Khan, Jaguars expect Lot J development to begin early 2020

[Peter Griffin]

I can't find the link, but I remember a Jags employee named Pepe Sylvia saying construction would begin by January 10th and that would be a worst case scenario.

[Kerry]

You can believe what you want.

Does anyone know the status of the environmental analysis?  According to articles from 2018 the Jags said State Environmental Regulators would also need to signoff on any construction at Lot J as well.  I haven't heard anything about State approval yet.  I don't know what comes first so would the State Regulators need to sign-off before the City (DIA or Council) approves?

[Peter Griffin]

You can believe what you want.

Does anyone know the status of the environmental analysis?  According to articles from 2018 the Jags said State Environmental Regulators would also need to signoff on any construction at Lot J as well.  I haven't heard anything about State approval yet.  I don't know what comes first so would the State Regulators need to sign-off before the City (DIA or Council) approves?

And you can believe what you want, as well, misguided as it may be.

As for the environmental portion, the project is canceled anyway so the environmental assessment is no longer necessary, right?

[Captain Zissou]

Ugghhh I can't find any of these links today.  There was a Carol in HR at the EPA who I remember sending a press release about signing off on the environmental aspects.  Will continue to look for it.

[CityLife]

Last I heard was the environmental assessment was tied up in litigation. Apparently, there are protected eagle's nests in the immediate vicinity and some groups don't want any development to happen. Some pretty complex Bird Law stuff really. I've been told the Sierra Club are bringing in an out of state lawyer, Jack Kelly to fight the case. Real hands on guy.

[vicupstate]

Last I heard was the environmental assessment was tied up in litigation. Apparently, there are protected eagle's nests in the immediate vicinity and some groups don't want any development to happen.

Are you sure that wasn't Philadelphia?

[Ken_FSU]

Most recent comment from Mark Lamping had construction realistically beginning in the "first half" of 2020, contingent on the development agreement being finalized.

[MusicMan]

I think spending $500 million to develop Lot J is a bad idea. If Khan wanted to transform Jacksonville he should spread out his investments around the CBD, it would be so much more effective.

My $.02

[Ken_FSU]

I think spending $500 million to develop Lot J is a bad idea. If Khan wanted to transform Jacksonville he should spread out his investments around the CBD, it would be so much more effective.

My $.02

Between the Landing, old Courthouse site, and numerous other city owned parcels in the CBD, the Jags could build the exact same components, at a significantly lower cost without remediation and additional infrastructure expenses, in a way that genuinely would have positive externalities on downtown Jacksonville.

[Kerry]

Ugghhh I can't find any of these links today.  There was a Carol in HR at the EPA who I remember sending a press release about signing off on the environmental aspects.  Will continue to look for it.

I found this:

https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/article/lot-j-developer-wants-to-begin-soil-groundwater-testing-at-site

Preliminary site work for Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan's proposed $450 million Lot J development could be near.

The Downtown Investment Authority Board will consider a resolution Wednesday granting Lot J development company Jacksonville I-C Parcel One Holding Company LLC a limited license to access the city-owned property for environmental testing.

According to the resolution, the 60-day license will allow the developers to collect groundwater and soil samples from the TIAA Bank Field parking lot, which could identify if contaminants are present at the future construction site.

This story was from Oct 10, 2019.  Anyone know if DIA approved the 60-day license, or how to search for it myself?  That next Wednesday would have been Oct 16th which means the 60 day permit would have expired on Dec 8, 2019.  I don't think the EPA could sign-off on something that fast.

On Edit: It looks like it was approved in late Oct.
https://residentnews.net/2020/01/01/lot-j-project-inches-forward/

Never mind - found it: https://dia.coj.net/getattachment/about/Resolutions/RESOLUTION-2019-10-01_LOT-J-ACCESS.pdf.aspx?lang=en-US

[Peter Griffin]

I knew a lot of these jokes would go right under the radar...

It's Always Sunny in Jacksonville around here today, I like it!

[Kerry]

Soil testing approval:

RESOLUTION 2019-10-01

A RESOLUTION OF THE DOWNTOWN INVESTMENT AUTHORITY ("DIA") AUTHORIZING ITS CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER ("CEO") TO EXECUTE A PROPERTY ACCESS AGREEMENT ("AGREEMENT") WITH JACKSONVILLE I-C PARCEL ONE HOLDING COMPANY, LLC, FOR THAT CERTAIN REAL PROPERTY GENERALLY DESCRIBED AS THE LOT J SURFACE PARKING LOT AND IDENTIFIED BY DUVAL COUNTY PROPERTY APPRAISER PARCEL NUMBER 130572 0150 ("PROPERTY'); INSTRUCTING THE DIA CEO TO OBTAIN APPROVAL FROM THE CITY'S RISK MANAGER, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS AND THE OFFICE OF GENERAL COUNCIL PRIOR TO EXECUTION OF THE AGREEMENT; INSTRUCTING THE CEO TO TAKE ALL NECESSARY ACTION TO EFFECTUATE THE PURPOSE OF THIS RESOLUTION; PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
WHEREAS, through the adoption of Ordinance 2014-560-E the City assigned management of certain City-owned properties and buildings to the DIA; and

WHEREAS, from time to time DIA staff is requested to allow for temporary use of its managed properties for such purposes as conducting due diligence activities in advance of disposition of real property; and

WHEREAS, DIA Resolution 2017-07-04 authorized the CEO of the DIA to execute certain access agreements within the parameters set forth therein, without the need to obtain approval by the DIA Board; and

WHEREAS, access agreements that include environmental, geotechnical, and other invasive due diligence activities, and access agreements that have terms for greater than six (6) months, require approval by the DIA Board prior to execution by its CEO, NOW THEREFORE
BE IT RESOLVED, by the Downtown Investment Authority:

Section 1. The DIA finds that the recitals set forth above are true and correct and are incorporated herein by this reference.

