There’s a new wrinkle in the ongoing demolition of the so-called Starship Enterprise, built by spec home developer Mohamed Hadid.
The four Bel Air neighbors who are suing Hadid for his half-built mansion are now claiming the property has moved an inch during the demolition process, further endangering their own homes.
That’s according to the latest court filings in the drawn out case involving Hadid and the Bel Air home, which has become the subject of civil, criminal and FBI cases. In the most recent civil case, brought by the neighbors, Hadid has been ordered to tear down the portions of the home that were built in violation of city codes. That includes the third floor of the 30,000-square-foot home, as well as the pool deck.
According to a recent status report, filed July 16 in Los Angeles Superior Court by Hadid’s lawyers, the third floor is now 98 percent demolished. The pool deck is roughly 20 percent torn down.
As part of the court mandate, Hadid was ordered to hire a surveyor who would monitor any movement of the property that could result from the construction work. “The survey did not show any movement that concerned the design team,” the report said.
But the neighbors disagreed and filed their own response to Hadid’s declaration three days later. In their response, they claim survey data and photographs of the site by the engineer revealed the home had moved an inch in 10 days. Surveys should be conducted every seven days, not 14 as the court had ordered, to monitor this, they added.
At a court hearing Tuesday, the judge overseeing the case sided with the neighbors. He ordered a survey report to be conducted weekly, as well as for another declaration on the status of the demolition by Aug. 9.
The next court hearing is set for Aug. 13.