The proposed permanent home for the Discovery Center for Science and Technology is an impressive edifice of glass and metal.

Whether or not it will become a reality is the focus of a study recently commissioned by the city of Thousand Oaks.

The feasibility study will be conducted by Canada-based Lord Cultural Services.

The Thousand Oaks City Council signed off on $108,000 for the work last week. The cost will be split in half by the city and the Discovery Center.

The feasibility study will use a strategic business plan released this year by officials of the volunteer, traveling science museum.

It will "offer an independent review of the assumptions and financial projections in the strategic business plan and identify weaknesses."

The study will suggest ways to address those weaknesses in a second business plan.

"I think it's very effective that it's broken into the two studies," Discovery Center President Wayne Davey told the City Council last Tuesday. "The feasibility study tests the basic assumptions about the biz plan that was presented to you. This will maximize the success with this process."

In March, Davey unveiled the strategic business plan, which estimated a permanent home would cost about $49 million.

It would sit on two acres between the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza and The Lakes shopping center.

The project, which would draw an estimated 300,000 visitors annually, would rely on two-thirds of the funding coming from government entities and programs, including the city.

Other funding would come from sponsorships, memberships and individuals.

Originally, a fundraising consultant was to be hired as the feasibility study was prepared. The city staff and members of the Discovery Center board decided to hold off on the consultant until the feasibility study was completed.

As the study is prepared, potential donors will be interviewed to get feedback and suggestions about how the Discovery Center's plans could be changed to gain support, according to a report prepared for the council.

"Having the feasibility study and a very detailed business plan done before going out and looking for donors" instead of looking for donors during the process is the way to proceed Davey said. "We also added into our process looking for best examples of science centers like the Discovery Center that have done well in fundraising from federal and state funds."

A permanent home for the Discovery Center has been in the works for more than a decade.