From the Santa Monica Conservancy

"Nationwide attention from the National Trust for Historic Preservation has come to the History Building on the Santa Monica High School campus, which is nevertheless still slated for demolition. Efforts by the Santa Monica Conservancy to stop the demolition of the highly significant PWA Moderne structure have resulted in an adopted preservation policy in the school district for the future. Preservationists remain frustrated that a professionally conducted adaptive reuse study was never done for the History Building, and will be watching closely as other campus plans in the district move forward."

It's not too late for the district to study the building and produce a cost analysis.  Please let them know that even the National Trust for Historic Preservation thinks these buildings are important. Let them know that  the same taxpayers that approved $1.138B since 2006 would like to have a study performed on their behalf before the district wastes $165M on destroying a cultural resource.  Let them know that we want our kids to  understand financial and environmental stewardship and the opportunity to learn from physical connections to our past.  Explain to them that buildings can be modernized into state of the art learning spaces and that our kids need safe, clean and comfortable learning conditions and new development is not a requirement. 

Please write the SMMUSD School Board at brd@smmusd.org and cc: Superintendents, mcanady@smmusd.org, bdrati@smmusd.org, samohialumni@gmail.com, advocacy@smconservancy.org, fixsmmusd@gmail.com, council@smgov.net, senator.allen@senate.ca.gov

Anonymous letters can be sent to Attn: Save Samo, Santa Monica Conservancy, P.O. Box 653 Santa Monica, CA 90406-0653