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“We saw the potential of a beautiful hilltop school of excellence...”

~~ Robert C. Lee
Former Superintendent
William S. Hart Union High School District

Show Us the Money

he non-profit Foundation was incorporated for one primary purpose:
to benefit the Hart District. The Foundation originally purchased 135
Tacres of raw land for $650,000. A $1 million advance payment from the
District covered the initial payment for the land, preliminary engineering and
start of the planning process.
The Facilities Foundation’s cost to purchase and develop the 51-acre
school site was approximately $18 million, a significant taxpayer savings.
An appraisal obtained by the District valued the finished school site at $30
million at the time of sale to the District. In addition, by combining the school
district’s need to remove dirt with the City’s need for fill dirt to complete its
cross-valley highway, the two entities saved an estimated $12.5 million in
taxpayer money on the grading projects.
Due, in part, to the extensive volunteer-driven development efforts of the
Facilities Foundation, combined with State school construction funding and $24
million in State hardship funds, the entire school project was completed without
the use of any local taxpayer dollars, a first in the history of the District. The
total cost of construction of this completed high school was $78.7 million.
The project became even more valuable as leaders explored the
Foundation’s ability to take the surrounding residual acreage, sell to a land
developer for single family homes and realize profits for the benefit of the
District. The massive school and road grading project had created several
residual properties. Three of the lots were zoned for highest value and sold to
a housing developer for $15.4 million. Proceeds from the sale were reinvested
in other identified future school sites.
“This project took a lot of foresight,” commented Jim Gortikov, an
experienced developer and consultant. “It has a view, prime location and easy
access. It is a very special property.” The project was extremely complex, and
Gortikov attributes its success to the creative minds on the Foundation board.

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