CitySLUSD Liaison Highlights 2008 1016

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The City approached the District with concerns about the design of the campus and how it might aesthetically blend with the Redevelopment Agency's vision for East 14th Street. The City requested to have input in the design process. In true collaboration and partnership, the District and the City have also worked together on the 9th Grade Campus through multiple meetings, including several City-District Liaison Committee meetings. District staff has also consulted the City on various issues throughout the process, including how to best satisfy the City's Redevelopment Agency's (RDA) objectives in enhancing the East 14th Street corridor, making several design accommodations requested by the City in exchange for the $2.3M in RDA funding to the District. Here is a brief overview of the 9th Grade Campus project to date, beginning with the purchase of the property located between East 14th Street and Bancroft Avenue (the former Ford lot) in April 2007. In order to leverage Measure B funds to apply for $11.45M in state grants, including a $2.95M Land Acquisition Grant to offset the differential between the $6.2M purchase price of the property needed for the 9th grade campus and the Measure B budget allocation, the Board of Education approved a compressed schedule on July 11, 2007. (Using this compressed schedule, we were able to meet our July 31, 2008, deadline for the Land Acquisition Grant. We will also be applying for $3M in state funding to try to offset to offset the differential between the increased $5M cost to build a 550-seat performing arts theater in the Arts Education Center (AEC) instead of the originally budgeted 450-seat theater.) During this compressed design schedule, and anticipating the promised $2.3M in RDA money from the City, we worked intensively with the City to incorporate City requests into the final plans submitted to the Division of the State Architect for approval. The City requested that the gymnasium building be relocated to East 14th Street. In order to do this, the academic building needed to be designed at an angle with the kitchen located in a separate building at an approximate additional cost of $3.5M to $4.OM. Without anticipating the receipt of RDA money, we could never have made these changes. Other East 14th enhancements include landscaping, and a design for the gymnasium that is harmonious and aesthetically pleasing with the City's new Senior Center. Although the new campus design is more costly than originally planned, relocating the gymnasium and moving the entrance door for easy access on East 14th Street will benefit the community, not only through meeting the RDA's objectives of East 14th Street beautification and enhancement, but by allowing joint use of the gymnasium, and the sharing of the Senior Center parking lot. We understand that the City is faced with hard decisions in light of the state's economic crisis. We also know that if the City and District work together, invest in the new public facilities and jointly operate them, we will improve our schools and our City for generations to come. We look forward to meeting with you to enter into a MOU as outlined above. ~_. S' rely, --~.,-~ _ _ "`.--~~ tine im, Supe in dent Raym nd E. Davis III, President Cc: Steve Hollister, Interim City Manager; San Leandro Board of Education; Song Chin-Bendib, Assistant Superintendent of Business Services; Mike Murphy, Director of Measure B 14735 Juniper Street, San Leandro, CA 94579 Tel: 510-667-3522 un~~u~.san.(en~tcirakl2.ca.us Fax: 510-678-8833