Mayo Clinic has applied for a permit to convert the former VyStar Credit Union space in the Ed Ball Building Downtown.
Called Mayo Community Health, the project is an estimated $395,709 build-out. Warden Contracting Corp. of Jacksonville is listed as the contractor.
The Ed Ball Building at 214 N. Hogan St. is owned by the city.
Mayo Clinic spokesperson Kevin Punsky said Dec. 13 that the health care system expects to provide more specifics in early 2023 about the Downtown location.
“The best way to describe the location is that it will be for community engagement and research,” Punsky said.
He said that it will not be a facility that provides medical care and Mayo would have more details by the end of the first quarter.
He said Jan. 3 that the permit is for renovations required for the Downtown space but said there were no details to share.
A mayor’s office spokesperson said in October that Mayo’s lease with the city is only for the space vacated by VyStar Credit Union VyStar relocated the branch to VyStar Tower.
The lease is valid for five years from March 15, 2022, to March 14, 2027.
The city said Mayo is performing design work on the space that will then be followed by construction and then move-in.
Jacksonville City Council approved the lease and parking agreement with Mayo Clinic for a “general office use, administrative and clinical research purposes” at the Ed Ball Building.
Council unanimously approved the deal April 26 as part of the meeting’s consent agenda.
The bill approved the lease for 3,072 square feet of ground-floor space.
It also allows for a parking agreement between Mayo and the Downtown Investment Authority for monthly and hourly parking in the Ed Ball Garage concurrent with the lease term.
The agreement provides six nonreserved parking spaces for staff with monthly access cards. It also allows parking for Mayo visitors with validation.
The legislative summary attached to Ordinance 2022-0216 refers to Mayo’s proposed facility as a clinic.
The lease has two five-year renewal options. Mayo would pay $49,152 per year in rent for the first year with a 3% annual increase. That rent would increase to $74,311 by year 15.
Mayo will pay the city $600 a month for the six parking cards. It also will pay monthly for the validated parking.
The Ed Ball facility would be Mayo Clinic’s first presence in Downtown Jacksonville.
Mayo Clinic is based at 4500 San Pablo Road.
Mayo has been expanding its Florida operations in Jacksonville in recent years because of what the medical system says is increasing patient demand for complex care.
Mayo opened its hospital in Jacksonville in April 2008.
Since 2016, Mayo says it invested more than $1 billion in major construction projects, more than doubling its space by 2026 with facilities for patient care, biomedical research, education and technology.