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Mohamed Hadid’s controversial Bel Air spec mansion gets court-ordered downsize
Neighbors sued after the prominent developer built part of his estate without a permit
One of Bel Air’s most controversial and costly spec mansions is coming down — some of it at least.
The third floor of Mohamed Hadid’s partially-built estate on Strada Vecchia Road is about 75 percent demolished, according to a court filing published this week.
Hadid has been at the center of civil, criminal, and FBI cases over the 30,000-square-foot project, which he has touted will be worth $100 million upon completion. The case dates back to 2014, when a judge ordered Hadid to stop construction because of building code violations. The city then ordered him to demolish the home a year later. But Hadid never did. That prompted four Bel Air neighbors to sue him and the city, seeking the to tear down the property.
In the most recent civil lawsuit brought by neighbors, which has stretched for months, lawyers negotiated over how to safely demolish the third floor. As part of a plan that was reached, Hadid agreed to pay for the city’s unannounced inspection visits, which take place three times a week.
Crews have now removed most of the third-floor roof, along with a portion of windows and electrical and plumbing lines. Demolition of the remaining floor is expected to be completed later this month. Next on the list is the expansive pool deck, which the court ordered removed by Sept. 15.
In January, a judge overseeing the case ordered demolition work to start by February. The neighbors who filed the suit filed a temporary restraining order, claiming Hadid should not be allowed to perform any demolition work without city supervision.
None of the parties could not be reached for comment.