Environmental Support Services
Real Estate Developer • Sarasota, FL
Solution Overview
Client:
Real estate developer
Business Challenge:
- Remediate a contaminated site for reuse as a grocery shopping center
Solution:
- Expert technical support and overall coordination of site remediation and contractor activities
Results:
- Permits received in a timely manner, and project deliverables completed on time and under budget
- Revitalization of the property with a thriving grocery shopping center
Challenge
A real estate developer hired Apex to perform environmental-assessment and coordination activities associated with the redevelopment of an open-air shopping plaza that involved razing a structure that had included a former dry-cleaning operation. The client required a time and materials not-to-exceed budget.
Solution
Apex provided environmental support to facilitate the installation of new utilities and structures to accommodate a new grocery shopping center in an area of contaminated soil and groundwater.
Our services included:
- Preparation of signed/sealed Interim Source Removal and Soils Management Plans for submittal/approval by Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP)
- Performing pump testing to facilitate dewatering design and water treatment equipment design; dynamic water samples contained concentrations of tetrachloroethylene (PCE) at 12,300 parts per billion (ppb) and trichloroethylene (TCE) at 7,870 ppb
- Performing soil characterization sampling in the area of proposed excavation activities
- Obtaining a sanitary discharge permit from Sarasota County for treated dewatering effluent
- Assisting the general contractor (GC) to obtain a dewatering/discharge permit for areas outside of contaminated zones
- Designing a signed/sealed sub slab depressurization system (SSDS) for installation within the new grocery facility by the GC as well as installation oversight
- Performing limited soil excavation, transportation, and proper disposal for a “hot spot” area identified subsequent to removal of the former dry cleaning facility foundation; a total of 309 tons of soil were properly disposed
- Installing, operating, and overseeing a sanitary sewer bypass system per Sarasota County permit requirements
- Designing, procuring, installing, and performing 24/7 operation of a 300-gallon per minute (gpm) treatment system (including a settling tank, bag filtration, air stripping and carbon polishing) to support dewatering operations. The system operated from May 10, 2019 through June 8, 2019; a total of 25 air samples were collected, and 48 system water samples were collected during operation
- Preparing a PE signed/sealed Interim Source Removal Report summarizing all activities during construction for submittal/approval to FDEP
- Coordinating between the city, county, FDEP, insurance consultants, and private stakeholders
Results
Apex continually explored operational cost-saving measures to complete the project under the original budget estimate. This included proactively managing the treatment system operation, whereby the full storage capacity of the on-site frac/settling tank was utilized, resulting in fuel and labor savings. While delays were associated with the general contractor’s activities, Apex was able to execute the work under budget. The client was thrilled with the results and the successful completion of the aforementioned activities, which facilitated the construction of the new, and currently operational, grocery shopping center.