The Vestcor Cos. is tearing down a LaVilla building as part of the city’s move to provide land for a University of Florida graduate campus surrounding the Prime F. Osborn III Convention center in Downtown Jacksonville.
The city is reviewing a building-permit application for Realco Recycling Co. Inc. to demolish the 29,965-square-foot former Apex Business Forms building at 200 N. Lee St. for Jacksonville-based Vestcor. The building is owned by VC Cathedral LLC, part of Vestcor.
“We are tearing it down which was part of our agreement with the city for the land swap. We don’t have any plans for it at this time,” said Ryan Hoover, president of TVC Development Inc. and Vestcor, in a Feb. 27 email.
In November 2025, Jacksonville City Council approved the final land transaction via an exchange of city-owned property at 200 N. Lee St. to multifamily developer Vestcor Inc. for a 2.04-acre lot on West Bay Street near the Prime F. Osborn III Convention Center.
Apex Business Forms previously operated on the Lee Street property under a ground lease with the city. The structure was built in 1998, according to the Duval County Property Appraiser.
It is west of Lee Street between Monroe Street to the north and Adams Street to the south. It is about four blocks north of the convention center.
As part of its agreement with UF, the city committed to providing land for the campus. In all, the city is providing UF with six properties totaling 25.28 acres and valued at $30.22 million to $31.62 million.
According to the permit application, no curbing or paving will be removed after the Apex building is demolished.