The Jacksonville Port Authority announced that its board of directors will vote Jan. 22 on a lease agreement with a “leading U.S. marine terminal and logistics company” to operate on the property being vacated by Southeast Toyota Distributors LLC at Talleyrand Marine Terminal.
JaxPort didn’t name the company and the board’s agenda had not been posted on Jan. 18.
The proposed 30-year lease agreement was described as being part of a private-public partnership, but no further details of the deal were immediately available.
Southeast Toyota Distributors announced in 2022 that it would move its operations from Talleyrand to the Blount Island Marine Terminal in 2025.
The port authority board voted unanimously in April 2022 to approve a 25-year lease for the Blount Island site.
Jacksonville Southeast will operate from a new $120 million facility, with more than $100 million of the cost funded by Southeast and the rest by taxpayers.
The JaxPort board meets at 9 a.m. Jan. 22 at its main office at 2831 Talleyrand Ave.
In a request for proposals to lease the Southeast site, JaxPort said up to 79 acres are available. The port said it preferred proposals for the entire acreage but would consider offers for only a portion.
Talleyrand Marine Terminal is about 2.3 miles north of EverBank Stadium along the St. Johns River.
Site features include a berth along the St. Johns River federal shipping channel, on-dock rail by several providers and a port-designated roadway.
“It is rare for such a large tract of industrial waterfront property to become available at a major U.S. seaport. The property provides a lot of flexibility because it is available for almost any maritime-related use that supports continued cargo growth at JAXPORT,” JaxPort Chief Communications Officer Chelsea Kavanagh said in a 2023 news release. “The RFP is a chance for companies to evaluate the site, think ‘blue sky,’ and submit their best proposal, which will drive new volumes through our port.”
In its announcement about the board vote, JaxPort said the new lease would expand the port’s ability to handle “key cargo types in Jacksonville and position the port for future growth.”