Lately, there's been a handful of lawsuits over some game-changing Hollywood proposals, litigation over everything from that Target to the Morphosis-designed Emerson College satellite campus. Hollywood watchers may be nonplussed by all the action (lawsuits over development happen all the time in this neighborhood), but nevertheless, here are the specific details about that Emerson College lawsuit, which was filed by East West Studios. The studio filed the suit to essentially buy more time (they had a 30 day window following the city's approval of the project). What's being debated between the two parties is how much East West Studios should be compensated for lost business due to the construction work next door, according to a representative for Emerson. So it's a scenario of "your peanut butter is in my chocolate" aka Emerson's jackhammer is in Christina Aguilera's recording session. Perhaps that's an over-dramatization.
Another key point to all of this is that the two parties have to agree on how to calculate the business loss, according to Peggy Ings, Emerson's vice president for government and community relations. "It takes a while to get to any sort of settlement, but the college is hopeful," she said.
Compensation over business losses due to construction isn't necessarily uncommon . And a similar style-deal with the owners of the Technicolor Building and East West Studios occurred when the Technicolor project went up on Sunset, on the other side of the studios.
Meanwhile, one might have thought the two sides might have figured out a compensation figure before city approved the project? Why not ask for an extension from the city? "Negotiations didn’t start until late" in the approval process, according to Ings.
She also added that the "college would like to be in the ground at soon as possible."
Meanwhile, East West head Doug Rogers issued the following statement: "EastWest Studios is a cultural and historic icon, and I will leave no stone unturned in fighting to protect it. That being said, we are also working hard with Emerson to resolve our dispute with them. With the leadership and involvement of Council President Eric Garcetti, I am confident we will get there. In the meantime, EastWest Studios filed suit to preserve all of our rights, given that the 30-day deadline for doing so occurred before the parties could finalize their negotiations. Without getting into the details, those negotiations are continuing." Rogers also said he couldn't talk about the Technicolor building arrangement due to a confidentiality agreement.
· Lawsuit Filed Over Emerson College Project [Curbed LA]
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