DEAR WEHO: Fight urban blight on Robertson Lane

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How much longer do the residents (a/k/a the real owners) of West Hollywood have to deal with this urban blight known as Robertson Lane?  

This is evident in these photos.

It has been years since they shut down several operating businesses and turned the site into true urban blight.  A horrible unsightly block of ruin in the middle of Weho’s entertainment district.

West Hollywood’s city government consistently panders to developers who create new ideas/projects, only to get the neighbors in an uproar, hold lots of hearings, spend money and then stall out.If these developers run out of funding (or if they never had it in the first place) to build these projects, their entitlements and permits should lapse.

It is not fair to all of the stakeholders, including former retail businesses which have been put out of business, neighbors, and nearby operating businesses only to have to have their next door neighbor turn into what looks like a third world nation.

Our councilmembers sit and do nothing, and even worse continue to approve new project by these same developers (such as the ever popular councilmember campaign donor, Faring Capital) who cannot complete the ones already approved.

This is outrageous and needs to stop.

Joan Rosenberg

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Where's the accountability
Where's the accountability
1 year ago

We are now another 7 months into this eye sore with absolutely no progress made. At what point does the city step in and say, either get it done or we’re pulling your permits?

We need more media exposure on these stalled projects to remind the developers and the city that the public is watching.

Where is the accountability
Where is the accountability
1 year ago

We are now another 7 months into this eye sore with absolutely no progress made. At what point does the city step in and say, either get it done or we’re pulling your permits?

We need more media exposure on these stalled projects to remind the developers and the city that the public is watching.

Where is the accountability
Where is the accountability
1 year ago

We are now another 6 month into this eye sore with absolutely no progress made. At what point does the city step in and say, either get it done or we’re pulling your permits?

We need more media exposure on these stalled projects to remind the developers and the city that the public is watching.

P.S.
P.S.
1 year ago

The same goes for the Melrose Triangle project. They started excavation the week of May 24, 2021 and dug a massive 3-story ditch that now drains groundwater into the storm drains 24/7. Construction then came to a complete halt. Nearly 2 years later the only thing that has been done is the instalation of a temporary “art wall” to hide this eyesore.

Their building permit will run out in a year. Council should put stronger building timelines and milestones on these projects.

Really...
Really...
1 year ago

What is an ad for a Free Gun Law Map doing on WehoVille ???

Outraged
Outraged
1 year ago

Well, don’t expect anything from Septic Shyne to piss off her developer buddies putting money in her greedy grubby little pocket for her egomaniacal congressional campaign. Can’t have that. If you wait until the city Council puts heat on the developers to actually do something, you’re going to be waiting a long time. The city council members are bought and paid for by right wing developers like the Trump major donors the Mani brothers and everybody else. Screw the people, the city Council is there to line their own pockets and feed their own egos; they could give two craps… Read more »

Gimmeabreak
Gimmeabreak
1 year ago

That block on SMB between Crescent Heights and Hayvenhurst has sat empty for years! There were several good active businesses in that strip. That empty lot has sat there through good economic times and low interest rates.

Wehoist
Wehoist
1 year ago

Yeah, now all that’s there is the private packin security detail at the club across the street, ambassadors walking around, people passed out on the sidewalk and no cops anywhere. So much better when Bossa Nova and the really good hamburger stand was there. Oh well.

Ham Shipey
Ham Shipey
1 year ago

looks no worse than the burger joint. bigger fish to fry.

Bastian
Bastian
1 year ago

What’s the official reason for the delays? Also the melrose triangle hole in the ground. In some cases it’s the cities planning and permit offices responsible for delays. Leases should be converted to month to month and not allowed to evict till 60 days before construction start with fines for delays to prevent blight and vacancies. Speaking of vacancies how is it allowed for mistr to use retail storefronts as glorified billboards. Does that violate any zoning laws? If not should we have new laws to prevent such us. Imagine if other companies decide to do that to our thoroughfares.… Read more »

Construction woes
Construction woes
1 year ago
Reply to  Bastian

People like Lynn Hoopengartner are a menace to our city… she pretends to have facts, but she only serves herself – she hates anything that’s higher than 2 stories tall

Really...
Really...
1 year ago

Spoken like a truly greedy developer.

Real Facts
Real Facts
1 year ago

More than anyone Lynn Hoopengarner puts in the time and expertise in her research to enable the best possible project for developer and City. There is nothing self serving about it. Please locate some real facts so you won’t appear to be so ignorant. 🙄

Steve Lopez
Steve Lopez
1 year ago

And just go across the street and look at those utility boxes and the garbage ridden sidewalks next to Pump. A third work country. Oh, yes the city knows about this since before the pandemic – has done zero.

Construction woes
Construction woes
1 year ago

I think City Council was recently presented with the construction time-table that seemed like it was supposed to start May 1. I reviewed the meeting notes and it’s hard to understand if it was approved – or put on some obscure postponement.

The construction site that irritates me the most is the “Melrose-Triangle” construction site. How long is acceptable to let that sit as WeHo’s new lake? Or did Lynn Hoopengartner and Lynne Russell stop the whole plan?

Steve Martin
Steve Martin
1 year ago

It didn’t help that the original developer of the Merose Triangle went to prison for bribery and that the Feds raised interest rates. Unfortunately developers get their development rights and always sell them when the economy hits a bump; then the City winds up giving the new developer even more concessions to the project built.