The future of the unfinished Target store at the corner of Sunset Boulevard and Western Avenue in Hollywood remains in question after a state appellate court last week deferred to the Los Angeles Superior Court to resolve issues over whether construction can resume.

The Target store remains unfinished at the corner of Sunset Boulevard and Western Avenue while legal challenges remain unresolved. (photo by Edwin Folven)

The building has remained unfinished since 2014 after the superior court ruled in favor of a neighborhood association that filed a lawsuit claiming Target and the city violated zoning laws by allowing a 74-foot building in a location where the height limit is 35 feet. Target appealed the ruling to the Second District Court of Appeal, which dismissed the appeal last week and sent it back to the superior court to decide when and if Target can resume construction.

Since construction stopped in 2014, the city council approved zoning changes at the site to allow at 74-foot building. The La Mirada Avenue Neighborhood Association, which filed the initial lawsuit, filed a second lawsuit challenging the new city council approvals.

Target sought to have the appeals court invalidate the original superior court ruling – which could have potentially allowed construction to start again – while the newer lawsuit was considered. Attorneys from Target must now convince a superior court judge that the original ruling should be reversed. It is unclear when the superior court will address the matter.