Folks who live around Western and Sunset in Hollywood have probably gotten pretty accustomed to seeing the derelict, half-finished Target that's been sitting at the southwest corner of that intersection for nearly two years now. For many, it must almost seem like a large and very ugly public art installation commenting on the folly of not observing certain height ordinances. But now, it looks like work might actually start back up on the long-abandoned construction site.
On Wednesday, the Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously to allow construction to continue on the Target. Previously, a judge sided with the accomplished NIMBY group La Mirada Avenue Neighborhood Association in a lawsuit against the city, alleging that the City Council improperly approved the project in spite of a 35-foot height limit in the area. The judge then revoked Target's construction permits and ordered work on the new store halted. Now, however, the City Council has altered height requirements in the area, allowing Target to get back to building—for now.
Not surprisingly, La Mirada isn't backing off just because of one little council vote. Doug Haines, who appears to be the only member, tells the LA Times, "It’s just going to go back to court." This time around, he plans to file a suit accusing the city of skipping an environmental impact report on the changes made to the height ordinance.
It's not clear exactly how long it will be before a ruling comes down in this new lawsuit, and where in the construction process Target will be at that point. Of course, it might not matter. A previous lawsuit brought against the city by La Mirada forced residents to move out of the Sunset Gordon apartment building after its construction permits were retroactively revoked. Perhaps Hollywood residents should start looking forward to the sight of a completed Target sitting empty for the next few years.
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