Developer Purchases McMartin School, Plans to Demolish It

The McMartin Pre-School in Manhattan Beach, from which a torrent of child sex abuse allegations sprang nearly seven years ago to touch off the longest and costliest criminal trial in U.S. history, has been purchased by a developer who wants to tear it down.

Arnold Goldstein, a Hermosa Beach real estate broker who bought the property in February, said he wants to begin demolishing the preschool soon to build an office building. “Who needs that monument anymore?” he said of the fenced and deserted school buildings.

Goldstein’s plan, filed with the city of Manhattan Beach last week, calls for razing the school and joining the property with another lot for construction of a three-story office building.

The project first must be reviewed in public hearings before the Planning Commission and City Council, and then must get a permit from the city.

“It will take a little time,” said city planner Rosemary Ballister.

The McMartin case erupted in the fall of 1983 when a parent told police that her child had been molested at the preschool. Other parents began alleging that their children had been abused.

In January, after a preliminary hearing and trial that together lasted more than five years, Peggy McMartin Buckey was acquitted of all 12 counts against her and Ray Buckey was acquitted of all but 13 of the 53 counts against him.

The jury deadlocked on those 13 counts against Ray Buckey and he is being retried on those eight counts.

Goldstein bought the school on Feb. 6 for $320,000 from Buckey attorney Danny Davis, according to Los Angeles County records. Davis, who has represented Buckey since the start of the McMartin case, said he acquired the property in lieu of a legal fee.