Caltrans Offers to Sell Historic Campus Property to Sequoyah School, Which Announces Intent to Buy It

Sequoyah School has received a Notice of Solicitation from the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), the first step in its process to sell the historic property located at 535 S. Pasadena Avenue. The Board of Trustees has since declared the school’s intent to buy the campus, moving the school into the next phase of the sale process which will take place over the next 6-9 months.

Head of School Rebecca Hong and Board of Trustees President Laura Gowen reported the offer to the Sequoyah School community on May 25.

The 2.3-acre property has been the school’s home since 1959, one year after its founding. The campus features architecturally significant mid-century modern buildings designed for educational purposes.

The Notice of Solicitation comes after decades of advocacy and activism from the Sequoyah community and its supporters to protect the campus and surrounding neighborhood from the potential SR-710 freeway expansion.

That threat evaporated with the demise of State plans in 2018 to complete the 710 extension.

The State has since worked with renters, the City of Pasadena, and others to manage the future of the affected property.

“By owning the campus, we will honor our history, fortify the present, and invest in the future of progressive education for children in Greater Los Angeles,” Hong and Gowen wrote.

The school is continuing its fundraising efforts to strengthen its financial position in anticipation of the yet-to-be-determined price.

In 2021, Sequoyah purchased the property at 500 S. Pasadena Avenue, directly across the street from the K-8 campus. The property offers potential for facilities development and renovation to serve its growing K-12 program.

The pending purchase is a milestone for the school, with many in the community celebrating the news while acknowledging the work ahead to complete the acquisition and secure Sequoyah’s future.

“This is a truly meaningful moment for Sequoyah that has been years in the making,” Hong and Gowen said.