Board of Ed OKs Plan for Horace Mann Renovation

The first school renovation funded by Measure E is one step closer to reality.

The Board of Education unanimously agreed this week to support a plan to spend about $55 million on renovations at . The proposal, which is still being developed, would create a new two- or three-level building on the corner of Charleville and Robertson boulevards. The building would include a large multipurpose room, underground parking and a new library.

Beverly Hills Unified School District facilities director presented the construction outline to board members at a study session Tuesday. He received direction to finalize the plan and bring it back to the board at a still-to-be determined study session next month.

“Other options were to build a three-story [building] on the east side of Arnez Drive or to just modernize the existing campus,” Cayabyab told Patch in an email. “We do have clear direction now to build a new building. … We are looking at the pros and cons of an underground classroom level or [adding] a third floor onto the existing two-story building.”

In accordance with the board’s direction, Cayabyab said he is studying what the total square feet of the building should be, how much parking is necessary and the location of new drop-off and pickup points for parents, which could ease traffic concerns around the school. At least one city traffic officer directs traffic at the school and sometimes another officer issues tickets to those not following directions.

“I would want to see curb cutout lanes and other means of ingress/egress to ensure safe and efficient drop off and pickup,” board member Myra Lurie told Patch in an email. “We discussed a drop-off lane inside of the property running east/west that would be entered from Hamel [Road] and exited onto Robertson.”

Construction funding would come from Measure E, the $334 million bond passed by voters in 2008 to modernize the city’s schools. As Patch has reported, the bond schedule has been revamped because assumptions made at the time of the bond proved to be overly optimistic. The board decided in August to limit initial Measure E construction to Horace Mann and Hawthorne schools, as those are regarded as being the most in need.

The $55 million budget for Horace Mann renovations includes about $3 million for modernizing the auditorium. Board members last month had considered and building a new one.

Cayabyab and board members have said they hope to start Horace Mann construction in summer 2013.

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