Holden Lobbies for Retail Center

Los Angeles City Councilman Nate Holden paid an unannounced call on the school board Tuesday morning to plead against revival of a plan to build a high school on the former Ambassador Hotel site.

In an appearance moments before the school trustees began a six-hour closed meeting that included discussion of the Ambassador site, Holden pitched a proposal by developer Donald Trump to build a commercial center on the abandoned Mid-Wilshire property.

Neither the councilman nor the district provided advance notice of the discussion, which was conducted with no reporters present. The Times learned of the meeting later through a district source.

District General Counsel Richard K. Mason said the state’s open meeting law did not require notification because Holden spoke during the public portion of the meeting reserved for anyone wishing to address the board on its closed-session agenda. Generally, no one asks to speak, and the board adjourns immediately to closed session.

However, Holden told The Times in an interview later Tuesday that Mason suggested he address the board at that time, despite the fact that news organizations do not routinely attend.

Mason said Holden wanted to speak to the board before its closed session and that he advised the councilman that he could do so.

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In his comments, Holden told the board that commercial development was essential for the economic health of the Wilshire corridor, which has steadily lost value since the Los Angeles Unified School District announced plans to condemn the property nine years ago.

Holden said he promised the board members that the developer would return the money the district put down on the property during its aborted condemnation proceeding.

The district dropped its plan in 1994 and won a judgment requiring the Trump-controlled Ambassador Associates to pay back the $50-million deposit, plus interest, but the development company has refused, pending an appeal.

Meanwhile, school officials are considering foreclosure action to take the property if Ambassador Associates does not pay. The site could be considered for a school again in light of a master plan calling for construction of eight high schools in the next 10 years.

In March, Ambassador Associates announced plans for a 1-million-square-foot retail and entertainment center for the site.

Holden said he has been negotiating with school officials to secure their promise that they would not restart the school plan in return for the developer’s promise to pay back the money.

But he said Mason told him in a telephone call last week that the talks were at an impasse and that a personal appearance before the board would be helpful.

“We want our money back,” Mason said. “If it’s not forthcoming, we will have no alternative but to exercise our rights, including the possibility of foreclosure.