STAFF REPORT
City of Lancaster
CC 10
3/25/2025
TN
Date: March 25, 2025
To: Mayor Parris and City Council Members
From: Larissa De La Cruz, Assistant City Manager
Sydney Yeseta, Manager - Economic Development
Subject: Purchase and Sale Agreement with First Baptist Church of Lancaster Recommendations:
1. Find the project categorically exempt under the California Environmental Quality Act and authorize staff to execute and file a Notice of Exemption.
2. Authorize the City Manager or his designee, with the concurrence of the City Attorney, to negotiate, finalize and execute the Purchase and Sale Agreement and all related documents.
G.C. Section 84308: No
Fiscal Impact:
The purchase price is $4,917,000 plus closing costs and escrow fees. Sufficient funds are available in Project Account No. CP14BS002.
Background:
Desert Christian Schools recently announced plans to move their high school campus to a larger site at City Church in Lancaster. The new location offers additional amenities, room for future growth, and greater proximity to their main campus.
This transition creates an exciting opportunity for the City to purchase the existing high school campus and establish a new City owned and operated facility, coined “Mid-Town Education Center”, envisioned as a welcoming space where residents of all ages can connect, learn, and thrive. By offering robust programming and forging strategic partnerships with community stakeholders, nonprofit organizations, and service providers, Lancaster’s Parks, Arts, Recreation, and Community Services (PARCS) Department aims to proactively address upstream challenges that affect residents by providing access to essential programs and resources.
The Mid-Town Education Center will serve as a hub for community engagement, offering diverse programs such as youth camps, all ages sports, tutoring, club meetings and so much more. 1 9
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The property, located at 2340 West Avenue J8, sits on a 4.13 acre site near the center of town. It includes a 20,635 square foot main building and four modular buildings, totaling 32,135 square feet of building space. The purchase price reflects appraised value, adjusted to account for rent during the period between closing and the seller’s move date.
This purchase is more than just a real estate transaction; it is an investment in the community’s health, connectivity and overall quality of life.
SY/hb
Attachments:
A. Mid-Town Education Center Notice of Exemption
B. Purchase and Sale Agreement