The Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine bought property March 21 for $5.22 million at the north end of the Jacksonville University campus where it plans a new medical school.
The site along the St. Johns River will be LECOM at Jacksonville University, a four-year school in partnership with JU.
Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine Inc. bought 9.87 acres from Dayton, Ohio-based OLT II Inc., confirmed LECOM Associate Dean of Clinical Curriculum Integration and Assessment Travis Smith.
The school will be part of the 55-acre JU Medical Mall.
OLT II Inc. was led by JU graduate Gregory Nelson, who died in February 2021 at the age of 71.
Plans filed with the city in October 2024 show a three-story, 72,100-square-foot building is planned on 9.9 acres north of Dolphin Pointe Health Care and west of the JU Health Sciences Complex.
In addition to the LECOM facility, the JU Medical Mall features the JU Health Sciences Complex and its School of Orthodontics Teaching Clinic; JU’s Occupational Therapy teaching facility for clinical training; and the 146-bed skilled nursing and rehabilitation facility, Dolphin Pointe Health Care.
JU President Tim Cost said in November 2022 when the partnership was announced that LECOM plans to invest about $50 million to develop the location, including the acquisition of land and construction of the building.
Rimrock Devlin of Lake City is the developer. Jacksonville-based kasper architects + associates is the architect.
The medical school is scheduled for a groundbreaking March 26. Classes are expected to begin in fall 2026.