Actually it was Judge Russell G. Clark who did it. As you say it was an expensive disaster.
He was criticized.
Obviously his critics were right and he was wrong is they can come up with a rational plan to close 29 of the existing buildings.
That's $1.7 billion down the drain, more or less, or, at least the waste of a great deal of that money.
No doubt he died feeling good about himself ~ that was on April 17, 2003, nearly 7 years ago.
Right you are, sorry for the error!