You’ve seen it. If you’ve spent more than five minutes in Los Angeles over the last decade, that glowing, sail-shaped crown is impossible to miss. It sits there, poking the sky at 1,100 feet, acting like the undisputed king of the Financial District. But if you talk to a local architect or a hardcore skyscraper nerd, they might give you a side-eye when you call the Wilshire Grand Center the tallest building in the West.
Why? Because technically, it’s a bit of a cheat.
Don’t get me wrong, the building is a marvel. It’s a $1.2 billion glass-and-steel giant that basically revitalized a whole chunk of Figueroa. But that "tallest" title comes with a massive asterisk. The actual roof of the building—where the floors stop and the air begins—is significantly lower than the U.S. Bank Tower down the street. We’re talking about a 160-foot decorative spire doing a lot of the heavy lifting.
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In the world of the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH), spires count toward height, but antennas don't. It's a weird, specific rule. Because the Wilshire Grand’s needle is considered an "architectural element," it officially snatched the crown from the U.S. Bank Tower in 2017.
Honestly, the U.S. Bank Tower feels taller when you're standing next to it. Its roof sits at 1,018 feet. The Wilshire Grand’s roof? Only 937 feet. If you’re standing on the 73rd floor looking out, you’re actually looking up at the top of its neighbor.
But height isn't everything. The Wilshire Grand Downtown LA did something much more important than winning a measuring contest: it broke the "Flat Roof Rule." For decades, every tall building in LA had to have a flat roof for emergency helipads. This was a 1974 fire ordinance sparked by a tragedy in Brazil. It’s why the LA skyline looked like a collection of shoeboxes for forty years. The Wilshire Grand was the first to get an exception, trading a rooftop helipad for a high-tech tactical landing platform and advanced fire safety systems. It changed the silhouette of the city forever.
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Checking into the Sky: The InterContinental Experience
Walking into this place is weird. You don't check in on the ground floor. You walk past a massive, three-story chandelier made of car brake lights—a nod to LA's infamous traffic—and get into a high-speed elevator.
You’re headed to the 70th floor.
The "Sky Lobby" is where the magic happens. Most hotels put their best views behind a paywall for the "Presidential Suite," but here, everyone gets the 360-degree panorama just to get their room key. It’s a smart move. It makes you feel like a high roller even if you're just staying for a night on points.
- The Rooms: They start on the 31st floor. Even the "cheap" seats have floor-to-ceiling glass.
- The Vibe: It’s sleek, corporate, but somehow still very "LA." Think Le Labo bath products and billboard-inspired art.
- The Gym: Attitude Fitness on the 7th floor is legit. It’s one of those places where you might actually see a professional athlete or a celebrity trying to sweat out a hangover before a premiere.
Dining Near the Clouds
If you aren't staying at the hotel, you’re probably there for the food or the booze. And man, they really leaned into the "highest in the world" branding.
Spire 73 is the big one. It’s the highest open-air bar in the Western Hemisphere. It’s cool, literally. Because it’s open-air at 1,100 feet, it gets freezing. Even on a warm July night, the wind up there will cut through a t-shirt. They have fire pits, but unless you’re sitting right on top of one, bring a jacket. There’s usually a $60 minimum spend per person, so it’s not exactly a "casual beer" spot. It’s a "I’m celebrating something or trying to impress a date" spot.
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One floor down, on 71, is La Boucherie. It’s a French-American steakhouse that looks like something out of a futuristic Bond movie. They have a wine cellar with over 1,200 bottles. If you want to go all out, they have "Starlight Booths" which are private, glass-walled pods that make you feel like you're floating over the 110 freeway.
Quick Breakdown of the Floors
- 73rd Floor: Spire 73 (Rooftop Bar)
- 71st Floor: La Boucherie (High-end Steakhouse)
- 70th Floor: Sky Lobby and Lobby Lounge
- 69th Floor: Sora (Sushi) and Dekkadance (International Buffet)
- 7th Floor: Pool deck and Attitude Fitness
Engineering for the "Big One"
Living in LA, you can't talk about a 1,100-foot glass tower without someone asking, "What happens when the earthquake hits?"
The engineering behind the Wilshire Grand Downtown LA is actually kind of terrifyingly cool. It sits on a massive 18-foot-thick concrete mat. To pour it, they had to run a continuous stream of 2,100 trucks over 20 hours. It set a Guinness World Record at the time.
The building doesn't just sit there; it’s designed to flex. It uses "buckling restrained braces" that act like giant shock absorbers. While the rest of the city is shaking, this building is engineered to dissipate that energy. It’s supposedly one of the safest places to be in the city during a tremor, which is a comforting thought when you're sipping a martini on the 73rd floor.
Sustainability and the Green Factor
It’s not just a glass ego-trip. The building is LEED Gold certified. They have a massive thermal energy storage system that basically makes ice at night when electricity is cheap and uses it to cool the building during the day.
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They also recycle water for irrigation. In a city that’s constantly staring down a drought, that’s not just PR—it’s a necessity. The developers, Hanjin International (the folks behind Korean Air), spent a lot of money making sure this thing wasn't just a drain on the city’s resources.
Navigating the Hype
Look, is it a tourist trap? A little bit. If you go to Spire 73 on a Saturday night, you’re going to wait in lines, pay $25 for a cocktail, and deal with a crowd that’s more interested in their Instagram feed than the actual view.
But if you go on a Tuesday at sunset? It’s unbeatable. Seeing the light hit the San Gabriel Mountains and the Pacific Ocean at the same time is one of those "I love LA" moments that stays with you.
Insider Tips for Your Visit
- The Secret View: For the best view without the $60 cover charge, just go to the Sky Lobby on 70. There are plenty of places to sit and just look out the window.
- Parking Hack: Don't valet at the hotel unless you want to set $50 on fire. There are several lots within two blocks (like the one under The Bloc) that are half the price.
- The Restrooms: This sounds weird, but go to the bathroom on the 70th floor. The men's room, in particular, has floor-to-ceiling windows right at the urinals. It’s easily the best view you’ll ever have while doing your business.
- The Weather: Check the wind report. If it’s a Santa Ana wind day, Spire 73 will be miserable or closed.
Moving Forward: What’s Next for the Grand?
The building has had its ups and downs. Hanjin Group had some financial turbulence a few years back, and there were rumors about the building being sold. But for now, it remains the anchor of the "new" Downtown.
With the 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Olympics coming to town, the Wilshire Grand Downtown LA is basically the city's front porch. It’s where the high-profile visitors will stay and where the "money shots" of the skyline will be filmed.
If you’re planning a trip, don't just look at it from the freeway. Go up. Even if it's just for one drink or a quick walk through the lobby, it's the best way to understand the scale of modern Los Angeles.
Actionable Next Steps:
Check the sunset time for your visit and book a reservation at Sora or La Boucherie about 30 minutes prior to catch the "Golden Hour" across the city. If you're on a budget, grab a coffee at the ground floor and take the elevator to the 70th floor just to experience the 45-second ascent and the Sky Lobby view for free.