City settles with Geoff Palmer over Da Vinci fire for just $400K

The City of Los Angeles has settled a lawsuit with developer Geoff Palmer over the massive fire at his Da Vinci apartment complex in 2014 for just $400,000, one fiftieth of the $20 million it initially sought.

Nonetheless, the city said it’s happy with the settlement because its total losses were lower than originally estimated.

“We’re pleased that beyond the nearly $62 million paid by the insurance carrier, the city recovered $400,000 from the developer,” a spokesperson for the City Attorney’s office said in a statement to the Los Angeles Times.

The 2014 fire engulfed the Downtown complex along the 110 Freeway and shattered the windows of the Figueroa Plaza nearby. Damages to city property amounted to tens of millions of dollars.

City Attorney Mike Feuer sued Palmer last year, claiming the landlord failed to follow fire safety standards at his construction site.

The arsonist behind the fire, Dawud Abdulwali, was sentenced to 15 years in prison in April. [LAT] — Cathaleen Chen