JEA board approves $1 million sale of former Downtown headquarters campus to Live Oak Contracting developer

Board vote advances long-planned redevelopment of three-building Church and Laura street property

JEA’s board has approved the sale of the city-owned utility’s former Downtown headquarters campus, moving a long-vacant set of buildings closer to redevelopment after the utility relocated operations in 2023.

The board approved the transaction Feb. 24, 2026, by a 6-0 vote, with one member declining to vote because of a disclosed conflict of interest involving a family connection to the buyer. The sale price approved by the board is $1 million, and the buyer is Jacksonville-based Live Oak Contracting, which plans to acquire the property through The Jewel at 21 West LLC.

What is included in the sale

The campus totals about 2.47 acres and spans multiple parcels in the core of Downtown Jacksonville. The properties include:

• A 19-story office tower at 21 W. Church St., about 347,811 square feet, originally opened in the early 1960s.
• A former customer service center, a six-story building of about 248,220 square feet, also built in the early 1960s.
• The Adair Building parking garage at 421 Laura St., with more than 500 parking spaces and street-level retail space.
• A below-grade parking deck of roughly 190 spaces serving the tower and customer center.

Development proposal: housing conversion and mixed-use components

Live Oak’s redevelopment concept, branded “The Jewel at 21 West,” calls for converting the former office tower into approximately 180 residential units and adding rooftop amenities. Plans also describe office space and ground-floor uses consistent with mixed-use redevelopment. The site has been discussed as a candidate for adaptive reuse given its scale, location, and the cost and complexity of renovating a mid-century office campus.

The approved sale establishes a path for redevelopment but does not, by itself, complete the transfer of the city-owned property.

Next steps: City Council approval and due diligence

Following the board’s action, the transaction is expected to proceed to Jacksonville City Council for approval, a required step for the disposition of city-owned utility assets. The deal structure includes an inspection period, during which the buyer can evaluate the property’s condition and project feasibility.

Earlier bid and evaluation activity indicated the utility sought a redevelopment outcome that fits Downtown planning priorities and can be coordinated with city agencies and other regulators. The board vote formally advances that process from evaluation into an approved sale agreement framework, subject to remaining governmental approvals and negotiated closing terms.