BELMONT CAMPUS, LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

Partially (60%) completed LAUSD Belmont Learning Center campus shown below. Costs to date have been estimated by LAUSD to be $174 million and by the California Joint Legislative Audit Committee to be $238 million. That includes purchasing 37 acres formerly known as the Los Angeles oil field from Japanese developer SHIMIZU for $30 million "as is".

Not all, but some, of the newly constructed Belmont buildings that were built on top of an earth quake fault and impacted by methane gas and hydrogen sulfide are to be demolished in the Fall of 2004.

An Additional $110 million has been approved by LAUSD for demolition and construction (Watch our 5.5 min video of demolition) to complete the project. LAUSD and oil and gas experts vary in their projected costs for remediation of the toxic substances, estimates range from $14 million to $107 million. Therefore, it is possible that Belmont High School could cost just under one-half a $BILLION dollars, barring any cost overruns and change orders.