Lennar Wants to Bulldoze Irvine Preschool

irvine123_IHB

irvine123_IHB

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Lennar informed Christian Montessori Academy (CMA) at Irvine several weeks ago they won't renew school's lease. Instead Lennar wants to bulldoze the school in December due to their "sudden change of plan". This school is located on Trabuco road inside Lennar's great park land, and Lennar is the landlord. The understanding always has been the school will stay as part of Lennar's plan.



Lennar leased the land to CMA years ago, should know better than just gave the school only a four months notice to find an alternative location and do the build out. During the past two weeks, CMA has been trying to get Lennar to extend the lease until next June, so the students can complete the school year. However, Lennar so far refused, insisted on December. I think Lennar has everyright to change their plan, not renewing the least, etc. However, it is wrong to give the school such a short notice while fully aware of the implication of this.



CMA Irvine campus is the largest preschool /private school in Irvine. The implication of Lennar 's decision is that 250 kids won't have a school to go to next Jan if CMA can't find an alternative location right away, as all area schools have a long wait list. There is just not enough capacity to absorb the 250 kids!



The parents are reaching out to news outlets, city of Irvine, etc. As there are so many smart and connect people here, please give your ideas and thoughts. Also, if you have any local media connections (i.e. if you know a reporter of NBC, CBS, FOX, ABC, OCRegister, etc), please PM me the contacts!
 
There's a ton of empty commerical office space around in Irvine, some of which has vinyl "Church of whatever" banners on it. You'd think it wouldn't be too hard to find some bargain space to rent.
 
preschools usually have outdoor playground, etc. I am sure they will find a location. But getting a deal doen with the right tenant improvement done by December is not easy.
 
[quote author="irvine123" date=1219194511]Lennar informed Christian Montessori Academy (CMA) at Irvine several weeks ago they won't renew school's lease. Instead Lennar wants to bulldoze the school in December due to their "sudden change of plan". This school is located on Trabuco road inside Lennar's great park land, and Lennar is the landlord. The understanding always has been the school will stay as part of Lennar's plan.



Lennar leased the land to CMA years ago, should know better than just given the school only a four months notice to find an alternative location and do the build out. CMA is trying to get Lennar to extend the lease until next June, so the students can complete the school year. However, Lennar so far refused, insisted on December. I think Lennar has everyright to change their plan, not renewing the least, etc. However, it is wrong to give the school such a short notice while fully aware of the implication of this.



CMA Irvine campus is the lastest preschool /private school in Irvine. The implication of Lennar 's decision is that 250 kids won't have a school to go to next Jan if CMA can't find an alternative location right away, as all area schools have a long wait list. There is just not enough capacity to absorb the 250 kids!



The parents are reaching out to news outlets, city of Irvine, etc. As there are so many smart and connect people here, please give your ideas and thoughts. Also, if you have any local media connections (i.e. if you know a reporter of NBC, CBS, FOX, ABC, OCRegister, etc), please PM me the contacts!</blockquote>


Whatever shmuck that runs the school and/or neogotiated the lease is responsible for this problem. Why in the world would they enter into a lease that terminates during the middle of a school year?! Also, they should have built an automatic renewal option with a long notice requirement on Lennar's part to terminate in lieu automatic renewal. This would have allowed for much better long-range planning and less disruption to those children's lives.



While I feel sorry for those kids, the school assumably willingly entered into a lease with Lennar with full knowledge of the terms and conditions of the agreement and now is crying foul because Lennar is abiding by the terms of the contract?! Please, that is BS. It's the same non-accountable, non-responsbile, weak-minded thinking that created the housing bailout.
 
[quote author="Roo" date=1219195386]Who paid to get the school built? Seems like a waste of money...</blockquote>


It was the el toro base school. Lennar was almost giving it to them for free.



Yeah, there are tons of spots where the christian pre-school can go...and yes lennar should have given them more than 4 months to vacate....
 
