Eight Forty One Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Eight Forty One

Former names	Aetna Building One Prudential Plaza, Prudential Life Insurance Building
General information
Type	Commercial offices
Architectural style	International Style Moderne
Location	841 Prudential Drive Jacksonville, Florida, United States
Coordinates	30°18′59″N 81°39′49″W / 30.316376°N 81.663712°W / 30.316376; -81.663712
Construction started	1953
Completed	1955
Opening	1955
Owner	South Shore Group
Height
Roof	309 ft (94 m)
Technical details
Floor count	22
Design and construction
Architecture firm	KBJ Architects

Eight Forty One is a tall office building in Jacksonville, Florida. It stands 309 feet (94 metres) high and has 22 floors. You can find it on the south bank of the St. Johns River.

This building was finished in 1955. For 13 years, it was the tallest building in Jacksonville. It was even called "The Tallest Office Building in the South." It was also the tallest building in Florida until 1965. That's when NASA finished its huge Vehicle Assembly Building. The building has had other names, like the Aetna Building and Prudential Plaza I.

History of the Eight Forty One Building
Who Uses the Building?
- Past and Present Tenants
Gallery
Images for kids
See also

History of the Eight Forty One Building

Building a Landmark in Jacksonville

The building was first known as the Prudential Building. It was built in 1955 for Prudential Insurance. They chose Jacksonville for their main office in the Southeastern United States.

Workers used special materials to build it. These included limestone from Alabama and granite from North Carolina. They also used marble from Georgia. The land around the building is about 13-acre (53,000 m²). It sits right on the St. Johns River.

A piece of the famous Rock of Gibraltar used to be in the lobby. Now, you can see this 2-ton rock in the courtyard by the river. The building was even used in the movie Creature From the Black Lagoon.

Changes and New Owners

In 1985, another building called Two Prudential Plaza was built next door. The original Prudential Building got a big update in 1988.

In 1998, a company called Ocwen Financial Corp. bought the building. They paid $36 million for it.

Aetna bought Prudential HealthCare in 1999. So, the building's name changed to "Aetna." It was officially called Prudential Plaza I. Another big update happened in 2002. This was after Aetna moved out of 153,000 sq ft (14,200 m²) of space. A new parking garage with 1,100 spaces was also built. On February 21, 2002, the building was renamed 841 Prudential Drive.

In 2004, Ocwen sold the building to South Shore Group for $39 million. The building's name then went back to Aetna Building.

Future Plans for the Riverfront

In 2008, there were plans for a new boat dock at the Aetna Building. It would be called The South Shore Marina & Riverwalk. This project would also make the Jacksonville Riverwalk look nicer.

Who Uses the Building?

Past and Present Tenants

The building was once home to the River Club of Jacksonville. This is a private business club. It moved to the building now known as the Wells Fargo Center in 1976.

Today, the 12th floor is used by the Regus Aetna Center. This center offers temporary office spaces for businesses.