BOARD OF EDUCATION OF THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES

Governing Board of the Los Angeles Unified School District

SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES

333 South Beaudry Avenue, Board Room

3:00 p.m., Thursday, September 23, 2004

The Board of Education of the City of Los Angeles, acting as the Governing Board of the

Los Angeles Unified School District, met in special session on Thursday, September 23, 2004, at the Los Angeles City Board of Education Administrative Offices, Board Room, 333 South Beaudry, Los Angeles, California.

President José Huizar called the meeting to order at 3:17 p.m.

The following Board Members were present: Ms. Marlene Canter, Ms. Julie Korenstein,

Ms. Marguerite LaMotte, Mr. Jon Lauritzen, Mr. David Tokofsky, and President José Huizar. Mr. Mike Lansing arrived at 3:32 p.m.

Superintendent Roy Romer was present.

Ms. Canter led the Pledge of Allegiance.

RECEIPT OF COMMUNICATION FOR ACTION AT REGULAR

OCTOBER 12, 2004, BOARD MEETING

BOARD OF EDUCATION REPORT NO. 85 – 04/05

Central Los Angeles Learning Center – Ambassador Site

President Huizar announced this was a public hearing and that an exception had been made to accommodate more than the 40 speakers allowed under the Board Rule. The public will have an opportunity to address the Board on this item at the Regular Board meetings of September 28 and October 12, 2004.

Mr. Guy Mehula, Deputy Chief Facilities Executive for New Construction, gave a brief presentation of the following topics:

• History of the Ambassador Hotel

• Project Requirements

• Alternative Scenarios Studied

• Funding of the Project, and

• Detailed Analysis of Alternative No. 1 and Heritage K-12, Alternative No. 2.

The project started as a high school, but as time passed and the area became more overcrowded it changed to a 4,400 seat K-12 school. Mr. Mehula indicated that with the construction currently underway, the Ambassador project, and one more project which is in the planning stages, the District will have all the capacity necessary to return Los Angeles High School, Belmont High School, Berendo Middle School, Virgil Middle School, Hoover Elementary and Cahuenga Elementary to traditional calendar. The 4,200 students who are scheduled to attend this school will live within 9 blocks of the site.

Mr. Mehula mentioned the five alternatives, including their projected costs, which were reviewed in the Environmental Impact Report:

• Reuse of main hotel building $419 Million

• New Construction with Some Reuse $325 Million

• Reuse of North Tower $350 Million

• New Construction $310 Million

• Commercial Use of Wilshire Frontage $439 Million

He indicated that, at the present time, staff believes the project would not be able to comply with the Secretary of Interior’s standards for Historic Tax credits.

Mr. Mehula also mentioned the District had regular meetings with the Los Angeles Conservancy during the last three years and acquired the services of Urban Partners and Historic Resources Group for their experience in the reuse and preservation arena. It is staff’s conclusion that while it is technically feasible to preserve the hotel it would not produce a well-designed school. He explained in detail the reasons for their decision.

Mr. Richard Alonzo, Local District 4 Superintendent, spoke about the instructional vision for the school. He believes the K-12 span program will allow for a close relationship among parents, students, and teachers. There will be a K-3 area with very specific playground needs and entrances, an area for 4-8 graders, also with its own entrance and appropriate learning environment, and an area for high school students. Middle and senior high school students will share certain areas such as the auditorium, cafeteria, library and physical education facilities.

Mr. Alonzo mentioned the student population increases at the 9^th grade because of the overcrowded condition of the area. Staff is looking at the facilities to develop small learning communities within the high school where students can receive the personalization needed to succeed. He discussed the location of the playground areas and the use of the athletic facilities and the auditorium by the local community.

Mr. Angelo Bellomo, Director, Office of Environmental, Health and Safety, addressed the California Environmental Quality Act process, which began in 2002. He stated the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the project identified and analyzed five separate options for the purpose of providing the Board with a range of alternatives. The EIR evaluated the standard impacts such as air emissions during construction phase, “operational” noise in surrounding communities, and increased volume of local and regional traffic for the projected life of the school. In addition, the EIR evaluated the loss of 31 significant cultural resources. Mr. Bellomo discussed how each of the five projects attempted to preserve the cultural resources.

Mr. Bellomo mentioned the Board would be asked to certify that the EIR was completed and to adopt a Statement of Overriding Considerations.

Superintendent Romer commented this project represents a compromise on cost, design, and a balance of historic savings.

The following speakers addressed the Board:

Mr. Myung Soo Seok representing Councilmember Martin Ludlow

Mr. Laurence Teeler

Ms. Mitzi Mogul, Art Deco Society of Los Angeles

Ms. Heavenly Wilson, West Hollywood Neighborhood Alliance

Ms. Linda Dishman, Los Angeles Conservancy

Mr. John Perez, United Teachers Los Angeles

Ms. Lisa Pease

Mr. Gabriel Alvarez, Hispanic Parent Coalition

Ms. Diana London

Mr. Charlie Fisher, Highland Park Heritage Trust

Ms. Veronica Melvin, Alliance for a Better Community

Mr. James Dieugenio

Mr. Mike Resnick

Mr. Rafael Pizarro shared his time with Ms. Maria Navarro

Mr. Gene Krischer, Friends of the Children

Ms. Priscilla Wright, Windsor Square Association

Ms. Zenaida Niguel spoke in place of Alba Catalan

Mr. Ken Fisher

Mr. Humberto Camacho, Pico Union Neighborhood Council

Mr. David Berman

Ms. Sara Willen

Mr. Robert Nudelman, Hollywood Heritage

Mr. Arthur Hamilton, Los Angeles Conservancy

Mr. Albert Hughes

Ms. Anthea Hartig, La Sierra University

Ms. Cindy Olnick, Los Angeles Conservancy

Ms. Sandra Sandoval

Mr. Dan Foliart, Society of Composers and Lyrcist

Ms. Carlyn Frank Benjamin

Mr. Paul Schrade

Ms. Jessica Iovenko

Mr. Ronald Guizado

Mr. Douglas Chamberlin

Mr. Roland Wiley, Los Angeles Conservancy

Ms. Janicce Parente

Ms. Katrina Alexy

Mr. Dave Monks

Ms. Angela Sambrano, CARECEN

Ms. Danielle Padula, Los Angeles Conservancy

Ms. Guillermina Lopez

Mr. Victor Viramontes, MALDEF

Ms. Adriene Biondo

Ms. Cheyanne Cook

Mr. Francisco George

Mr. Taylor Louden

Ms. Carrie Hayward

President Huizar announced there would be fifteen speakers at the Regular Board Meetings of September 28 and October 12, 2004. Speakers should contact the Board Secretariat’s Office at 213-241-7002 to be placed on the list.

Mr. Lansing moved that the meeting be adjourned. Ms. LaMotte seconded the motion, which by general consent was adopted. Mr. Tokofsky was absent.

APPROVED BY THE BOARD: October 12, 2004

_____________________________ _______________________________

JOSE HUIZAR JEFFERSON CRAIN

PRESIDENT EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE BOARD