The owners of the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills are suing Metro, alleging the ongoing Purple Line subway extension construction has caused cracks and fixtures on the building and that the noise, dust, odors, fumes and vibrations that began when construction started in 2014 continue Tuesday.
Temple of the Arts’ Los Angeles Superior Court lawsuit alleges a litany of allegations, ranging from inverse condemnation, nuisance and trespass to intentional and negligent interference with contracts. The suit filed Friday seeks millions of dollars in damages and also names the city of Beverly Hills and subway contractor Skanska Traylor Shea as defendants.
Representatives for Metro and the city of Beverly Hills did not immediately reply to requests for comment.
The Saban Theatre, located on Wilshire Boulevard, has been rendered “inoperable or nearly inoperable” due to the construction, the suit alleges.
According to the complaint, the plaintiffs’ property, which includes an office building adjacent to the theater, has been subject to “profound interference and disruption” by obstructing access to surrounding sidewalks and streets. Workers have put up fences on the property, littered and “routinely created noise levels” higher than allowed under the agreement between Metro and the city of Beverly Hills, the suit alleges.
The suit further alleges that all of the defendants knew that the plaintiffs would lose event attendees and business customers “as a result of their careless and insensitive approach to the construction…”
The plaintiff alleges the defendants made false promises to honor damage claims, about when they expected the subway extension to be completed, about how quickly parking and access issues would be resolved and how fast any potential damage to the Saban Theatre would be remedied.