JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - As speculation continues to build around a possible entertainment complex next door to Everbank Field (soon to be known as TIAA Bank Field), an issue of what lies beneath is creeping up.
Everbank Field’s parking lot J remains just that…a parking lot. But in the future, the possibilities are endless. The idea of possible development was first floated after a proposal to attract Amazon to Jacksonville became public.
"What we are focusing on right now is getting something going with Lot J,” Jaguars team president Mark Lamping told WJCT News last month. "Ultimately, it will be mixed use and that means places where people can come and play. They can be entertained and they can work and can live."
The Jaguars have been mum on their exact plans for Lot J. They declined comment for this story but said plans could be revealed at their annual State of the Franchise currently scheduled for April 19.
Regardless of what happens, one thing is certain: Something lies beneath Lot J.
According to city of Jacksonville officials, “the contamination under Lot J, which is mostly petroleum, was identified years ago and was engineered compliant with federal and state laws. Development of the site depends on the type of foundation and other building elements proposed for that development.”
Issues of contamination under Lot J and the Shipyards shouldn't come as a surprise.
“They left behind some contamination from their industries,” University of North Florida professor Chris Brown said regarding what could be underneath Lot J. Brown isn’t familiar with the specifics of Lot J, but said the former shipping and other industrial businesses left behind contamination.
Brown teaches civil engineering at UNF. He said just because there is contamination, doesn't mean it would be a deal breaker for development but it could be costly.
“There could be some choices that a developer would have to make that would go on that type of location. So perhaps a small park where there could be exposures might not be something they would want to do,” Brown said. “But perhaps a building or garage or other kind of developments that could be easily done and manageable as long as they manage those contaminated soil and ground water.”
David Cawton of the Jax Daily Record first reported the news of possible contamination issues. The Jax Daily Record also reported the site could have grant concerns.
According to the Florida Times Union: "The city-owned property gets regular use as a parking lot and the Jaguars have a long-term lease for using it.
The fuel storage tanks went out of operation around 1984. A decade later, vapor detector tests showed petroleum contamination at the site, which prompted a 1996 agreement between the city and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
The city made below-ground improvements aimed at preventing the contamination from getting into groundwater. The city also agreed that with the exception of using the property as a parking lot, it could only be used for “industrial, or non-residential and non-recreational purposes.” That restriction would be lifted if the city cleaned up the soil contamination to state standards."
Projects like this with similar contamination issues are popping up around the country, according to Brown. He says despite contamination, you shouldn't be worried right now.
“They paved the whole area so you wouldn't be exposed to contaminated soils and placed a
slurry cutoff wall around the area to keep the ground water from going anywhere”
First Coast News asked the City of Jacksonville who would pay for the project and how it would cost taxpayers. A city spokesperson said it is too early to tell at this time because the plans for development haven’t been finalized.