Ventura conservancy weighs historic preservation bid of former Christian school

Three months after leaders of Ventura County Christian School halted their attempt to add Ventura's former Washington School to the National Register of Historic Places, the San Buenaventura Conservancy is considering picking up the baton.

The conservancy, a historic preservation nonprofit, hosted a community meeting Wednesday night to discuss the fate of the century-old school buildings at 96 MacMillan Ave.

Ventura County Christian, the site's most recent tenant, launched a preservation bid in March amid attempts to stave off eviction by Ventura Unified School District, the property's owners.

But in May, the Christian school signed a settlement agreeing to leave the property and abandon its preservation attempt in exchange for the district waiving 10 months of back rent. The school and district never reached an agreement on the eviction suit's central issue: whether or not the building was earthquake-safe.

More: Christian school, Ventura Unified settle eviction case

Wednesday's meeting marks a potential renewal of preservation efforts, this time led by the conservancy. Stephen Schafer, the conservancy's board president, said the nonprofit's work could build on the school's early groundwork but has no other connection.

Schafer said the conservancy is pursuing a national designation because the local historic site process requires the property's owner to be on board.

Marieanne Quiroz, a district spokesperson, said via text Friday that the district still has "no current plans for the site," which remains on the district's list of surplus properties.

Schafer said the nonprofit's decision to reopen conversations about historic preservation is "due diligence."

"It's empty. We don't know what's gonna happen," Schafer said in a phone interview Thursday. "The neighborhood is anxious about it."

In March, the school distributed flyers for its now-defunct preservation effort in the surrounding residential neighborhood that said the school was "certain the entire property will be developed into high-density housing."

School administrator Perry Geue downplayed the flyer in an April interview, saying it was "probably a bit overstated," and Ventura Unified leaders rejected the claim, saying the district had yet to make plans for the property.

But Schafer said some community members he spoke with still harbored concerns about a large development landing on the vacant land. Others, he said, were worried that the empty building would fall back into the disrepair it was in before the Christian school moved in.

"It's not hard to look back at 1995 and go 'uh-oh,'" he said.

Quiroz said the district is increasing security patrols and landscaping rotations at the property in addition to boarding the property's windows from both inside and out. If community members see "anything unusual," she said, "please give us a call."

More than 70 community members attended Wednesday's evening meeting, Schafer said, enough to signal to the conservancy that there is community interest in preservation

"We've got a mandate from the neighborhood that says we want to be part of this," he said.

Sabrena Rodriguez, president of Ventura Unified's board of trustees, joined the meeting along with Trustee Calvin Peterson. Rodriguez reiterated that the district has not established plans for the site and said the board hasn't yet had a conversation about historic preservation.

"We attended just to listen," she said. "It was a great opportunity to hear directly from the community."

Some meeting attendees, Schafer said, were Ventura County Christian School parents, part of a group that launched an online fundraising campaign on July 20 to have the school designated a historic site.

The campaign’s web page says the group is composed of parents and volunteers — not school staff — and that organizers hope "to preserve this land monument and help keep it running as a school." Ellen Henderson, the person listed as the fundraiser's organizer, did not respond to an emailed interview request.

Schafer said the Christian school had already found a new location for the fall and that the conservancy's efforts are "not about the school," only preservation.

Geue, the school administrator, did not respond to multiple phone calls and text messages.

If the conservancy is successful in obtaining a historic site designation for the buildings — a process Schafer said could take at least until early 2024 and isn't guaranteed — the tag would protect the older structures but not prevent the district or a future owner from building on the property.

"All we are trying to do is preserve the building," Schafer said. More than half of the site consists of fields and ball courts that Schafer said would remain unprotected. "This is not anti-growth. It's about preservation."

The nonprofit's board will meet on Aug. 9 to officially vote on whether to throw its weight behind a preservation effort. If approved, Schafer said the conservancy is likely to reach out to ASM Associates, the firm who did preliminary work for the Christian school, to take the bid down the road.

"The school is pretty awesome," Schafer said. "There's so much potential for what could fit in there."

Isaiah Murtaugh covers education for the Ventura County Star in partnership with Report for America. Reach him at isaiah.murtaugh@vcstar.com or 805-437-0236 and follow him on Twitter @isaiahmurtaugh and @vcsschools. You can support this work with a tax-deductible donation to Report for America.

This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Ventura conservancy weighs preservation bid of former Christian school