From the street level to the lower level plaza, the floor paving was designed to resemble the yellow brick road from “The Wizard of Oz.” When I went downstairs into the plaza, the first thing I noticed were the old film reels that literally covered the ceiling, all recycled and painted different shades of blue. I thought the two original film projectors on display from the 1930s (donated by Paramount Studios) were very unique and impressive. The columns were designed to resemble the palm trees of sunny Southern California. Adding more to the theme of the station is the railing from the plaza to the platform (waiting area for the train), which accommodates the musical notes to the song, “Hooray for Hollywood.” Right before descending down towards the platform you see the wall which resembles movie theater screen with curtains and all. Truly, the station captures all that signifies Hollywood and then some.
The first thing I noticed at the Hollywood/Western Station were the colors. Metro employees called it “the Chiclets Station” because of the brilliant colored tiles. The plaza floor was also captivating, covered with bright granite tiles with small symbols while others formed pictograms of the four natural elements (fire, water, air and water). This station focused on history. On display are poems from early Southern California inhabitants and more recent immigrants who represent a large number of Metro Rail users. On the walls are photos of historic artifacts like the bones of prehistoric animals which were found during station construction. Two replicas of the old Pacific Electric Red Cars stick out from the mezzanine wall. This display connects the past with the future. You see the past in the old red cars and the future in the subway station. Altogether this station impressed me greatly.
Many residents in Hollywood were against the construction of the subway. Most of them feared change and what it would bring to our community. Hollywood is a historic landmark of Los Angeles and in order to maintain its existence it must be helped along. That is what the subway, along with other renovations throughout the boulevard, will do for my community. After six long years of construction the subway will finally be making a stop in Hollywood. Take my advice and come by and pay the stations a visit in June. It’ll be well worth the trip.”