Soka University Adds to Mountain Holdings
Japan-based Soka University announced Thursday it has purchased 332 acres of land in Calabasas, more than doubling the size of its campus in the Santa Monica Mountains despite state and federal plans to acquire the land for park use.
News of the acquisition shocked state and federal park officials, who said they were assured by Soka officials earlier this summer that no more land was being sought for the campus.
Campus spokesman Jeff Ourvan said Soka University administrators had hoped buying the additional acreage would address the environmental concerns by allowing the college to spread out and leave large swaths of land undeveloped. The college said in April it planned to expand enrollment from 80 students to 5,000.
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