Mayor, local leaders to discuss improvements in Downtown Jacksonville

[fsu813]

Sulzbacher Homeless Center may move to formerly contaminated site

JACKSONVILLE, FLa. — Action News Jax Ben Becker has learned the Sulzbacher Homeless Center in downtown Jacksonville is exploring moving and a member of the city council says they believe it's going to a formerly contaminated site in their district.

The possible location is the former Fairfax Street Wood Treaters plant which was an Environmental Protection Agency Superfund Site on the Northside. It was polluted for decades before it was finally cleaned up in 2020.

Full article: https://www.actionnewsjax.com/news/investigates/investigates-sulzbacher-homeless-center-may-move-formerly-contaminated-site/HYWQOHHHK5E2LNBDKQYGFYJCEI/

The Sulzbacher Center, as most know it now, is not what the Sulzbacher of the future sees for itself. Wherever they move, it's known they'll try and replicate (with tweaks) the Sulzbacher Village development on the Northside/Brentwood - that's basically affordable housing with some transitional housing mixed in, and wrap around services on site. Not a traditional shelter a la City Rescue Mission or Trinity Rescue Mission. Today, the Urban Rest Stop is actually the draw for a lot of the nerdowells that linger near Sulzbacher Center, which is on their campus, not actually programs/services that Sulzbacher directly offers.

As with many things, it's a layered issue.

[thelakelander]

They should stick it in Queens Harbor. The biggest problem here is that decisions are being made with little to no regard for community engagement and input. There were a lot of things that were discussed that the surrounding community would have liked to see on the Fairfax property. This particular use wasn't among that list.

[heights unknown]

Sulzbacher Homeless Center may move to formerly contaminated site

JACKSONVILLE, FLa. — Action News Jax Ben Becker has learned the Sulzbacher Homeless Center in downtown Jacksonville is exploring moving and a member of the city council says they believe it's going to a formerly contaminated site in their district.

The possible location is the former Fairfax Street Wood Treaters plant which was an Environmental Protection Agency Superfund Site on the Northside. It was polluted for decades before it was finally cleaned up in 2020.

Full article: https://www.actionnewsjax.com/news/investigates/investigates-sulzbacher-homeless-center-may-move-formerly-contaminated-site/HYWQOHHHK5E2LNBDKQYGFYJCEI/

The Sulzbacher Center, as most know it now, is not what the Sulzbacher of the future sees for itself. Wherever they move, it's known they'll try and replicate (with tweaks) the Sulzbacher Village development on the Northside/Brentwood - that's basically affordable housing with some transitional housing mixed in, and wrap around services on site. Not a traditional shelter a la City Rescue Mission or Trinity Rescue Mission. Today, the Urban Rest Stop is actually the draw for a lot of the nerdowells that linger near Sulzbacher Center, which is on their campus, not actually programs/services that Sulzbacher directly offers.

As with many things, it's a layered issue.

That's fine, or, wherever the heck they move it; but don't put it on a contaminated site, and, I am sure, if they do the right and legitimate thing, they will do tests, clean it up, etc. But I would never build it on any site that was previously contaminated.

[BridgeTroll]

It's is no longer contaminated but I agree with Lake that moving it there without input and approval of the neighborhood is not acceptable. Optics or not... it is not the way to do things like this...