Arizona State University will get a $5 million donation from a California-based Native American tribe to help renovate the university’s historic building in downtown Los Angeles and set up an endowment for an Indian law program.
The Arizona Republic reports that about half the gift from the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians will go toward the Herald Examiner Building.
The rest will go toward the endowment to support Indian Gaming and Tribal Self-Governance programs that are a part of the broader Indian Legal Program at Arizona State's law school.
The tribe, based near the cities of San Bernardino and Highland, operates a southern California casino.
The tribe’s chairwoman, Lynn Valbuena, says the programs will help provide a means for tribes to achieve self-determination at a time when they’re facing economic and governance challenges.
Arizona State announced its plan for a permanent space in Los Angeles in 2018. The building provides the university an entry into California and a more visible way to recruit California students.
The building, which has been largely vacant for decades, is scheduled to open in 2021. Arizona State has housed some programs, such as journalism and film, at its California Center in Santa Monica since 2013.
The 1914 building, commissioned by publishing magnate William Randolph Hearst, was designed by Julia Morgan, the architect who also designed the California landmark Hearst Castle.
The university plans to occupy 87% of the space and several of its schools will have a presence there.
Nearly 14,000 students from California were enrolled at Arizona State in fall 2018, Arizona Board of Regents documents show. About 2,700 are from the Los Angeles area, both in online and in-person classes.
The university views Los Angeles as a huge untapped market.
The regents approved lease terms for the Los Angeles building in April 2019. Under the terms, Arizona State will pay $5 million annually to rent and operate the site.
The developers plan to renovate the building and have restaurants and retail on the ground floor. Classrooms and offices will occupy higher floors.
