Residents plan to fight La Cienega tower in court

The Friends of South Carthay, a residents group that was formed in opposition to a 24-story tower planned at 1050 S. La Cienega Blvd., is moving ahead with lawsuits filed against the city and developer Carmel Partners contesting the project’s approval.

Carmel Partners is planning to build the project on the east side of La Cienega Boulevard just south of Olympic Boulevard on a site that is currently vacant. The project will include 290 housing units as well as ground-floor retail space.

The Los Angeles Planning Commission previously approved the environmental impact analysis for the project in 2022 and rejected final appeals in January 2024. The 1050 S. La Cienega project requires no further city approval other than building permits.

Friends of South Carthay hired attorney Jamie T. Hall to represent it in three lawsuits filed against the city. On March 24, more than 50 people gathered at a fundraiser held by the group at a private home in the South Carthay neighborhood to raise money to continue retaining Hall in the fight to stop the development.

“We doubled our goal for the litigation,” said Brad Kane, of Friends of South Carthay. “The outpouring of people supporting our cause was outstanding.”

Kane declined to state how much money was raised or how much the group is paying the attorney.

Hall is representing the group in lawsuits alleging the environmental impact analysis for the project was flawed. The lawsuits contend the city violated its procedural process by not providing adequate notice to South Carthay residents, and that due process was denied for a resident who lives near the project and filed an appeal that was ultimately rejected.

“These are multiple lawsuits filed against the city related to the environmental evaluation and the permits related to the project,” Hall said. “The lawsuits are against the city and the developer is named as a party of interest.”

A spokesman for Carmel Partners had no comment on the lawsuits. No further information was provided about the current status of permitting and when work will begin.

Due to it being within a half-mile of the future Wilshire/La Cienega subway station, the 1050 S. La Cienega Project received a Transit Oriented Communities incentive, which allows for more units and density. Transit Oriented Communities incentives were created under a voter-approved measure in 2016 that aimed to create additional housing near major transit corridors. The developer is providing 29 units of affordable housing for low-income individuals.

The project was proposed when Los Angeles City Councilman Paul Koretz represented the 5th District, and originally called for a 28-story tower. When Councilwoman Katy Yaroslavsky took office in December 2022, she worked with Carmel Partners to reduce the size and scope of the development, spokesman Leo Daube said.

“The neighbors objected to the density and height, which was allowed under state guidelines, and our ability to force changes was extremely limited. There is no height limit on the parcel. The additional density and floor area was allowed by right because it’s a TOC project,” Daube said. “The council member worked extensively with the developer of the project. They reduced it from 28 to 24 stories, and there was also a reduction in the overall height of each story. It was a 70-foot reduction in the height of the tower.”

Daube added that the developer agreed to move the tower to the south side of the parcel farther away from a temple and school across the street, and agreed to fund traffic improvements in the surrounding neighborhood. He said there was no comment from the council office regarding the lawsuits.

Hall said the lawsuits were initially filed a year ago and were “dormant” until the planning commission rejected the appeals in January. He expects it to take at least another 60 days before the city responds to the lawsuits. Based on the response, he will decide next moves. Hall added that he is considering filing a court motion for a restraining order to stop work if construction begins on the project.

Friends of South Carthay posted lawn signs throughout the neighborhood around the development and plans to continue raising support. Kane said he remains optimistic that litigation will force a new city review, and potentially major changes, to the project.

“With the lawsuits filed, a judge usually allows the parties to see if they can resolve the dispute. Normally, there’s mediation,” Kane said. “People now understand what this project is and are really coming together.”