Fremont And Urbandale Elementaries Set To Be Purchased By L.A. Group

Although a deal to purchase and convert a closed school building into a museum fell through, it looks like the Battle Creek Public Schools have found a new buyer.

The Battle Creek Enquirer reports that the group working with the City of Battle Creek to bring South Korean and Chinese students to study in Southwest Michigan has now agreed to purchase both Fremont and Urbandale Elementary schools. Both buildings were closed at the end of the last school year.

American Leaders Education Group, out of Los Angeles, had already agreed to buy the empty Washington Elementary, so the group now is planning on converting one of the former schools to housing for foreign students, and the other two for teaching facilities.

ALEG is looking to pay $50,000 each for the buildings; the same price that a group trying to purchase Fremont for a museum dedicated to Sojourner Truth would have paid. However, that deal fell through, and the location of the potential museum is now unclear.

The first group of students from Asia is expected sometime next year.