THE JAXSON | Rehabilitated urban passenger rail stations

Once the largest train station south of Washington, D.C., more than 50 years have passed since the last passenger train left the Jacksonville Terminal in 1974. Bolstered by plans to bring a University of Florida graduate campus to LaVilla and a $1.25 million grant from the Build America Bureau, passenger rail could be making its long awaited return to Downtown. This will create the opportunity to reimagine the Prime Osborn Convention Center site as a major mixed-use economic hub in LaVilla. With that in mind, here is a look at five rehabilitated passenger rail stations across the country.

Jacksonville Terminal history

The Jacksonville Terminal, a Neoclassical Revival–style rail complex designed by architect Kenneth M. Murchison, opened on November 17, 1919, as a grand gateway to Florida. Its façade featured 14 Doric columns, and its main waiting room boasted 75-foot vaulted ceilings. At its peak in 1944, the terminal saw nearly 40,000 trains and 10 million passengers annually.

However, the rise of air travel and Amtrak’s consolidation of passenger rail services in 1971 drastically reduced its use. By 1973, operations had dwindled to a few Amtrak trains, and the terminal closed on January 3, 1974. In 1976, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places, and in 1985, it reopened as the Prime F. Osborn III Convention Center.

Denver’s Union Station, 1701 Wynkoop St.

Denver’s Union Station, a Beaux-Arts style railroad terminal built in the early 20th century, was once a bustling hub with over 80 daily trains during its peak in the 1920s and 1930s. However, like many stations across the U.S., its importance declined with the reduction of passenger rail traffic in the 1960s and 1970s.

In 2001, the Regional Transportation District acquired Union Station and its rail yards, launching a transformative redevelopment plan. The Union Station Neighborhood Co. was selected as the master developer.

By 2006, the site was reimagined as a $500 million multimodal transportation hub, integrating bus rapid transit, commuter rail, light rail and intercity rail. With Hargreaves Associates and Skidmore, Owings & Merrill serving as the architects, construction began in 2010, with phased openings of various components: a light rail station in 2011, an underground 22-gate bus concourse in 2014 and commuter rail services in 2016.

The historic terminal, reopened in 2014, now features a train hall, the 112-room Crawford Hotel, and a vibrant mix of restaurants, bars, and boutique shops. The surrounding area has seen over $1 billion in private development in recent years, including offices, residences, hotels, and retail, solidifying Union Station as a dynamic urban destination.

Tampa Union Station, 601 N. Nebraska Ave.

Located between Downtown Tampa and Ybor City, Tampa Union Station was designed by Joseph F. Leitner and opened by the Tampa Union Station Co. on May 15, 1912. Originally, the station combined the passenger operations of the Tampa Northern, Atlantic Coast Line and Seaboard Air Line railroads at a single site. Although added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1974, the station was closed in 1984. It reopened to serve Amtrak in 1998 after successful efforts to rehabilitate the structure.

Raleigh Union Station, 510 W. Martin St.

Located near Downtown Raleigh’s Depot Historic District, Raleigh Union Station began train service on July 10, 2018. The station was first proposed by the North Carolina Department of Transportation in 2011 and intended to replace a smaller existing Amtrak station in the city. With Clearspaces Architecture +Art as the architect, station and track design was completed in 2014. Utilizing an existing mid-century industrial steel fabricated warehouse, the station was designed to accommodate expansion to serve future commuter rail and high-speed rail systems when they eventually materialize. In January 2016, construction began on the 26,000-square-foot, $110.4 million project. With 12 daily Amtrak trains, Raleigh Union Station served 219,538 passengers in 2023, making it the second-busiest train station in North Carolina.

Orlando Health/Amtrak Station, 1400 Sligh Blvd.

Located 1 mile south of Downtown Orlando, the Orlando Health/Amtrak Station was built by A.M. Griffin and W.T. Hadlow for the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad in 1926. Serving Amtrak, the station is the passenger rail system’s fifth-busiest in the Southeastern U.S. and the second-busiest in Florida. In 2014, a second platform to serve the new SunRail commuter service was added to the Spanish Mission-style railroad station. Since the opening of commuter rail, the station has served as a regional transit amenity, bolstering a significant amount of transit-oriented development at and adjacent to the Orlando Health Complex. Today, Orlando Health/Amtrak Station also serves Lynx bus route 40 and Amtrak Thruway buses.

Union Station Kansas City, 30 W. Pershing Road, Kansas City, MO

Union Station in Kansas City, a stunning example of Beaux Arts architecture, opened its doors on October 30, 1914. At the time, it was the second-largest train station in the U.S. Thanks to its central location, the station became a vital hub for both passenger and freight rail traffic. Passenger numbers peaked in 1945, with 678,363 travelers that year. However, in 1985, passenger rail service was moved to a smaller facility.

In 1996, residents of the Kansas City metro area approved a 1/8-cent sales tax to support a $250 million restoration project for Union Station. Renovations began in 1997, and the station reopened in 1999. By 2002, Amtrak had restored passenger train service to the iconic site. Today, Union Station thrives as a multi-purpose destination, hosting an interactive science center, a live performance theater, a planetarium, and numerous restaurants and shops. Notably, it operates without any public funding.