While the “Great Wall of Parsippany” has collapsed only a little, it’s still annoying locals a whole lot.

The retaining wall, which is part of a controversial construction project at Waterview Marketplace that was first proposed in the 1980s, partially collapsed on Thursday morning due to rain, according to DailyRecord.com, with the gouge spreading about 20 feet wide and 15 feet deep. The collapse closed one of the western lanes on Route 46.

Parsippany Mayor Michael Soriano told DailyRecord.com that it was the fourth incident “directly related to erosion at the site,” with two mudslides and a utility pole collapse slowing things down last winter.

The construction project began last year as after initially being voted down by the town council after hundreds of residents complained at public meetings. Originally a mixed-use project, it was revised to be retail only and was passed. The plan is now to grow it into a 125,000-square-foot shopping center with a massive Whole Foods and 10 other spaces for stores.

“People in town call it the Great Wall of Parsippany,” Soriano said. “I don’t see anything great about it.”

Jeremy Schneider may be reached at jschneider@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @J_Schneider. Find NJ.com on Facebook Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.com’s newsletters.