Jury Rules City Must Pay More for Property
An Orange County Superior Court jury this week ordered the city’s Redevelopment Agency to pay a Santa Ana man $430,000 to buy his property for construction of a ballet school.
Attorneys for Zivorad Nikolic said the city initiated legal proceedings in June to acquire the property at 1812-1818 1/2 and 1828 N. Main St. Nikolic didn’t challenge the city’s move to take the property, but he argued in a lawsuit that the city had “grossly undervalued those properties.”
Nikolic’s attorney, K. Eric Friess, said the city initially offered $325,000 for the lots between the Bowers Museum and the Bowers Kidseum, which house an Immigration Service Center, a meat market, a vacant lot, two businesses and two residences.
City officials said they want to use the lot for an effort to build a home for St. Joseph Ballet Company, including a stage, studios and a community room.
The nonprofit school runs on about $600,000 annually with funds coming from grants and private donations.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
