Alfred I. duPont Testamentary Trust

A Workplace Worthy Of The Cause. A Monument To His Gift.

From 1926 until his death, Alfred I. duPont spent winters in Jacksonville, Fla., where he built a riverfront estate called Epping Forest. His Testamentary Trust has always been administered from his adopted hometown. In 2009, it moved into a permanent headquarters on the St. Johns River near downtown Jacksonville. Utilizing green technology in a graceful design punctuated by a glass central atrium and elevated terrace gardens, the new building serves as a lasting memorial to the man who launched the vital work of Nemours.

The design philosophy of the Trust’s headquarters building is, true to the Trust’s mission, both purposeful and constructive. Certain aspects of its architectural style, while forward-thinking, nod to the style of the Nemours mansion in Wilmington. Every aspect of the building is designed to create vistas of the St. Johns River, much like the mansion created vistas of the expansive gardens.

But perhaps the building’s most inspired purpose is sustainability. Bamboo floors require less from our forests. Sensors turn off lights when a room is empty. High-efficiency heating and air-conditioning systems limit power use. Cisterns, rather than retention ponds, collect rainwater. Much as the Trust aspires to long-term impact, its headquarters aspires to long-term effectiveness and environmental responsibility.

Mr. duPont's rolltop desk sits in the headquarter's lobby.