Superchrome Plating
This is a photo of the former Superchrome Plating in Los Angeles, CA. Superchrome specialized in plating industrial parts primarily for the aerospace industry. I don't know when this picture was taken or who took it. Based on the vehicles just barely visible on the right hand side of the building I would guess it was taken in the 1950's or earlier. The building and tower were demolished around 1995 as part of a CERCLA Superfund removal by the U.S. EPA. I was a Response Manager for the contractor that conducted the cleanup and demolition of the buildings. I don't remember where I got this photo, it may have been salvaged from the office in the building before we demolished it.
The 100' tower was used to hoist long parts that were dipped into a 45' deep chrome vat below it. Unfortunately that vat as well as others leaked chromium contamination into the ground. We had to excavate a lot of soil that was then treated and disposed of at a hazardous waste landfill. You can see the bank of 3 large transformers just over the right side of the Superchrome sign, these plating shops used a lot of electricity in their process.
On a side note, one of my laborers rescued a kitten from inside the building before we demolished it. It followed my crew around the site for a while walking through the chromium contamination. I remember its paws were yellow from the chromium. I told my wife about the kitten and she said "don't come home without it". I live near Seattle so that meant taking it to the vet, getting a pet carrier and putting it on a plane. The cat (Hank) lived to be 16 years old and had a very good life.
Superchrome Plating
This is a photo of the former Superchrome Plating in Los Angeles, CA. Superchrome specialized in plating industrial parts primarily for the aerospace industry. I don't know when this picture was taken or who took it. Based on the vehicles just barely visible on the right hand side of the building I would guess it was taken in the 1950's or earlier. The building and tower were demolished around 1995 as part of a CERCLA Superfund removal by the U.S. EPA. I was a Response Manager for the contractor that conducted the cleanup and demolition of the buildings. I don't remember where I got this photo, it may have been salvaged from the office in the building before we demolished it.
The 100' tower was used to hoist long parts that were dipped into a 45' deep chrome vat below it. Unfortunately that vat as well as others leaked chromium contamination into the ground. We had to excavate a lot of soil that was then treated and disposed of at a hazardous waste landfill. You can see the bank of 3 large transformers just over the right side of the Superchrome sign, these plating shops used a lot of electricity in their process.
On a side note, one of my laborers rescued a kitten from inside the building before we demolished it. It followed my crew around the site for a while walking through the chromium contamination. I remember its paws were yellow from the chromium. I told my wife about the kitten and she said "don't come home without it". I live near Seattle so that meant taking it to the vet, getting a pet carrier and putting it on a plane. The cat (Hank) lived to be 16 years old and had a very good life.