CALIFORNIA BRIEFING / MALIBU

Step aside, Barbra Streisand and Tom Petty, the Malibu City Council is moving in. The city purchased a new City Hall -- the former Malibu Performing Arts Center -- in an auction for $15 million.

The 35,000-square-foot building, which has featured performers such as Bob Dylan and Sting, along with Streisand and Petty, was auctioned Friday because of Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings by its owner, Vineyard Christian Fellowship.

The city has always had a goal of owning its own city hall, City Manager Jim Thorsen said. Currently, it rents a 15,647-square-foot space across the street for about $800,000 annually.

The center’s 500-seat auditorium would work well as a City Council chambers, Thorsen said. The building may be used for other public needs, such as a senior citizens’ center or for departments such as Parks and Recreation. Other parts of the building may be leased to tenants, Thorsen said.

Thorsen said it is a fiscally smart move for the city because it won’t be paying an escalating rent on a building but paying toward ownership. “We got such a great deal on this building,” he said. “It’s actually perfect timing for us.”

The city hopes to move into the building in six to nine months, Thorsen said.

-- Nicole Santa Cruz