New slide in Los Angeles: You, some glass and 1,000 feet of nothing

Never mind taking the elevator if you’re at the top of the colossal U.S. Bank Tower in Los Angeles — at least for part of the way down. Visitors can coast down the SkySlide, achute made of glass and affixed to the outside of the building, going from the 70th floor to the 69th. Terrifying. Thrilling. Not for the faint of heart. Above all, it’s a way for daredevils to put their tolerance of extreme heights to the test. SkySlide will be the main draw at the new OUE SkySpace LA observation deck atop L.A.’s landmark skyscraper, the tallest building west of Chicago. It’s 45 feet long and hovers 1,000 feet above the pavement, inviting incredulous stares and gasps from people on the street below. “The slide actually transports people from the inside of the 70th floor to the outside of the 69th floor. So you’re standing in the open air by the time you’re done with your ride,” said OUE Americas senior vice president John Gamboa. “We don’t know of anything else like it.” SkySlide is made of three-ply glass, 1.25 inches thick, made to withstand hurricane-force winds of up to 110 miles per hour. Steel outriggers hold it all […]