Groups Sue City In Attempt To Save Amoeba Music Building In Hollywood

HOLLYWOOD (CBSLA) — Community organizations filed suit against the city of Los Angeles in an attempt to save the Amoeba Music building in Hollywood.

Michael Weinstein, president of AIDS Healthcare Foundation, said his organization filed the petition along with the Coalition to Preserve L.A. in hopes that the city will "revisit and overturn City Council's fast-track approval of the razing and redevelopment of the Amoeba Music site" at 6400 Sunset Blvd.

"We believe that the city has shown deliberate indifference to the serious negative impacts and resulting gentrification that this luxury project will have in Hollywood and along Sunset Boulevard," Weinstein said.

RELATED: Amoeba Music To Relocate After Demolition, Plans To Acquire Dispensary License

The Los Angeles City Attorney's Office and GPI Cos., the project developer, did not immediately return City News Service's request for comment. GPI managing partner Cliff Goldstein told the Los Angeles Times that the groups concerns had already been considered by the city.

"It is a project that we're proud of," Goldstein told the paper. "It's new housing that is near transit. No housing is being taken away. ... And not only is housing badly needed in the city, this project provides some additional benefits in the sustainability area."

The planned development would provide 200 housing units in a 26-story, 7,000-square-foot structure. It's planned that 10 of the units — or 5% — will be slated for affordable or "very low-income" households. But, according to the lawsuit, the project fails to comply with the requirements of the Hollywood Redevelopment Plan in terms of affordable housing.

"The redevelopment plan requires that 15% of residential units built in the area be affordable units," the lawsuit states. "To this point, the city has failed on an area-wide basis to provide the required number of affordable units."

City Council approved the project June 25 and denied appeals by AHF and the Coalition.

The AHF also contends that the city did not thoroughly examine historic properties of the building, such as murals inside and outside and its connection to iconic musicians. Paul McCartney performed at the store in 2007 and subsequently released the album "Amoeba Gig."

Along with the suit, the organizations filed an application Tuesday to place the building on the city's list of Historic-Cultural Monuments. Properties on the list have to go through more scrutiny before renovations and major changes can be made.

Officials at Amoeba Music previously said they planned to reopen at a new location, but have yet to announce the location.

(© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)