The Almansor Center has announced that they are withdrawing their plans to buy the former Bienvenidos property on Palm St.
Almansor founder and president Nancy Lavelle said that the change of plans came in the light of "strong unresolved issues" with the property owner, Sahag Mesrob Armenian Christian Schools.
In an interview with Altadenablog, Lavelle did not want to reveal the exact issues that led to withdrawing the offer to buy the property to turn into a school for Almansor, but said that opposition from the neighbors was not a factor in their decision.
"We are aware of the neighbors' concerns, and we have received ten or twelve letters from the community, and addressed each one individually," Lavelle said. She also said that Almansor was still interested in the property, and would have continued to pursue operating a school there if the issues had been resolved.
Neighbors in the Palm St. neighborhood were concerned about Almansor's plans to operate a school in the rustic, quiet neighborhood. The property, which had formerly been a residential therepeutic center for younger children, was sold to Sahag Mesrob Armenian Christian School, which raised the neighborhood's ire by operating a school for 200 children without obtaining the proper permits in 2008-2009. After losing in court, Sahag-Mesrob closed the school and has been looking for a buyer for the property ever since.
Lavelle said that 140 letters were being sent out to Palm St. neighborhood residents today.
