With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Judge's Ruling Crushes Hope (Again) For Hollywood's Half-Built Target Husk
The unfinished mess (ripe with symbolism) at the corner of Western Avenue and Sunset Boulevard isn't going anywhere anytime soon. For the second time in three years, a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge has struck down the city of L.A.'s approval for the building to complete construction.
Target first eyed the East Hollywood location for a new store back in 2010. In 2012, the city approved construction plans for a 74-foot retail store, despite zoning rules only allowing for a 35-foot structure.
In 2014, attorney Robert P. Silverstein, representing the La Mirada Avenue Neighborhood Association, brought suit against the city to halt construction.
"Nobody that I represent ever opposed a Target store," Silverstein said at the time, reports the Los Angeles Times. "What they opposed was blowing the lid off the height and the parking and the other structural requirements that are supposed to … guide development for the future of Hollywood."
Sponsored message
The La Mirada Association, and a second plaintiff, won the suit, with County Superior Judge Richard L. Fruin Jr. taking their side.
"Target is taking steps to continue construction at the store site so our opening plans remain on schedule, but due to pending litigation, we are unable to share specific details," Erika Winkels, a Target spokeswoman, said in 2014, notes the LA Weekly. "We are committed to the community and look forward to providing guests with the superior shopping experience, inspiring merchandise and great value that they've come to expect."
The ruling halted construction, and the shell has been standing in limbo ever since.
The Times adds that a 2016 rezoning by the City Council gave hope that the project might finally be completed, but this week's ruling overturns the council's new zoning—and puts the future of the project into serious question.
“More than 250 permanent jobs have been in limbo,” Leron Gubler, president of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, said of the ruling, which he believes hurts low-income families. “The community needs those jobs and the shopping opportunities.”
Meanwhile, some 2.5 miles south (or four subway stops away), a new Target is finishing up construction in Koreatown. According to Curbed, the project should open by the end of the year.
At LAist, we focus on what matters to our community: clear, fair, and transparent reporting that helps you make decisions with confidence and keeps powerful institutions accountable.
Your support for independent local news is critical. With federal funding for public media gone, LAist faces a $1.7 million yearly shortfall. Speaking frankly, how much reader support we receive now will determine the strength of this reliable source of local information now and for years to come.
This work is only possible with community support. Every investigation, service guide, and story is made possible by people like you who believe that local news is a public good and that everyone deserves access to trustworthy local information.
That’s why we’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Thank you for understanding how essential it is to have an informed community and standing up for free press.
Your support for independent local news is critical. With federal funding for public media gone, LAist faces a $1.7 million yearly shortfall. Speaking frankly, how much reader support we receive now will determine the strength of this reliable source of local information now and for years to come.
This work is only possible with community support. Every investigation, service guide, and story is made possible by people like you who believe that local news is a public good and that everyone deserves access to trustworthy local information.
That’s why we’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Thank you for understanding how essential it is to have an informed community and standing up for free press.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
