Former Pecan Island High School property will be made available to SpaceX as the company continues building its presence along Louisiana’s coast.
PECAN ISLAND, La. — SpaceX’s move into Vermilion Parish continues to become more tangible, with the former Pecan Island High School now set to play a role in the company’s growing Louisiana operation.
The University of Louisiana System Board of Supervisors has approved a lease arrangement that will allow SpaceX to begin making improvements to the former school property.
The move is another significant development for a project that could have a major economic impact on Vermilion Parish and the Acadiana region.
SpaceX Gets Access to Former School
Under the approved arrangement, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette will lease the property to a university-affiliated nonprofit organization, which will then sublease it to SpaceX.
The arrangement allows SpaceX to begin using and improving the property while a separate process that could eventually result in the company purchasing the site continues.
The initial lease calls for nominal rent, with the value of improvements made by SpaceX serving as part of the consideration for use of the property.
The former school property is located along Louisiana Highway 82 in Pecan Island.
Exactly how SpaceX ultimately intends to use the facility has not been fully detailed publicly. Potential uses referenced in connection with the property have included office space, personnel lodging, storage and fabrication.
SpaceX Presence Becoming More Visible
The agreement is important because SpaceX’s plans in southwest Louisiana are moving beyond announcements and into physical development.
The company has already been working with state and local officials as it prepares for operations in the Pecan Island area.
SpaceX representatives have also met with local residents to discuss the project and answer questions about what the company's arrival could mean for the small coastal community.
The former school now gives the company an established facility near its planned operations that can potentially support workers, equipment and other needs.
Major Opportunity — And Questions — for Acadiana
SpaceX’s arrival could represent a significant economic opportunity for Vermilion Parish and the surrounding Acadiana region.
A project of this size could mean construction work, permanent jobs, demand for local contractors and suppliers, additional housing needs and increased business for communities throughout south Louisiana.
At the same time, residents have raised legitimate questions about infrastructure, environmental impacts, access to hunting and fishing areas and how large-scale industrial development could affect Pecan Island’s traditional way of life.
Those issues will continue to deserve attention as additional details about the project become public.
What is becoming increasingly clear, however, is that SpaceX’s Louisiana plans are moving forward.
The approval involving the former Pecan Island High School is another tangible step in that process.
For Acadiana, the conversation is quickly changing from whether SpaceX will establish a significant presence in south Louisiana to just how large that presence will ultimately become.
Sources
NOLA.com / The Advocate — Original Report
Acadiana News First — UL System Approves SpaceX Lease Agreement