[quote author="PadreBrian" date=1219199200][quote author="Roo" date=1219195386]Who paid to get the school built? Seems like a waste of money...</blockquote>


It was the el toro base school. Lennar was almost giving it to them for free.



Yeah, there are tons of spots where the christian pre-school can go...and yes lennar should have given them more than 4 months to vacate....</blockquote>


Why should Lennar do anything outside of what the lease requires? Why should any party do any more that what a valid and binding contract requires?! Maybe the school should have asked about renewal sooner instead? It's a contract people. They are usually quite plain and quite clear. They terminate according to specific provisions and at particular times/dates usually. Just because whoever negotiated it for that school is a moron doesn't make the landlord evil.
 
I agree with Ipop on this.

Just because Lennar is the LL does not mean they are at fault or evil.

The person who negotiated the lease with them clearly dropped the ball and is responsible.
 
Easy there IPO...



Nobody's saying Lennar is evil and people do understand contracts.

This is a simple case of having your cake and wanting to eat it too...

The kids and parents end up with the shaft, while the school knew exactly the consequences

of having something for dirt cheap/free.



[quote author="ipoplaya" date=1219204209]

Why should Lennar do anything outside of what the lease requires? Why should any party do any more that what a valid and binding contract requires?! Maybe the school should have asked about renewal sooner instead? It's a contract people. They are usually quite plain and quite clear. They terminate according to specific provisions and at particular times/dates usually. Just because whoever negotiated it for that school is a moron doesn't make the landlord evil.</blockquote>
 
Screw the contracts! Do it for the children... Uh no... Being a new father, I do feel for the children... but the school administration has been caught sleeping at the wheel. If we took the path of disregarding contracts... the foreclosure proceedings for the thousands of homes would come to a screeching halt as well! Favorites cannot be played whether it be a speculative homebuyer or a greedy school administrator. I'm with Ten and the others. Maybe the media should out the administrative abuses - this being one of them! ;)
 
IPO,



Don't know what you are drinking today. But where did you picked up the idea that anyone here is saying Lennar is evil? Where did you picked up the idea that someone is crying for foul? Knowing someone headless ( never thought it will be you, I guess I am wrong) will respond the way you just reacted, I even said, "lennar has the right do it".



What is at issue? Well, I think Lennar should give school more time to relocate instead of giving them just four months. That is it.



For those making comments without bothering to ask for facts, even Lennar will tell you that school has always been part of their plan. It is lennar's "sudden" change of plan. Again, IPO, NO ONE is saying Lennar can't change plan in case you can't read today. I don't know about what kind of business you are in, many reputable firms behaves in a soically responsiable way. That is becoming more and more as part of the corporate culture. Again, IPO, NO one is saying their soical responsiblity is in their corporate by-laws. It is just something many firms do. Leaving 250 kids without a school to go to doesn't exact fit that bill...AGAIN, IPO, No one is saying Lennar don't have the legal rights to do what they want to do.



IPO, i don't know how old you are, and how long you have been in business. Corporate often make decisions not based on their absolute legal rights, but also potential implications. If you have't experienced it, you will someday - read my lips.
 
Hum, no idea where I got the idea that you thought Lennar was at fault... Must have imagined it. Sorry.



<em>"However, <strong>it is wrong</strong> to give the school such a short notice while fully aware of the implication of this."</em>



It's irresponsible for the school to lease the property for a shorter duration than they needed it. "Such short notice"? How much notice is required in the lease? Do any of us have any idea? Hell, it might be thirty days and Lennar is telling them way ahead of the notice requirement... That would be "socially responsible" in my book if it were the case. Do you assume it is "such short notice" because its a big bad developer vs. a school? To me, they are both just businesses trying to make a buck...



