Chabad of Pacific Palisades Acquires Getty Property

After a three-year search for the perfect location in Pacific Palisades, the Palisades Jewish Early Childhood Center (PJECC) has finally found its new home.

Located at the northwest corner of Sunset Boulevard and Los Liones Drive, the 2 ‘-acre commercial property was previously home to Sawyer’s Nursery, The Outdoor Room (another nursery) and offices for the Getty Trust.

A dedicated group of PJECC founding families bought the property (just north of Pacific Coast Highway) from the Getty for $5.6 million.

‘Through hope, determination, creativity and community this dream has become a reality,’ said Rabbi Zushe Cunin, executive director of Chabad of Pacific Palisades. ‘Through the joint effort of some of the original alumni parents, who have become a bedrock of support for our Early Childhood Center, the new location was realized.’

Now Sunset Boulevard, between El Medio and Castellammare, will be home to five educational facilities: Pacific Palisades Presbyterian Church, Palisades Lutheran Church, Kehillat Israel, Westside Waldorf and PJECC.

The land is zoned for early-childhood usage and the school will open in September, with under 50 students. The master plan for the site, which has not yet been created, will determine the maximum number of students the school can comfortably manage, though growth is expected to be gradual over time.

‘All along, the definite goals were to remain local in Pacific Palisades, to retain the core loving and nurturing staff and to identify a spot that is nurturing, safe and surrounded by nature,’ Cunin said. ‘All these goals have been met. We plan on utilizing the property as is and maximizing the outdoor possibilities. There is one main office building where all of our indoor activities are planned.’

The newly renovated office building is 6,461 sq.ft. and will be used for classrooms and staff offices. There is also a 1,650-sq.-ft. warehouse, which will be used for storage for the foreseeable future.

During the seven years PJECC was located in Temescal Gateway Park (before moving to a private residence on Bestor Boulevard) nature became an important part of the curriculum. With the new space, this tradition will be able to continue, as there are myriad possibilities enjoyable for preschoolers, including hikes (Los Liones Gateway Park begins just across the street), an outdoor storytime area, and an arts and crafts zone that uses items found on the premises, such as leaves and twigs.

Director Barbara Leibovic is enthusiastic about the new location, which will serve kids ages 2-5. ‘We look forward to becoming an iconic Early Childhood Center serving local families with young children.’

In addition to the preschool, which is celebrating its 12th year, the space will also be home to the Friendship Circle, which caters to youngsters with special needs and their families. Friendship Circles can be found in more than 150 communities worldwide, and have been successful in matching up local volunteers ‘ especially teenagers ‘ with special-needs children.

At the new Sunset location, the Friendship Circle will offer monthly meetings for its 15-20 participants. It will also be a resource center for the Westside, as well as a place where families can schedule home visits with one of the 30-40 volunteers.

‘The Pacific Palisades Chamber of Commerce is delighted that a beautiful building is taking shape to brighten the corner of Sunset and Los Liones,’ said Pacific Palisades Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Arnie Wishnick, who toured the facility. ‘This will become a terrific learning center.’

The PJECC experience goes far beyond the preschool years. About 200 children have graduated from PJECC, with most going on to local schools. It’s not just the children who are still friends ‘ many of the parents remain close as well, and even spend time together without the kids.

Gene Gladden, a 48-year Castellammare resident, said the site ‘will be a wonderful gift to the area.’ In 2008, Gladden had agreed to allow Chabad to open a preschool in his 3,000-sq.-ft. storage building at the base of his property off Los Liones Drive (adjacent to the service entrance to the Getty Villa), but those plans never came to fruition because of access issues.

‘The outpouring of love from the community has been infectious, and we are looking’joyously towards the future,’ Cunin said. ‘Chabad’s approach is what has allowed for our tremendous success, with an open door policy and desire to make the world a better place. The Palisades will be further enhanced by this new community asset.’