Antonovich Urges County Site for Antelope Courthouse

Los Angeles County Supervisor Mike Antonovich has proposed building an Antelope Valley courthouse on county-owned land instead of privately owned land, denying that he was acting to defuse a dispute involving a prominent fellow Republican.

But some participants described Antonovich’s move as an effort to quash a controversy involving Lancaster businessman Frank Visco, chairman of the state Republican Party.

Antonovich proposed Thursday that county planning officials discontinue a review of two properties offered for sale by Visco and developer Mitch Simon as courthouse sites. The supervisor suggested instead that the county use eight acres of a 10-acre county-owned site that houses a county Fire Department communications center on Avenue M between Lancaster and Palmdale.

The two private sites had been selected for scrutiny from among nine proposals. Visco offered 30 acres at Avenue M west of Sierra Highway for about $4.9 million, while Simon offered property on Sierra Highway just north of Avenue M for $2.6 million for 20 acres or $3.9 million for 30 acres, said Tom Silver, an Antonovich spokesman.

Lancaster Councilman George Theophanis, an outspoken Visco rival, and several developers complained that Visco, whose site was recommended by the cities of Palmdale and Lancaster, was receiving preferential treatment because of his political influence.

“The supervisor did not focus on the controversy at all,” Silver said. “This site won’t cost us anything.”

He said the money that would otherwise be spent “for land acquisition can go toward construction.”

Not Told About Option

Silver said the county site, which abuts Visco’s property, had been under consideration all along. But Visco and Simon said Friday that they had not been told that the county site was an option.

Although the newly proposed site is smaller than the other two, county officials said, it is sufficient for the courthouse. Silver said the county could build a multistory building rather than the one-story facility that had been planned.

Theophanis said Friday that a battle has been won if Visco’s land has been eliminated from consideration. But he said he would urge the Board of Supervisors at its Tuesday meeting to reconsider Simon’s site and others in the area. He criticized Antonovich’s proposed site as too small. Theophanis also suggested that choosing a site next to Visco’s property could pave the way for a new attempt to include Visco in the project.

“I think they’re putting up a smoke screen,” Theophanis said. “I think they’re trying to quiet things down.”

Visco rejected allegations by Theophanis and others that he had received preferential treatment. “I think it’s really sad that his only motive is to stop me, not the best interests of the community,” Visco said. “It’s a sad commentary on a councilman.”

Political Furor

Visco said the political furor probably influenced Antonovich’s decision regarding the county site, but added he would still bid on construction of the courthouse once a site is selected.

Simon reiterated that his proposal was the best because he offered the lowest price, infrastructure improvements and a trade of 10 acres of his property for the 10-acre county parcel if necessary.

“I’m disappointed that the county is not going to purchase the property it needs for a comprehensive judicial center,” he said. “They were saying they needed 20 acres minimum.”

The total cost for land acquisition and construction of the new courthouse, which is needed to alleviate crowding at the existing facility on Avenue J in Lancaster, has been estimated at $42.7 million.