<em>"The implication of Lennar ?s decision is that 250 kids won?t have a school to go to next Jan"</em>



No, the implication of Lennar's decision is that their current lessee will no longer have right to the property. The reason that 250 kids won't have a school to go to next Jan is that the school f'ed up, plain and simple.



<em>"But where did you picked up the idea that anyone here is saying Lennar is evil? Where did you picked up the idea that someone is crying for foul?"</em>



So people like you and the parents are reaching out to media to give Lennar an attaboy?! Why else would media attention be desired except to cry foul and paint Lennar as the big bad corporate monster? I'm sure the interview with the distraught mom of soon-to-be-displaced Johnny is going to delve into the facts that the school signed a lease and obviously didn't anticipate the non-renewal or extension and a result they are in bind - NOT. Do you think school administrators will come on camera and admit, "yeah, we totally f'ed up and should lose our jobs a result, but we are begging Lennar to extend because the kids didn't cause this problem, we did". You aren't gonna see that because 1) its not news worthy in this day and age and 2) the school flunkies are going to CYA themselves.



<em>"IPO, i don't know how old you are, and how long you have been in business. Corporate often make decisions not based on their absolute legal rights, but also potential implications. If you have't experienced it, you will someday - read my lips."</em>



Veiled personal attacks deserve little to no response. You obviously aren't objective with regards to this matter. If it was my kid going there, I'd be pissed to, but not enough to color my reason such that I found Lennar at fault. I would be raining a $hit$torm down on the school, which would be very deserving of it.



<strong><em>Irregardless</em></strong> of my age, I enter into and terminate contracts practically everyday. I have to walk the fine line between doing what is right and what the paper says all the time... It's common for CFO types to have such responsibilities. The bottomline is that I have a duty to my members just like Lennar has a duty to its shareholders. That duty is about maximizing their return. This isn't an animal shelter or homeless outreach is it? Is this not a for-profit educational organization? How could not renewing the lease of a for-profit business be socially irresponsible? What if they elected not to renew Jamba Juice in Woodbury Center? Would you want to alert Connie Chung?
 
I wonder if this is the same El Toro base school that Oakridge Private School used to occupy? Oakridge was booted out of that location in 2000 or 2001, I think. It's a shame that the campus won't get used. It's a very nice facility. I used to drive by it on my way to the stables at El Toro, when my old riding program used to be located there. The school was vacant for years after Oakridge was abruptly booted.
 
[quote author="irvine123" date=1219194511]CMA Irvine campus is the largest preschool /private school in Irvine. The implication of Lennar 's decision is that 250 kids won't have a school to go to next Jan if CMA can't find an alternative location right away, as all area schools have a long wait list. There is just not enough capacity to absorb the 250 kids! </blockquote>


Strange, I just checked the licensing board's website and that school is only licensed for a capcacity of 175. Are they really 40% over capacity?
 
Lennar is evil, but not because of the school thing, just in the general sense.



Irregardless should be regardless, it is redundant. Hehehehe... I never thought <em>I</em> would ever be the one to play spell cop. I will probably have my badge revoked by the end of the night though.
 
[quote author="graphrix" date=1219223269]Lennar is evil, but not because of the school thing, just in the general sense.



Irregardless should be regardless, it is redundant. Hehehehe... I never thought <em>I</em> would ever be the one to play spell cop. I will probably have my badge revoked by the end of the night though.</blockquote>


I used "to" instead of "too" also so sue me... Just don't tell Geraldo please! :)
 
While I don't think it is the schools absolute fault, Lennar isn't doing anything to help themselves. They are setting up 250+ families to absolutely HATE them. If they are suffering now, don't you think actually HELPING this group might be a cheap and effective to advertise?



Believe me, i'm not a contracts specialist (and i have been burned before), but a little bit of effort would probably go a long way. Who know, i don't have all the information so I can't quite make a fully informed decision.



-bix
 
It's not good PR but, but if they "donate" to their church, it's kind of like paying extortion to tenants not to trash your rental when they leave.
 
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