Demolition on a house on Sunset Plaza Drive in the hills above the Sunset Strip turned into a total disaster for the neighbors when "the developer dug too deep into the hillside, compromising the roadway and a nearby house," reports NBC4. On Friday, the Los Angeles City Council authorized $613,000 to get emergency repairs done on the street, since "the house across the street is on the brink of collapse, and the hillside is destabilized."
The site is dead, construction's stopped (thank goodness). There's just a big hole, a partially demolished house, some blue tarps, and the accidental destruction. But the section of street has been closed down by the city over concerns about safety; some of the residents "no longer have direct access to their homes," the motion for emergency funding notes.
The developer, which is never named, tells the news station that he did everything by the book and that the city's to blame for the crumbling road, but there's a twist: the Department of Public Works says the developer "is under investigation and has been cited more than once by several city agencies"—claims the developer denies. (The owner is listed in public records as Wealthquest LLC.)
The house whose demolition caused all this trouble was sold in August 2015 for $2.175 million. There's just one photo, of the view from the property, left now in the listing, which notes that "PLANS READY APPROVED AND STAMPED BY THE CITY to add a 1,200 square foot addition!" Recent permits for the house indicate a significant remodel; they include a revision of the foundation plans and excavation for a new basement and pool.
Even though the emergency repairs have been funded, it'll take a little while to get a team on the job. "The Bureau of Engineering is hiring contractors right now. Once they put their team together, we'll be able to put some milestones in place and let the community know," a rep for Councilmember David Ryu tells the news crew.
Loading comments...