Giant machinery, assuming knockdown poses, surrounds the swiftly dying, semi-legendary Natatorium these warm mornings, which may send chills down and up the spines of oldtime swimmers.

A quarter-century after talk of making the swim center disappear for budgetary reasons, it is shrinking every day.

By Aug. 24, three weeks from Thursday, the Natatorium is scheduled to have vanished into the air.

The teardown may be the easiest part of the conversion of the long dormant space between the Middle School and Culver City High School into educational use.

First, though, says Mike Reynolds, the School District’s assistant superintendent for business, there is a myriad of details to be settled or scuttled.

Not necessarily in this order,

• Ground beneath the four-decades-old Natatorium that was carved out perhaps 10 feet deep to accommodate the two pools must be made level and
• Contrary to an earlier promise, a verdict needs to be rendered on the express purpose of the two-story classroom building intended to be its successor.

Shortly before Supt. Josh Arnold stunningly was dismissed in June days before completing his first year, he said the new structure would be a two floors of science classrooms.

Dr. Arnold said high school and Middle School students would share the space.

Not necessarily, it turns out.

Mr. Reynolds said the building’s purpose is yet to be formally decided.

A starting date for construction of the classroom building also remains in doubt.