With land bought, site-clearing approved and the groundbreaking ceremony in the books, the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine at Jacksonville University applied to the city for a building permit March 31 at a project cost of $33 million.
LECOM plans a three-story, 72,000-square-foot medical school on 9.87 acres at 5415 Dolphin Point Blvd., which is north of the riverfront JU campus in Arlington. It bought the land March 21 for $5.22 million.
Danis Construction LLC is shown as the contractor. Kasper architects + associates Inc. is the architect and Meskel & Associates Engineering LLC is the civil engineer.
The city issued a site-clearing permit March 6 for RH Constructors Inc. to clear the land at a project cost of $846,000.
Another permit is in review for Danis Construction to put in the estimated $2.7 million concrete foundations and structural steel.
The city reports that as of March 31, the total site improvement cost is almost $36.55 million.
“LECOM at Jacksonville University, anchored within our expanding Medical Mall, will transform the north end of our campus into a hub for health care innovation. We are proud to play a pivotal role in bringing a four-year medical school to Jacksonville and positioning our community at the forefront of health care innovation and education,” said JU President Tim Cost at the March 26 groundbreaking.
The partnership was announced in November 2022. LECOM is investing $50 million to build and operate a four-year medical school.
“LECOM has always been dedicated to advancing medical education and the opening of our new campus in Jacksonville is a pivotal moment for the region’s health care future,” said Dr. John Ferretti, president and CEO of LECOM, at the groundbreaking.
“This facility will not only train the next generation of physicians but also strengthen the health care workforce in Northeast Florida, improving access to quality care and addressing the region’s growing medical needs.”
Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan said the facility will have an impact on education and the local economy.
“We are honored that LECOM chose to invest $50 million in Jacksonville. This medical school will generate 600 jobs and a $60 million a year local economic impact by 2030.”
The first cohort of 75 students is scheduled to begin classes in July 2026. LECOM plans to increase enrollment to 150 students each year over the following five years.
LECOM says it is the nation’s largest medical college and osteopathic academic health system, producing more primary care physicians than any other U.S. medical school.
The permits are the latest in construction approvals needed for the project.
Civil engineer Taylor & White Inc. submitted plans to the city Oct. 16, 2024. Rimrock Devlin Development of Lake City is the developer, applicant and owner’s representative.
The site is north of Dolphin Pointe Health Care and west of the JU Health Sciences Complex.
The 55-acre JU Medical Mall is owned by Dayton, Ohio-based OLT II Inc., which was led by JU graduate Gregory Nelson, who died in February 2021 at the age of 71.
LECOM bought the land from OLT II Inc.
LECOM said it officially filed its formal application with the industry’s governing accrediting body, the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation, on Oct. 12, 2022, to establish its fifth campus.
