Judge rules Martin Expo project can move forward once again

An appellate court judge has struck down another attempt to overturn approvals for the development of a major mixed-use project in West Los Angeles.

The proposed Martin Expo Town Center — set to bring more than 800,000 square feet of apartments, offices and retail to Olympic Boulevard — can now move forward, Urbanize reported.

Westsiders Opposed to Overdevelopment brought a complaint against the City of L.A. in 2016, after the L.A. City Council unanimously approved the project that fall. Westsiders claimed the city overstepped when it authorized a general plan amendment for the project.

An L.A. County Superior Court Judge ruled in 2017 that the city had not broken any rules when it approved the project.

Last week, a judge from California’s Second District Court of Appeals upheld that ruling. The judge ruled that the city does have the power to issue amendments for a single project, and had acted appropriately when it confirmed the project.

A joint venture between Hines and the Martin family, who have owned the site for over four decades, is developing the mega-project. The 807,000-square-foot project would bring roughly 200,000 square feet of office space, 516 apartments and nearly 100,000 square feet of retail space to 12101 W. Olympic Boulevard, currently home to a Cadillac dealership.

Hines, a prolific developer, paid more than $200 million for a 49 percent stake in the project in November 2017, The Real Deal previously reported.

Once completed, the mixed-use project will add to the 154 apartments CIM Group is currently building nearby at 11752 Santa Monica Boulevard. That project, also rising on the site of a former car dealership, will bring even more retail to the neighborhood.[Urbanize] – Natalie Hoberman