$5.6 Million DTLA Eminent Domain Jury Verdict

After a two-week trial, a jury rendered a verdict of $5.6 million for a Downtown Los Angeles shopping center against the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority for the eminent domain taking of a subterranean subway easement underneath the property. The underground easement will seriously impair the value of the property by preventing the future development of a high rise mixed-use condominium retail project. Tunneling underneath existing structures will increase the risk of subsidence, building cracking and create noticeable surface level noise and vibration for generations to come. Construction has already caused significant business interruption, parking issues, traffic congestion, and administrative burden for the shopping center and surrounding community.