Proposed Science Museum Near Pierce College Dairy Endorsed by Campus Panel

A science museum proposed for construction on vacant land at Pierce College has received the endorsement of a campuswide committee, college Dean Philip Stein said Tuesday.

“A lot of us look at it as a resource for the college,” said Stein, a member of the Planning Advisory Committee. “We would try to integrate it into our science curriculum.”

The museum’s promoter, Woodland Hills attorney Nelson E. (Nick) Brestoff, called the committee’s endorsement a milestone. He said the site near the Pierce College dairy would be his first choice for the children’s museum, followed by land designated for public use at Porter Ranch and a new possibility, the Ahmanson Ranch in Ventura County.

“My preference is Pierce College because of the academic setting, educational context and the proximity to students and teachers,” Brestoff said.

The $11.1-million pavilion will be considered as part of a Pierce master plan study, expected to be completed in the fall, Stein said. That plan subsequently will be reviewed by the Los Angeles Community College District Board of Trustees, which would have to approve any contract with Brestoff.

An avowed science buff, Brestoff envisions a six-acre center featuring an entry building with a bookstore, a covered outdoor science park and an indoor exhibit hall. The museum would be patterned after the popular Exploratorium in San Francisco.

He initially approached the Valley Cultural Foundation more than three years ago in hopes of building the museum at Warner Center. When that idea did not catch on, he turned to Pierce College.

Earlier this year, as negotiations with the college appeared to stall, Brestoff announced that he had discussed the museum with developers of Porter Ranch.