Columbia Ventures acquired the Historical Union Terminal Warehouse in December 2018, with plans to utilize historic tax credits and opportunity zone equity – for the restoration of the 109-year-old Union Terminal Warehouse. WPC was selected to perform the historic adaptive reuse of Union Terminal Warehouse; construction began this summer and is expected to complete in 2024.
UTW is located at 700 East Union Street, approximately 6 blocks from Jaguars stadium and 6 blocks from new Jacksonville Soccer Team Stadium.
Covering 330,000 square feet of space, the Union Terminal Warehouse Company was said to be the largest warehouse in Florida when it was completed in 1913 by the Turner Construction Company. More than a century old Union Terminal Warehouse Company was the largest industrial building in Jacksonville for decades. Much of it was burned in the Great Fire of 1901, the largest metropolitan fire in the American South; soon after UTW become one of the first buildings in the greater Jacksonville area to fire sprinklered building fed by the iconic water tower.
Fast Forward to 2022 and this Eastside landmark is being adapted into a mixed-use development featuring 228 units and 38,000 square feet of commercial, dining and retail space. A highlight of the projects is the 80-space indoor parking area and rooftop terrace community space. A feature of the new space is its proximity to Jacksonville’s planned Emerald Trail.
As with all historical renovations great care is taken to ensure the integrity of the space is maintained. A variety of elements will be preserved in their original state including the stair handrails, water tower, East & West Canopies. Windows are also being replaced and replicated to match the style of window used back when the structure was originally built.