BOARD OKS PURCHASE, RENOVATION OF BUILDING.

Byline: Sonia Giordani Staff Writer

The Los Angeles Board of Education on Tuesday narrowly approved a $184.2 million financing plan to purchase and renovate a downtown office building for its administrative quarters.

After postponing the vote three times, the board resolved 4-1, with two abstentions - and much debate over the building's structural integrity and costs - to move into the 28-story tower at 333 Beaudry Ave.

Superintendent Roy Romer responded to weeks of expressed concern about the building's wavering floors by resolving to invest $3.7 million to fortify 19 floors.

But he maintained that the building is safe.

``The whole integrity of the department of facilities is on the line,'' Romer said.

The board also heard a last-ditch pitch from downtown real estate developer Robert Maguire, who had brought three possible sites to the district in recent weeks, including the Arco Towers.

But the board majority stuck with Beaudry, with board member David Tokofsky voting no, and members Julie Korenstein and Jose Huizar abstaining.

The board unanimously approved Huizar's motion requiring district staff to stick to a $157.9 million budget, listing by line item the expenditures needed to acquire and occupy the building. Any modifications will have to be approved by the board.

Though board member Genethia Hudley Hayes supported the project, she warned district staff not to come back with requests for more money.

Tokofsky has opposed the building from the outset. In recent weeks, he has grilled district staff and its consultants about the structural integrity, the process used to find the building as well as consultants' relationships with companies who hold bonds in the Beaudry building.

``Lousy building, lousy location, conflict of interest, cozy relationships, it takes away money from the kids,'' Tokofsky said Tuesday, maintaining the district could find a better deal.

A last-minute motion from Tokofsky to forgo the purchase and only lease the building won support from Korenstein and Huizar but ultimately failed.

The district will move from its current administration building at 450 N. Grand Ave. this spring to make room for a new high school.

Last week, the district spent $13,000 to buy a rare scanning machine to inspect the building, its steel structure and its concrete covering. Project manager Anthony Mason said the results showed some deflection, but added that the additional $3.7 million for reinforcements should be adequate.

In other action Tuesday, the board approved a 4 percent salary increase for the district's nonteaching classified employees, as more than 200 workers rallied outside the administration building.