Praise for World Center

Leon Whiteson’s critique (July 1) of the First Interstate World Center seemed to express a negative opinion of the overall exterior tower, but he is specific only when discussing the “awkward change of levels at the shaft’s base. The “main lobby of 5th Street . . . is confusing” and “The lobby’s connection to the Hope Street entry four floors above is poorly thought out,” may be valid, but hardly cause to condemn the building as “an act of architecture only secondarily.”

Your photograph rightly shows the “slim white cylinder,” and that “the tower stands out as the graceful beacon visible for miles,” (Whiteson’s words from the story). Your pictured view is the one I have the opportunity to appreciate every day, and to me the upward thrust of the 73 stories is fine; 20 stories less would seem abruptly stubby.

Also I do not think that deals “limited the size of its site,” was not the size of that site the same before the “deals” as after? As for THAT building ever being “our equivalent of Manhattan’s Chrysler Building,” try putting the mandatory heliport on top of a pointy headed building.

ROBERT J. MANNERS

Los Angeles