Cal Poly Pomona has selected a predevelopment real estate firm with national and international experience in land-use issues to advise on the feasibility of developing the 309-acre Lanterman Developmental Center, now known as Campus South.

Hellmuth, Obata & Kassabaum, Inc. (HOK), a global design, architecture, engineering and planning firm, was selected over three other finalists to lead a diverse team including: KPMG, Levin & Associates, BAE, EMG, Iskander Associates, Gresham Savage, KPFF, Linscott Law & Greenspan, and Terracon. The HOK team brings experience and expertise in various areas, including: architecture; site design; redevelopment strategies; real estate and market analysis; traffic planning; building condition assessment; civil engineering; geotechnical engineering; structural engineering; historical preservation; land use regulations; financial planning; and cost estimating. The team, which will begin assessing the Lanterman property this month, will make recommendations to inform the university's decision to move forward with development or relinquish jurisdiction of the property back to the California Department of Finance. The deadline for a decision is September 1, 2017.

"We are very excited about the next phase and look forward to the HOK team bringing fresh thinking and bold ideas," says President Soraya M. Coley. "HOK will provide valuable expertise and insight that will help guide our decision-making about the future of the Lanterman property."

Should Cal Poly Pomona decide to move forward, a master developer will be selected to assist the campus with a project that would focus on supporting the university's academic mission, providing benefits to the surrounding communities and the region, preserving the historical significance of the site, and generating a financial return to sustain operations. The final decision on whether to proceed will require the approval of the Chancellor and the CSU Board of Trustees.

The Lanterman Developmental Center formerly served as a facility for the developmentally disabled until its closing in December 2014. The California Department of Finance subsequently transferred jurisdiction of the Lanterman property to Cal Poly Pomona, giving the university the opportunity to determine whether the property can be productively developed to further the interests of the CSU and Cal Poly Pomona. Additional information may be found at www.cpp.edu/lanterman.

For updated information about the project, visit the Lanterman website [https://www.cpp.edu/lanterman/].