Real estate company Danhour Group bought the former Florida Solite Corp. site in Clay County on July 11 in two transactions totaling $200,000.
It purchased the land through Black Creek Ranch LLC and Black Creek Facility LLC, property records show.
The seller was Northeast Solite Corp., through Stoneridge Farms Inc.
Danhour Group representatives said it bought 787.47 acres. The Clay County Property Appraiser shows the total property owned by Stoneridge Farms at 799.97 acres.
Stoneridge Farms acquired the property in 1999 from Carolina Solite Corp., which is now Northeast Solite Corp.
The site, at County Road 209A and Buckeye Road in Green Cove Springs, is a former industrial property used for producing lightweight aggregate materials used in construction. The Solite plant opened in the late 1950s and closed in 1995.
In 1996, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued a consent order to then-owner Carolina Solite Corp. to address contamination concerns on about 230 acres of the site, primarily the plant processing area.
Soil and groundwater tests paid for by a citizens' advocacy group indicated the presence of toxic metals such as cadmium, barium, lead, chromium and arsenic, The Guardian reported in 2024.
Danhour Group, led by President Michael Danhour, said in a news release it does not plan to develop the property but instead will implement a multiyear environmental remediation plan in coordination with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the local community.
“This acquisition follows a previous strategic transaction that secured $2 million in dedicated cleanup funds, reinforcing Mr. Danhour’s commitment to environmental responsibility,” the news release said.
The company said the effort will prioritize transparency and safety, with oversight from local and state agencies, and that it is exploring potential conservation uses with nonprofit organizations and other partners.
Stoneridge Farms previously sold adjacent land in 2023 to The Russell Road Land Trust and in 2022 to BMHC Ventures LLC.