April 23, 2007

Why Costco Doesn't Have Day Care

Remains of Franciscan Pottery
Los Angeles Independent, January 10, 1996
from the Los Angeles Public Library
THIS THOUGHT HAS OCCURRED to me on more than one occasion. All these rugrats running under carts at our cramped Costco: Can't someone babysit them here? In a word, no, thanks to Franciscan Pottery. From the entry for 2901 Los Feliz Bvld. at California's EnviroStor database:
"The Franciscan site is a former ceramics manufacturing facility, situated on 45 acres in Atwater Village. It was in operation for approximately 70 years, during which time ceramic waste and sludges were disposed of onsite. Elevated levels of zinc, cadmium, and lead were identified in the soils, both in the surface and in the subsurface. Soils contaminated with weathered diesel fuel were also found on the eastern boundary of the site. Asbestos was also discovered, as a result of various salvaging and demolition activities, inside the building structures and along the immediate perimeter of the site."
Amongst the prohibited uses:
  • DAY CARE CENTER PROHIBITED
  • ELDER CARE CENTER PROHIBITED
  • RAISING OF FOOD PROHIBITED
  • HOSPITAL USE PROHIBITED
  • RESIDENCE USE PROHIBITED
  • PUBLIC OR PRIVATE SCHOOL FOR PERSONS UNDER 21 PROHIBITED
Alas, then, no day care at Costco. But how did Toys'R'Us end up in the same parking lot?

4 comments:

Amy said...

I may be a nerd (an LA nerd) cause I found this post fascinating.

AVN said...

Then by all means click through to that EnviroStar database and look for other developments gone by...

OakJoan said...

I actually have a set of Franciscan Ware Desert Apple seconds in my cupboard at this moment. I finally got sick of them and put them away for a while.

Very interesting about all the surprise gifts left to residents by Franciscan Pottery.

Thanks for the marvelous photos!

Ex silverlakechoparkoangelino now in Oakland.

Oakjoan

Unknown said...

OMG I don't have a tail and neither do my kids now 23 and 20 I'm 43 and I practically grew up in the Franciscan my mom worked there for years I went after school to wait for her sometimes. She has the biggest collection of Franciscan I've ever seen and it's not radio active and even has a set that is used daily and has been since I was a kid I mean come on. Don't believe what the government tells you the truth is scarier than you know. They don't want people back there cause of a more sinister reason and no I'm not crazy or a conspiracy loony but I was born and raised here and know more than I want too cause like I said I was raised here and used to go back there a believe me it's all bad. I'm so serious.