Board Moves Closer to Buying Land for School : Education: Purchasing the 24-acre property near Downtown would help reduce the number of students bused to Valley campuses.

As part of its effort to reduce the number of students bused to San Fernando Valley high schools from the Temple-Beaudry area, the Board of Education moved closer to buying land near downtown Los Angeles where it hopes to build Belmont New High School for 3,500 students.

The board voted 6 to 1 last week to have its real estate acquisition department pursue a purchase contract with Japanese-owned Shimizu Development Inc., the 24-acre parcel’s owner.

“It’s a sad state of affairs when schools and housing must compete like this,” said board member Julie Korenstein. “It’s a terrible dilemma that we are facing. But it’s also terrible that some kids spend up to three hours on buses going to and coming home from schools in the Valley.

“By the time they get home, it’s dark. And many of their neighborhoods are not safe at night.”

But the board’s vote angered some area residents and several community groups, who said the land instead should be used for low-income housing. Board member Mark Slavkin agreed and voted against the measure.

“By building a school on this property, you are depriving people of the hope of having affordable housing,” said Barbara Gonzales, who lives in the neighborhood.

Laurrie Garner, representing Concerned Property Owners of Temple Beaudry, said the board should reconsider a site it previously expressed interest in, the closed Ambassador Hotel at 3400 Wilshire Blvd. Gardner said Temple-Beaudry does not need a school as much as the Mid-Wilshire area does.

Despite the pleas of neighbors and a possible lawsuit by the owners of the Ambassador Hotel, who claim the board illegally broke off negotiations, the school board proceeded with its vote.

“A high school gives a community roots,” board member Jeff Horton said. “It’s just horrible for these kids to go to a school and not identify with its neighborhood.”

Seeking a compromise, board member Victoria Castro is preparing a motion that would set aside part of the property for low-income housing if the board purchases it. The plan would reserve four acres for housing.

A final vote will be necessary before the land is purchased.