Arsenic, lead and other contaminants fill the Shipyards site above acceptable levels for residential and commercial uses.
It’s not a surprise to city officials and those seeking to redevelop the Downtown riverfront site, but a preliminary report shows most of the almost 45 acres has issues.
“It’s very consistent with the past experience on this site … and what we see along the waterfront with those historic uses,” said Jim Robinson, city Public Works director.
How much it will cost to remediate those problems isn’t included. Robinson said it won’t be known until a site plan is developed to determine what needs to be fixed and at what level.
Jacksonville-based Mechling Engineering & Consulting Inc. has been conducting tests on the soil and groundwater for months after securing a bid-contract with the city.
The environmental assessment will be ongoing as the Downtown Investment Authority and officials with Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan’s Iguana Investments Florida LLC negotiate terms for the site’s redevelopment.
Khan wants to build a mixed-use site that incorporates residential, commercial and public space among other features. An initial term sheet his development group provided would have the city liable for up to $35 million toward environmental remediation.
City leaders have stashed away in excess of $12 million toward fixing the Downtown site’s environmental issues contaminants.
Aundra Wallace, DIA CEO leading the city side of talks with Khan’s group, said Monday the update is too preliminary to have any suggested impact on those ongoing talks.
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