VyStar Tower (originally American Heritage Life Building) is a skyscraper in the downtown area of Jacksonville, Florida, at the northwest corner of Independent Drive and Laura Street. Standing 357 feet (109 meters) tall, it is the city's sixth tallest building.[3] It was formerly known as the SunTrust Tower, Jacksonville Center and the Humana Building, among other names.[1] Completed in 1989, the building was designed in the postmodern style by the Jacksonville firm KBJ Architects.[1]
In 2018, it was announced that VyStar Credit Union, the second largest credit union in Florida, and sixteenth largest in the country,[4] was purchasing the building for its new headquarters. The deal was finalized in late 2019, after the lease of the former tenant, Suntrust, had expired.[5]
VyStar completed construction of its sign atop the building in August 2019. On July 1, 2020, VyStar finished the installation of electric blue LED edge lighting on the top tiers of the tower to accompany the VyStar sign.[6] The project was completed by local businesses Dana B. Kenyon Company, Miller Electric Company and RS&H and was part of a multi-phase initiative by the credit union to bolster its VyStar Campus, which includes the 100 W. Bay building next to the VyStar Tower.
The improvements made to the 100 W. Bay building include the addition of food and retail space. In March 2020, The Bread & Board, a local food concept that offers sandwiches, charcuterie and more, announced it planned to open its third location on the first floor of the VyStar Credit Union's downtown campus at 100 W. Bay St.[7]
Including the VyStar Tower and the 100 W. Bay building, VyStar planned to move more than 1,000 employees to downtown Jacksonville.
See also
- Downtown Jacksonville
- Architecture of Jacksonville
- List of tallest buildings in Jacksonville
- List of tallest buildings in Florida
References
- ^ a b c d e "Jacksonville Center". Emporis.com. Archived from the original on April 8, 2015. Retrieved 2015-04-03.
- ^ "Parador takes control of more space in SunTrust Tower". Jacksonville Business Journal. Retrieved 2015-04-04.
- ^ "Big screens will transform game into a show at Jacksonville's EverBank Field". St. Augustine Record. May 20, 2011. Retrieved April 4, 2015.
- ^ "Largest Credit Unions". Credit Union.
- ^ "VyStar taking over piece of downtown skyline, moving HQ to urban core". Jacksonville Business Journal. Retrieved 2018-06-06.
- ^ "VyStar to illuminate its Downtown tower in July". Jacksonville Daily Record. Retrieved 2020-05-14.
- ^ "Bread & Board to open location in VyStar's downtown campus". Jacksonville Business Journal. Retrieved 2020-03-06.