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Hollywood Groups Sue To Stop $654M Development Over Fault Line Concerns

LOS ANGELES (CBS/AP) — A coalition of neighborhood groups has filed a lawsuit to stop a $654 million skyscraper project from rising in the midst of Hollywood because of earthquake concerns.

The suit filed Wednesday says city officials approved the project without informing the public of environmental impacts including the likelihood that the project sits on top of an earthquake fault.

The suit was filed by attorney Robert Silverstein against the City of Los Angeles and the developers, Millenium Hollywood, LLC.

Lawsuit Filed To Stop Hollywood Development

The developers want to build towers 39 and 35 stories tall surrounding the famed Capitol Records building and just down the hill from the landmark Hollywood sign near Hollywood Boulevard and Vine.

Residents say city officials hid the knowledge that the 4.5 acre site is on a fault that could shear the buildings in half if a major earthquake hit.

Silverstein said the L.A. City Council is putting lives at risk by approving the development and vowed not to back down.

"We're fighting to make a simple but important point," he told KNX 1070's Ed Mertz.

"My clients will not be satisfied with anything less than that this project is invalidated and that is go back and return to the beginning for proper and legally sufficient environmental review (sic)," he said.

Attorney Says City Council Putting Lives At Risk

(TM and © Copyright 2013 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2013 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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