Sarasota agrees to sell former 'unlicensed' dump in Newtown to developers for $50,000

For decades, the city of Sarasota has planned to clean up the Marian Anderson Place Brownfield and transform the 13-acre former unlicensed dump off Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Way into a economic engine in the area targeted for revitalization.

There have been reports on and plans proposed for the property, but a recent agreement approved by the Sarasota City Commission at its April 3 meeting could finally see motion on a property the city has owned since 1944.

Sarasota closed the "unlicensed dump" in the early 1960s, according to the city's website.

City commissioners unanimously approved an agreement to sell the brownfield to Newtown Gateway LLC for $50,000. The agreement has been in the works since at least August 2021, when Newtown Gateway LLC approached Sarasota about a plan for the city to sell the investment group the property.

Newtown Gateway LLC is a partnership between three local developers — Ernie DuBose, Keith DuBose and Pastor Al Davis — and Barron Channer, CEO of Woodwater Group.

Previous coverage: Potential development proposed at Sarasota's Marian Anderson site in Newtown

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The low sale price for 13 acres is because the brownfield includes areas with 12 feet of debris under a thin layer of top soil. Channer estimated the cost of clean up will cost about $4.5 million.

"Although discontinued in the 1960's, debris is still present from just below land surface to depths of up to 12 feet, and the site's soil and groundwater contain levels of heavy metals and other organic compounds," a city webpage says of the Marian Anderson Brownfield. "Approximately 17 different studies and plans have substantiated the environmental issues at the location, and the City has been working for over two decades to redevelop the brownfield into a community asset."

City Attorney Robert Fournier told the commission before the vote that an outside environmental law firm had helped draft the agreement as the city would hold liability for contamination on the property.

Because Sarasota owned the land when it was contaminated, the city will retain liability until it is cleaned up. Per the agreement, Newtown Gateway LLC must submit and complete a Brownfield Site Remediation Agreement with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection before they gain ownership.

"Successful completion of the work required by the BSRA, however, will relieve the City from liability with the exception of liability for personal injury or harm that resulted from the site conditions prior to clean up," a city document said.

Fournier also indicated he thought the Newtown Gateway group planned to "stick with it" and that cleaning and development of the site could happen this time.

Channer reiterated during his presentation to the city the group's ability to complete what could be a $4.5 million clean up and $32 million of investment in Newtown.

"To the attorney's suggestion, we will stick it through," he said. "This started as an economic opportunity with a mission and has become a mission with an economic opportunity attached to it."

The plan the group presented in August 2021 to the City Commission would see 45,000 square feet of medical office space, 100,000 square feet of industrial space and 51,600 square feet of office space.

He also spoke about the contamination at the brownfield.

"No, it's not Chernobyl, and no, it's not the cleanest site ever in the world," he said. "There is some work required, (and) as developers, we've signed up to take on that risk."

Channer also highlighted the project's benefits, which he said would bring more "pedestrian-friendly commercial activity" to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Way.

The project's timing would be dictated by the economy, with the medical office space as most likely to be developed first, followed by the light industrial space, Channer said.

Commissioner Jen Ahearn-Koch sought promises from Newtown Gateway LLC that it wouldn't bring in light industrial uses like concrete crushers or other businesses likely to upset residents.

"I'm not even sure that we would legally be allowed to do that, but from our standpoint, you can get that commitment that we would not entertain those kinds of uses," he said.

He further said he's looking at medical suppliers or manufacturers as the end user for the light industrial part of the companies plan, something he sees as the job creation part of the project.

"We think there are opportunities to build a project that's conceived at roughly 100,000 square feet that could create jobs to add to the area, help to support employment of the overall region, but certainly the city and the neighborhood," Channer said.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Former illegal 13-acre Sarasota dump site to be sold for $50,000