Dear Harvard-Westlake Families and Friends:

 

I am writing to share the exciting news that Harvard-Westlake has entered into an agreement to purchase Weddington Golf & Tennis, a 16-acre property in Studio City bounded by Whitsett Avenue and the Los Angeles River, less than a mile from Harvard-Westlake’s upper school campus. This land, which has been privately owned for more than a century by the Weddington family, is currently home to a nine-hole golf course, a driving range, and 16 tennis courts.

 

Over the next few years, the school will develop the Harvard-Westlake Community Athletics Center, which will offer athletic and recreational opportunities to our students and to the Studio City community.

 

In designing and developing the Community Athletics Center, Harvard-Westlake is committed to a transparent, thoughtful process that will be guided by a few key principles:

 

First, the school will engage with neighbors and stakeholders to solicit input regarding features that the neighborhood feels are desirable.  Second, we intend to allow public access to portions of the athletics center, and we look forward to developing joint use arrangements.  Third, we will make improvements to the property adjacent to the L.A. River trail, a citywide resource that should be treasured.  Finally, we value the tranquility of the Weddington property and know that its neighbors do as well. Our intention when designing the athletics center is to preserve as much open space as possible.

 

The Weddington property acquisition will enable Harvard-Westlake to re-evaluate the Parking, Safety & Athletic Improvement (PSA) Project that the school has proposed on land it owns just west of Coldwater Canyon across from the upper school campus. In response to feedback from our neighbors, the school will explore alternatives, including the addition of parking spaces on the main campus. Plans for the PSA Project as currently designed will be placed on hold, and we look forward to meeting with members of the community during this time.

 

In the coming months, I look forward to sharing updates and additional details about these exciting initiatives. I hope you join me in celebrating the next chapter in the history of Harvard-Westlake and our long-term commitment to Studio City and the City of Los Angeles.

 

Sincerely,

Richard B. Commons
President and Head of School