Development Ideas Sought for Portion of School Site

The students who are bused from throughout the city to the Brentwood Science Magnet to imbibe the principles of Newton and Darwin are about to set off on a real-life lesson in the laws of Adam Smith, the free-market economist.

For a valuable consideration yet to be determined, the school is offering to trade land now occupied by eight double bungalows to a developer who will convert it to its best and highest use--that is, as long as neighbors in this upscale Westside district don’t object.

The novel joint venture, approved in concept by the Los Angeles Board of Education this week, would be no pipsqueak deal. The board authorized school officials to spend up to $50,000 for legal and evaluation costs just to entice bidders to tell the school what they would do in exchange for a lease on slightly more than one acre fronting posh San Vicente Boulevard.

Principal Rebecca Clough hopes developers will be willing to build a new, fully equipped science building in exchange for the rights to an adjacent commercial venture.

“We’re sitting on some very valuable property here,” Clough said.

The campus, at the intersection of Bundy Drive and San Vicente, is anchored by a 1916 schoolhouse that would remain untouched.

But two dissenting board members have reservations. Julie Korenstein said she opposes any plan to dispose of school property in times of growing enrollment.

David Tokofsky thought it untoward for the school district to enter any joint venture with a developer while it is suffering so much embarrassment over another: the $87-million Belmont Learning Center.

“We’ve had some difficulties with the [bidding] process that is before us today,” Tokofsky said in an understated reference to Monday night’s tempestuous vote on the Belmont project financing. “What have we learned?”

Actually, the idea of developing part of the Brentwood campus has been around before. The fatal flaw the first time around turned out to be neighborhood opposition.

Ralphs offered to redesign the campus and build a modern facility in exchange for being allowed to put up a supermarket.

The proposal was shelved when neighbors got City Councilman Marvin Braude to turn thumbs-down on the project, Clough said.

This time, Clough is thinking of a less bustling commercial venture, such as senior citizens’ housing.

She promises to involve community groups and the school council in any decisions.

“I don’t think it will fly unless both of those groups get together from the beginning,” she said.