The Jacksonville Port Authority will contribute $589,667 to help repair soil erosion at Southeast Toyota’s new auto processing facility at JaxPort’s Blount Island Marine Terminal.
JaxPort’s board voted 6-0 on Sept. 29, without discussion, to cover 50% of the costs to fix voids under the pavement at Southeast Toyota’s 340,000-square-foot facility. The voids were caused by soil erosion that created gaps between the pavement and the ground below.
According to meeting materials, “several significant voids in the soil were found within the limits of the construction” while work was underway.
Southeast Toyota currently operates in a 50-acre facility at JaxPort’s Talleyrand Marine Terminal and an adjacent 23-acre private facility. It is moving to an 88-acre warehouse at Blount Island.
The new facility will expand Southeast Toyota’s processing capacity and increase its ability to receive vehicles by rail and sea, said Eric Carter, group vice president of operations for Southeast Toyota Distributors, when construction began in July 2024.
While soil erosion had been a long-term problem at the site, the new construction amplified the issue, according to meeting materials. The voids, if not addressed, would only increase in size and create issues with the facility’s structural integrity.
The full cost of remediation is $1,179,333, which will be split between Southeast Toyota and JaxPort. JaxPort will contribute financially in consideration for the size of Southeast Toyota’s investment, and because a portion of the remedial action was on the outside of the facility’s leased area on JaxPort’s property.
Construction on the new facility began in April 2022. The project is estimated to cost $140 million, funded by Southeast Toyota and a $19.78 million grant from the Florida Department of Transportation to assist with terminal development.
Southeast Toyota Distributors has been operating at JaxPort for more than 50 years and is one of the port’s longest-standing tenants, according to JaxPort. The company processes Toyota vehicles manufactured in North America and Japan at JaxPort for distribution across the Southeast U.S.