A Restored Skyscraper in LA Will Feature a Terrifying Glass Slide
Going to the bank just got that much scarier
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In recent years, downtown Los Angeles has transformed into a thriving urban center, flush with millions of revitalization dollars and new cultural institutions like The Broad, as well as revamped icons like the Grand Central Market. The massive uphaul has given Los Angeles' core a whole new view, and now a nervewracking thrill can help you take it in—a new glass slide suspended 1,000 feet in the air.
The Los Angeles Times’ Andrew Khouri reports that downtown’s U.S. Bank Tower—the tallest building on the West Coast—will soon feature a glass slide that takes daredevil patrons from the 70th to the 69th floor. The slide, appropriately named "Skyslide," will be suspended 1,000 feet above the city and will cost $8 a pop.
The ride is part of OUE Skyspace Los Angeles, a new open-air observation deck that’s going into the U.S. Bank Tower’s pricey renovation. The slide itself is made entirely of clear glass and is 45 feet long—perhaps just long enough to justify the additional $25 fee it will take to get up to the observation deck itself.
Hair-raising observation decks, sky-high viewing platforms and urban adventures are all part of a larger architectural trend. With the rise of buildings that incorporate everything suspended glass bridges to “sky pools” linking two skyscrapers, it seems like travelers have developed a taste for glassy scares. In the future, airplanes could even have bubble-shaped bumps so passengers can catch an ever-so-slightly scary view of the sky.
Are you brave enough to slide down the side of a skyscraper? You can test your mettle when it opens in June. Tickets for the ride won’t go on sale until March 18, but you can pre-register on the slide’s website.
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