Aug. 24–A prominent hotel owner filed a lawsuit Friday against the city of Los Angeles over the Millennium Hollywood project.
Benjamin Reznik, attorney for the W Hotel and Residences, said his client filed the lawsuit over the proposed two-tower Hollywood project. The suit alleges city officials signed off on the development without properly studying Millennium’s environmental impacts, Reznik said.
The suit cites the “generic, amorphous” nature of the proposed project, Reznik said.
“We don’t have a real description what they can build and we don’t know how many of the views of the hills they will block,” Reznik said.
The Los Angeles City Council earlier this month unanimously approved Millennium Partners’ plans for two skyscrapers near the Capitol Records building. The 35-story and 39-story project was billed by area Councilman Mitch O’Farrell as a “smart-growth” high density project. Mayor Eric Garcetti has also endorsed the development.
The W Hotel and Residences, located around the corner from the project site, opposes the development, arguing the city should have required Millennium Partners to more fully detail what they intend to build, Reznik said.
While the city OK’d the two large towers, there is no breakdown of the specific components of the development, such as whether there will be nightclubs, restaurants, or hotels.
Millennium Partners spokesman Brian Lewis said the developer couldn’t comment because they haven’t yet seen the lawsuit.
City Attorney Mike Feuer’s office could not be reached for comment late Friday.
In addition to the W Hotel and Residences, numerous Hollywood neighborhood groups also oppose the project, and it is expected those groups will also legally challenge the city.
Neighborhood leaders believe proper seismic studies weren’t conducted and worry the development site sits on the Hollywood fault.
Reznik said the W Hotel’s lawsuit also alleges the developer and city failed to do adequate seismic studies.
