By KATHERINE PETERSEN
Students at Sunnyvale's South Peninsula Hebrew Day School will have a new library and chapel if the school's plan for a new building is approved by the City Council.
Since the school moved to its location on Astoria Avenue 20 years ago, students have used the multipurpose room for a cafeteria, gym, library, theater and chapel. Sunnyvale's Planning Commission is scheduled to vote on the project July 22.
Fred Zaghi, a member of the school's board of directors, said the building would be 6,750 square feet, costing an estimated $100 per square foot.
"We don't really have a library at this point and being a religious school, our kids pray at the multipurpose room, which is not a proper place," Zaghi said.
He said the current library, which consists of at least 20 double-sided bookshelves, is set up on the stage and has to be moved if students have rehearsals or put on performances.
Zaghi said only four or five kids can go to the library at a time because the area is so small.
"They need to have an appropriate library. This has been a major concern of ours for a year," he said.
M. L. Chan, who lives across the street from the school, has concerns of his own. He said the new building could cause traffic, parking and noise issues in the neighborhood, depending on whether the building is open to the public or restricted to school use.
"If it's only used for the children who attend the school, then there may not be problems. But if it opens up for the public, then there would be a lot of concern," Chan said.
Chan said it appears to him that many people come and go from the multipurpose room who are not affiliated with the school.
"How can we ensure that this remains for school use only?" he said.
If too many people use the new building, it could cause problems for the neighbors, parking Chan said.
The school held a meeting on June 27 that aired some of the neighbors' concerns, Zhagi said.
"I think they do support us. Our school has a very low population," he said, adding that parents also come to pray in the multi-purpose room.
Zaghi does not believe parking will become an issue. South Peninsula Hebrew Day School is Orthodox, so those who come to pray will walk, he said.
"People will not come from San Jose to pray. There are synagogues in San Jose. If you drive, you go to a Conservative or Reform place," he said.
The school has 51 parking spaces, which Zaghi said are vacant during the weekends. He said the school offers its parking to people who want to use the park behind campus after school and on the weekends.
"Kids from other schools play soccer and baseball in the park behind our school," he said.
"We could close the parking lot, but we're a good neighbor and we like to offer this to the public," he said.
This article appeared in the Sunnyvale Sun, July 17, 1996.
©1996 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.