LA unveils $578M school, costliest in the nation

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/22/AR2010082201744.html ^

[Red in Blue PA]

LOS ANGELES -- Next month's opening of the Robert F. Kennedy Community Schools will be auspicious for a reason other than its both storied and infamous history as the former Ambassador Hotel, where the Democratic presidential contender was assassinated in 1968. With an eye-popping price tag of $578 million, it will mark the inauguration of the nation's most expensive public school ever.

The K-12 complex to house 4,200 students has raised eyebrows across the country as the creme de la creme of "Taj Mahal" schools, $100 million-plus campuses boasting both architectural panache and deluxe amenities.

....

At RFK, the features include fine art murals and a marble memorial depicting the complex's namesake, a manicured public park, a state-of-the-art swimming pool and preservation of pieces of the original hotel.

[napscoordinator]

It looked beautiful when the news was showing it. The only thing I wish they would do with this school is make it for only A students or students who at least give 110 percent (even if they get C's). This school needs to be taken care of and only A students and 110 percentile's will ensure that happens. This school does not surprise me because they probably passed the contract over 5-10 years ago. It is a shame that people will lie and say how dare they open a school during a recession....it is so distasteful and dishonest. Oh I would still be sending my kids to Catholic School even if I lived in this district....I can't see my children not being able to say grace before a meal, learn religion, and learn morals and ethics.

[napscoordinator]

Your taxes are extremely high, but you can buy your home for peanuts....Yes I am jealous...lol.

[ZGuy]

Here are some shots of another LA high school which opened last year:

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

Liberals again rewarding massive failure with lavish acomodations.

[BunnySlippers]

The neighborhood is K-Town, or Korea Town. A wild generalization is that the kids are mostly high achievers IF the school will reflect the neighorhood [and I don’t know that it will].

The parcel of land is enormous as it was where the old Ambassador Hotel stood.

Donald Trump wanted the land to build a ginormous skyscraper and the Wilshire Corridor [where the school is] is most a low slung business district. In fact, I was surprised that they intended to put a school in the middle of a business center.

[noiseman]

Ten cent product in a 578 million dollar wrapper.

[truthguy]

The place will be a graffiti covered dump within 3 years. Guaranteed.

[DieNarrin]

Well your math needs work too... if the school has 4200 students and is K-12 and is in operation for 12 years the number of “different” students would only be 8050 [4200 +(11*350)]. It would have to be in operation 13 years to reach the 8400 level. But given that... the cost of per child over the 13 year period would still be almost $69,000. This is also assuming there is no maintenance to the building.

Overall the point is that in budget strapped times how in the heck do we justify spending like this on public facilities of any kind?

[Izzy Dunne]

Like I said, it’s an atrocious amount of money, in any case.

[Waverunner]

Remember how well LA treated RFK on his last visit.
That’s what this school is about...

[Defendingliberty]

Yes, but it would be a cool* place to go to. What gang will be running it?
*Cool 1970’s word meaning hip.

[DontTreadOnMe2009]

I don’t know if you’re familiar with the area, but all three of these schools are in hardcore illegal alien territory. Also just a few miles away is the high school where that reconquista teacher Ron Gochez teaches. The whole area has been handed over.

Well, not exactly or entirely handed over.

We still need to pay for it.

Let me see, $850 million for the Martin Luther King Hospital (that stands empty), $230 million for one school, $400 million for another school, $580 million for the next school in such a great location...

Gee, pretty soon it all adds up.

Pretty soon you’re talking real money.

[Gabrial]

“That’s $137,619.00 per pupil. Is that high? Seems so to me. Actually it’s crazy.”

I did that math also. You could have built 4,200 $137,000 homes and given each student a house and had money left over!

Shameful is what it is.

[Gabrial]

To put the cost into perspective, it should cost between $130 and $170 per square foot to build a school.

This school cost $350 per square foot.

Ridiculous.

[frposty]

” ...could have built 4,200 $137,000 homes...”

Maybe we should look at it this way. If an individual school district pays the bill then the rest of us can stand out of the way. The article says this school is funded by local bonds.

But then the city runs out of money because it overspends in may areas. Then you and I bail them out. That must stop. If an individual, town, county, state, university, corporation or dog pound gets into trouble because of their irresponsible behavior, no bailout for them.

[Gabrial]

“Then you and I bail them out. That must stop. If an individual, town, county, state, university, corporation or dog pound gets into trouble because of their irresponsible behavior, no bailout for them.”

Exactly. Currently under Obama’s redistributive policies, FedGov borrows money it does not have to bailout the irresponsible (read Democrat controlled) states. Rewarding bad behavior has to stop.