NORTH PROVIDENCE — An analysis of the soil of the former car dealership that is being cleared for a new Lowe’s store shows it to be contaminated, and a plan will have to be developed to remediate the site.

That was some of what abutting property owners learned last week about the former dealership in a notice jointly signed by the state Department of Environmental Management’s Office of Waste Management and Michael Clark of the GZA GeoEnvironmental Inc., a Providence-based firm that conducts environmental studies.

Over the last few months, several buildings that once were part of the Notorantonio and Rizzo Ford auto dealerships at Douglas and Mineral Spring avenues have been demolished to make way for the store. Lowe’s plans to move hundreds of tons of ledge to make the western portion of the property level with the eastern portion, a process that will involve blasting.

The notice, dated June 2, but postmarked July 2, said soil analysis showed the presence of petroleum hydrocarbons, metals and “certain polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons” that were above the concentrations permitted by the state for hazardous materials.

Clark, whose firm has been hired by Lowe’s to advise it on environmental issues, said he was not surprised by the findings given that the property has been associated with cars and car repair for more than 70 years. The highest concentrations of contaminants appears in the area where cars were repaired, and less so in the outdoor area where cars were parked for display.

“Right now, we’re in the process of gathering more data so we can draw a series of alternatives,” Clark said. “We will look at those and make a recommendation.”

Clark said it would probably take a month or so for his firm to develop a Site Investigation Report that would detail the studies and show the remedial alternatives. The company is required by the state to keep nearby property owners informed.

Clark said it was still too early to say what the firm will recommend, or whether any of the remediation will cause a delay in Lowe’s construction plans. Zachary Darrow, a lawyer who has been the town’s contact with Lowe’s, did not return calls from The Journal made over the last two days.

In a related matter, JGI Eastern Inc. notified property owners that it will soon commence blasting to lower the grade of the western and southern portions of the site.

“Vibration associated with blasting activities, which is very noticeable to humans, is generally well below the level that would cause even cosmetic damage to structures,” the firm advised. “However, in order to protect property owners in the event that cracks, damage or other defects become evident after blasting activities occur, a pre-construction blast condition survey is mandated.”

Representatives of the firm recently surveyed property owners and made videotapes of properties of those owners participating in the survey.

rdujardi@projo.com