by Mike Sharkey
Staff Writer
The City of Jacksonville has made it very clear that regardless who ends up with the old Job Corps building in Springfield, the potential use of the building will be highly monitored.
The General Services Administration — the division of the federal government that deals with real estate and property — currently owns the building and has been trying to sell or convey it for the better part of the past year to River Region Human Services, which plans to use the building as an adult drug rehabilitation center.
However, that use has come under heavy scrutiny by the mayor’s office and has been loudly opposed by residents and business owners in Springfield, an area just north of downtown that has seen both a residential and commercial resurgence the past few years.
In a letter to Lori Dennis, the chief of the southern branch of the GSA’s Property Disposal Division, Mayor John Peyton clearly explained that even if GSA conveys or leases the building to River Region, the land use restrictions and zoning regulations in Springfield don’t permit an adult drug rehab facility, regardless whether River Region owns the building or leases it on a long-term basis from GSA.
The two-page letter also contained a three-page explanation of the City’s position that was drafted by Planning and Development Director Mike Saylor and Shannon Eller, chief of land use and assistant general counsel.
“Based on review by the City’s Planning Department and Office of General Counsel, the proposed uses are prohibited under our local zoning ordinance,” wrote Peyton. “Therefore, the application by River Region has failed to meet the requirement of 45 CFR Subtitle A Part 12 (a City land use regulation).”
Gary Mote, a spokesperson for GSA, said the letter had been received and forwarded to the division of Health and Human Services. No one with HHS could be reached for comment.
Last summer, residents and business owners in Springfield learned of the GSA’s desire to convey the building to River Region and subsequently began a vocal push to assure another owner or tenant would be found.
Leaders of Springfield Preservation and Restoration and area business owners explained to Peyton and City Council that if River Region were allowed to use the building as a rehab center, their burgeoning property values would quickly come to an end, as would the overall rebirth of the neighborhood. Peyton’s office then began looking into the matter.
The result is the stance that no matter who GSA coveys the building to or leases it to, the City of Jacksonville will not allow any use that does not meet land use regulations and zoning restrictions.
“The mayor’s opinion is that our land use and zoning guidelines don’t permit use as a residential drug treatment center or a homeless shelter,” said Brad Thoburn, the City’s chief of state and federal affairs. “The mayor strongly believes that the federal government doesn’t have the right to usurp our land use requirements and this opinion supports that.”
Thoburn stressed the City isn’t opposed to River Region in any respect and fully intends to help them find a suitable location. However, it won’t be the old Job Corps building.
“This is not about River Region,” said Thoburn. “It’s about the proposed use of the facility.”
Thoburn said the GSA could in fact still convey or lease the building to River Region. However, that may not do much beyond establishing River Region as the owner or tenant. The building needs extensive, potential costly renovations before it could be used. Thoburn questioned whether River Region could obtain the financing for the renovation if it were a tenant and if it owned the building, permitting could be a problem because of the proposed use.
“GSA may disagree with us and covey or lease the building to them anyway, but they will have to explain to us how they justify that action,” said Thoburn. “We will work with River Region because they have a need. It’s a work in progress and we will help them set aside the financing. But, it will be somewhere the zoning requirements allow it.”