The Lafayette Parish School System is in talks to purchase a now-shuttered Camping World dealership on Northeast Evangeline Thruway in Louisiana for $1.8 million to house its maintenance team and growing bus fleet.
This story by Katie Gagliano originally appeared in The Acadania Advocate.
The Lafayette Parish School Board gave final approval to board president Justin Centanni and interim superintendent Irma Trosclair to close on the former Camping World site at Wednesday’s board meeting. The district has until Nov. 4 to finalize the act of sale under the terms of the agreement.
Assessment documents show the property was originally valued at $1.85 million, but the school district was able to negotiate a lower price for it.
Before the sale is confirmed, the district must conduct an environmental assessment and have it inspected to ensure there are no hazards on the property the school district is assuming, LPSS planning and facilities director Kyle Bordelon said.
He noted that the district has been searching intermittently for a new location to house its buses and maintenance staff over the last five to six years. But, he said, there are few properties between five and 10 acres available that can meet their needs.