duPont Testamentary Trust Celebrates Permanency in Jacksonville
Jacksonville, Florida
Tuesday, July 17, 2007 @ 01:00 PM EDT
by: Odette Struys
Phone: (904) 232-4186
ostruys@nemours.org
Alfred I. duPont Testamentary Trust (the Trust) will break ground today at its recently acquired one-acre parcel of land located off Riverside Avenue at 510 Forest Street (Jacksonville, FL 32202). “The building will be a permanent, visible reflection of Mr. duPont’s legacy, that has grown to be a significant contributor to children’s health,” said Hugh M. Durden, Chairman, Alfred I. duPont Testamentary Trust.
The Trust is one of the largest philanthropies in the United States. With more than $5.5 billion in managed assets, the Trust’s scope is comparable to or in some cases larger than similar entities such as the Rockefeller and Carnegie Foundations. The mission of the Trust is to reflect the exact requirements of Alfred I. duPont’s will - to care for sick children regardless of their ability to pay. The Trust’s beneficiary is The Nemours Foundation, one of the nation’s largest children’s health systems. To date, the Trust has distributed more than $1.7 billion to its beneficiary, Nemours.
As good stewards of the community, the Trust’s building will have rooftop gardens and natural drainage with an enclosed parking garage on the ground floor to minimize the impact of the four-story, 40,000 square-foot corporate office. “The building will be a Jacksonville landmark,” said Rose Zurawski, AIA, Principal of Gresham, Smith and Partners, the architect of record. “It will incorporate green features to enhance both the environment and the workplace, with a glass topped central atrium that will allow natural day lighting throughout the multi-story building composed among elevated terrace gardens.”
“The Trustees and staff really value their balance of work and life in Jacksonville. The city was very important to Mr. duPont and it is very important to us as well,” said Durden. “We are pleased that the Trust will remain in Jacksonville, and that our building will become a permanent feature along Jacksonville’s growing downtown skyline.”
According to Gordon Steadman, Vice-President for Development of Elkins Constructors Inc., the Trust’s building ranks as one of their most prestigious projects in the company’s 52-year history. “In addition to being a philanthropist, Mr. duPont truly industrialized the state of Florida and paved the way for many contemporary projects as an entrepreneur. We are honored to contribute to this Jacksonville landmark,” said Steadman.
The cost of the land and construction will total to a more than $20 million investment in the city of Jacksonville. Additionally, the current number of employees at the Trust will expand more than two-and-a-half times, bringing new jobs to the First Coast.
About Alfred I. duPont Testamentary Trust
The Alfred I. duPont Testamentary Trust has been touching lives for 70 years. The Trust was created to manage Mr. duPont's estate and to carry out his final wishes of providing healthcare to children and the elderly. Since its founding in 1935, it has distributed more than $1.7 billion to its beneficiary, The Nemours Foundation. For more information visit: www.AlfredIduPontTrust.org.
modified: Tuesday, February 19, 2008 @ 10:16 AM EST
created: Wednesday, August 01, 2007 @ 01:01 PM EDT
About Nemours
Nemours, one of the nation’s largest pediatric health systems, is dedicated to achieving higher standards in children’s health. Nemours offers an integrated spectrum of clinical treatment coupled with research, advocacy, and educational health and prevention services extending to all families in the communities it serves. Starting with Alfred I. duPont’s bequest over seventy years ago, Nemours has grown into a multi-dimensional organization offering personalized clinical and preventive care focused on children.
Nemours owns and operates the Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, Delaware and major children’s specialty clinics in Delaware (Wilmington), Florida (Jacksonville, Orlando and Pensacola), Pennsylvania (Philadelphia and Bryn Mawr) and New Jersey (Atlantic City and Voorhees). Having recently received preliminary approval from the State of Florida, Nemours will establish a new full-service children’s hospital as part of an integrated pediatric health campus in Orlando. KidsHealth.org, the world’s most visited pediatric health care Web site for parents, kids and teens, is a project of Nemours.
Nemours employs over 4,400 individuals, including 430 pediatric physicians, specialists and surgeons who cared for approximately a quarter of a million children in 2007. The organization’s goal is to align with parents, physicians, community leaders, children’s advocates and elected officials to ensure optimal wellness for every child. Additional information about Nemours can be found at www.nemours.org.