Section 2. DIA hereby conditionally grants to Jacksonville I-C Parcel One Holding Company, LLC ("Licensee"), its agents, representatives, employees, consultants, contractors, and subcontractors, a limited license for access to enter upon the Property for the sole purpose of performing certain testing including but not limited to collection of groundwater samples from the monitoring wells, making of soil borings, taking of soil samples from the borings, the proper abandonment of any monitoring wells, disposal of soil and water generated from the testing (collectively, the "Work"). The Work shall be at no cost to DIA or the City.

Section 3. The Agreement shall continue for a period of sixty (60) days at which time it will expire unless extended in writing by the CEO of the DIA for up to an additional two (2) month period.

Section 4. Prior to execution of the Agreement by the DIA CEO, the CEO shall first obtain approvals of the Agreement by the City's Risk Manager, Director of Public Works and the Office of General Counsel.

Section 5. The DIA instructs its CEO to take all necessary action to effectuate the purpose of this Resolution.

Section 6. This Resolution shall become effective on the date it is signed by the Chair of the DIA Board.

So, any way to find out if it was approved by the City's Risk Manager and the Office of General Council?

[fieldafm]

Soil testing approval:

RESOLUTION 2019-10-01

A RESOLUTION OF THE DOWNTOWN INVESTMENT AUTHORITY ("DIA") AUTHORIZING ITS CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER ("CEO") TO EXECUTE A PROPERTY ACCESS AGREEMENT ("AGREEMENT") WITH JACKSONVILLE I-C PARCEL ONE HOLDING COMPANY, LLC, FOR THAT CERTAIN REAL PROPERTY GENERALLY DESCRIBED AS THE LOT J SURFACE PARKING LOT AND IDENTIFIED BY DUVAL COUNTY PROPERTY APPRAISER PARCEL NUMBER 130572 0150 ("PROPERTY'); INSTRUCTING THE DIA CEO TO OBTAIN APPROVAL FROM THE CITY'S RISK MANAGER, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS AND THE OFFICE OF GENERAL COUNCIL PRIOR TO EXECUTION OF THE AGREEMENT; INSTRUCTING THE CEO TO TAKE ALL NECESSARY ACTION TO EFFECTUATE THE PURPOSE OF THIS RESOLUTION; PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
WHEREAS, through the adoption of Ordinance 2014-560-E the City assigned management of certain City-owned properties and buildings to the DIA; and

WHEREAS, from time to time DIA staff is requested to allow for temporary use of its managed properties for such purposes as conducting due diligence activities in advance of disposition of real property; and

WHEREAS, DIA Resolution 2017-07-04 authorized the CEO of the DIA to execute certain access agreements within the parameters set forth therein, without the need to obtain approval by the DIA Board; and

WHEREAS, access agreements that include environmental, geotechnical, and other invasive due diligence activities, and access agreements that have terms for greater than six (6) months, require approval by the DIA Board prior to execution by its CEO, NOW THEREFORE
BE IT RESOLVED, by the Downtown Investment Authority:

Section 1. The DIA finds that the recitals set forth above are true and correct and are incorporated herein by this reference.

Section 2. DIA hereby conditionally grants to Jacksonville I-C Parcel One Holding Company, LLC ("Licensee"), its agents, representatives, employees, consultants, contractors, and subcontractors, a limited license for access to enter upon the Property for the sole purpose of performing certain testing including but not limited to collection of groundwater samples from the monitoring wells, making of soil borings, taking of soil samples from the borings, the proper abandonment of any monitoring wells, disposal of soil and water generated from the testing (collectively, the "Work"). The Work shall be at no cost to DIA or the City.

Section 3. The Agreement shall continue for a period of sixty (60) days at which time it will expire unless extended in writing by the CEO of the DIA for up to an additional two (2) month period.

Section 4. Prior to execution of the Agreement by the DIA CEO, the CEO shall first obtain approvals of the Agreement by the City's Risk Manager, Director of Public Works and the Office of General Counsel.

Section 5. The DIA instructs its CEO to take all necessary action to effectuate the purpose of this Resolution.

Section 6. This Resolution shall become effective on the date it is signed by the Chair of the DIA Board.

So, any way to find out if it was approved by the City's Risk Manager and the Office of General Council?

The access was approved and they've been testing on the site for the past few months. If you travel down San Jose Boulevard past the Chik-Fil-A, traverse the Main Street Bridge and hung a right on to Bay Street... you could have clearly seen workers doing various tests. You must have been in Orlando with Johnson and his wife and kids while all of this was going on.

How does this movie end though? Are the Jags really moving to London this year, or is Khan going to bang that old lady and then play that song from the 80's?

[Kerry]

Thanks for the confirmation.  Like most people in Jax, since I don't live downtown now I don't have much reason to go there anymore.

So how does the process go?

Soil samples collected
Soil test completed
Contamination remediation plan submitted and approved (I assume by the State)

How does the development process work?  Does the funding agreement get approved first by DIA and City Council and THEN Khan and Company put together the site plan and related documents for approval again, or do they do that all in one shot?

[Peter Griffin]

Like most people in Jax, since I don't live downtown now I don't have much reason to go there anymore.

And then folks like yourself wonder why DT doesn't thrive.

So how does the process go?

You know that there's a great number of search engines available with which you can search how environmental soil survey procedures go, right?

Why do you even care? The project is canceled, right?