Pepperdine Gets Approval for 2 Expansion Projects

Pepperdine University has won approval from the California Coastal Commission to expand its law school by 46,000 square feet and build 13 housing units for faculty at its Malibu campus. A university spokesman said this week that the work to add classroom and library space at the law school will begin next month, and that construction of the faculty housing will occur next summer. The state panel approved the projects last week at its meeting in San Diego.

Although no one opposed the projects before the commission, Malibu’s future leaders have publicly expressed their displeasure with the plans as part of their opposition to Pepperdine’s long-range development goals.

Under the university’s development plan, approved by the commission last September, Pepperdine will be able to build nearly 1.5 million square feet of new facilities on an undeveloped 72-acre section of the campus.