West Hollywood’s Planning Commission tonight will review a proposal for a major expansion of the Center for Early Education (CEE), a private elementary school serving 535 students in preschool through sixth grade. CEE, which was created in 1939, in 1946 moved to its current location on La Cienega Boulevard at the corner of Melrose.
CEE currently has three school buildings, a central courtyard, three ground-level play yards and underground parking on 1.58-acres. It plans to build 65,000-square-feet of new school buildings, which will require the demolition of two existing school buildings, some nearby shops and a nearby house. The project, if approved, means CEE would then occupy a total of 106,000 square feet.
The project site is in two zoning districts, with the area occupied by Rosewood Elementary School zoned for public facilities and another the lot at 523 North Alfred occupied by a single-family house and zoned for medium density residential buildings. The Planning Commission will be asked tonight to create a special zone incorporating all of the CEE Property.
The majority of CEE’s founders were parents who also were professional psychoanalysts. When they created CEE, the concept of preschool education was new. Over the years CEE has increased to include kindergarten through 6th grade classes.
These Founders were passionate about respecting the inner world of the child. They sought to develop an early childhood education based each child’s natural developmental pace as well as on the recognized developmental stages through which each individual passes to maturity. At a time when preschool education was in its infancy, CEE’s Founders pioneered a school dedicated to the needs of young children.
Also tonight, the Planning Commission will review a proposal to demolish a duplex at 1159 Formosa Ave. near Lexington and replace it with a two-story, five-unit townhouse building.
The new units will be market rate. The developer, 1159 Formosa LLC, made an “in lieu” payment to the city’s housing trust fund rather than add affordable housing that would otherwise be required by the city. 1159 Formosa LLC is associated with Ilan Kenig, whose FMB Group includes several real estate development entities.
I don’t think we should expand schools during a drought. It is only going to encourage people to have more children.
Good neighbor’s are just that. In this case, The CEE, should have donated into West Hollywood’s Affordable Trust Fund. They made out very well. Our affordable housing stock did not nor the people, our neighbors.
An in lieu fee, however it could have been worked out, would be the fair and moral action from CEE to our Affordable Housing Trust Fund.
Amen!
I think the more troublesome news in this story is the demise of another (presumably-rent-stabilized) duplex; with the developer being allowed to get away with only paying “in-lieu-of” fees as allowed by this obnoxious loophole. So we lose 2 more affordable units, allegedly “at some point” to be replaced. The in-lieu-of fees simply are inadequate–as are LONG-out-of date rental relocation assistance fee payment levels and terms. And in the meantime, 2 more households have been displaced. City Council needs to DO AWAY WITH the “in lieu of” option that is simply inadequate to its intended task–and CHANGE REDEVELOPMENT rules to… Read more »
omg, I looked at the property at 1159 Formosa years ago, back in the mid 90’s, it was for sale for $190k & my agent said no, it was not a pride of ownership neighborhood. Look how things have changed!
It would be good to know what they plan to do with the current buildings on the corner of Melrose & La Cienega, which I believe is in the area governed by the City of Los Angeles. However the proposed new location/buildings would be within West Hollywood..a welcome addition.