Townscape Partners hit yet another snag in its Frank Gehry-designed Sunset Strip project.
A nonprofit that aims to preserve historic structures is suing the city over the development at 8150 Sunset Boulevard, which was approved by City Council last month, alleging that a historic Chase bank building was neglected in the review process.
In its lawsuit, the Los Angeles Conservancy claims the city violated the California Environmental Quality Act when it failed to require Townscape to come up with a design that would incorporate the Kurt Meyer-designed structure. Current plans call for its demolition.
The Cultural Heritage Commission recommended landmark status for the bank, Curbed reported, but the project was approved by City Council before the Planning and Land Use Management Committee could have a final say on the historic and cultural designation.
“By sidestepping not one, but two, viable preservation alternatives, the City abused its discretion and violated the law,” Linda Dishman, CEO of the conservancy, said in a statement. [Curbed] — Cathaleen Chen