Press Box Issue Is Not Closed

In May, The Times first reported the numerous problems that arose during construction of a new press box at the venerable Los Angeles Coliseum. It was a matter that deserved immediate attention and study, especially since the 40-yard-long structure overhangs more than 600 spectator seats.

After the Times disclosure, inspectors reported finding defects in 26% of the press box welds that they tested. Moreover, city officials allowed the press box to be used for last year’s college football season without a city occupancy permit. The document had not been issued because the structural engineer who designed the press box, Nabih Youssef, had withheld his approval due to eight structural issues involving items not in conformance with contract documents.

Several repairs have now been made, and Youssef has certified that the press box “was constructed in conformity with the approved design.” The press box has a city occupancy permit, which Coliseum Commission General Manager Patrick T. Lynch calls the “ultimate stamp of approval that the press box is safe.”

But are matters in fact resolved? Youssef has said that he thinks the structure’s box columns are safe, but he said at a meeting last month that “at least one” of the three columns should be tested.

At an Aug. 7 Coliseum Commission meeting, members Zev Yaroslavsky, John Ferraro and Mike Antonovich voted to order that tests be conducted on the columns. That motion was rejected 5 to 3. In the interest of public safety, the majority should reconsider.