A partially constructed three-story Target in Hollywood will continue to be a partially constructed three-story Target following a judge's ruling that strikes down the city's approval of a Hollywood Target shopping center.
Plans for a Target Shopping center began in 2008 when the company filed an application to build the project. However, in 2014, a Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Richard L. Fruin Jr. said that the City Council violated planning rules when they OK'ed the shopping center.
The City Council worked to get around the ruling by approving new zoning for the site two years later. That move drew a fresh legal challenge which Fruin said the council's vote also violated the law. The judge also said city officials did not examine the larger implications of the new zoning laws on the neighborhood.
The latest ruling means Target won't be able to finish construction on the project.
Now the question becomes - what to do about the empty shell of a shopping center?
Some advocates believe Target should just pack up and go home and demolish the shopping center and rebuild one that complies with existing planning and zoning rules.
Robert P. Silverstein told the LA Times that the neighborhood group thinks that would be right to do. "Compliance with the law has always been the focus of this litigation."