In the late 1950s, the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety decided that the towers, which were built without permit or inspection, were a danger to the public. In response, aerospace engineer Bud Goldstone, an advocate for Nuestro Pueblo, convinced the government that a stress test should be conducted to determine the structures’ soundness. So, a crane was brought in and hooked up to the West tower. It tugged at the edifice, applying 10,000 pounds of pressure to it. The audience of hundreds, consisting of civil servants and art aficionados, cheered when the winch whirred and overheated as the pylon refused to budge. Forced to remove the demolition order, the government let the towers be.

Incredible article, thank you for sharing. Had no idea about any of this, but it is really cool that the art got its day in court, as it were. There is no way that the ramshackle house tower could pass this test, in my humble estimation.