SAFELY UPGRADING HANDICAP ACCESSIBILITY AT THE HISTORIC TAMPA UNION STATION
The Collage Companies (Collage) is providing general contracting services for the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (AMTRAK) to lead ADA renovations to the Historic Tampa Union Station 601 North Nebraska Avenue). This project is part of Amtrak’s ADA Station Program, which is a massive nationwide undertaking to bring all Amtrak stations across the country up to standard with the American’s with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Having opened in 1912 Tampa Union Station was added to the US National Register of Historic Places in 1974 and received local landmark status from the City of Tampa in 1988. The station was closed in 1984 due to deteriorating conditions but was refurbished and reopened in 1998. Today the station operates as an Amtrak station for the Silver Star line, connecting passenger trains to Miami and New York.
On June 19, 2020, an event was held to celebrate the ongoing safe construction and milestone progress on the station’s Amtrak ADA upgrades. Collage is building a new elevated precast platform that will improve passenger accessibility to trains, enabling boarding of trains without the need for wheelchair lifts. The structure is nearly 1,000 feet long and includes a canopy system. The platform is secured by a foundation undergirded by hundreds of helical piles, which were installed in very close proximity to existing active tracks without disrupting ongoing rail operations. The station has remained active throughout the life of the project, with multiple trains arriving daily within feet of construction. The construction team has worked closely with Amtrak and the station to ensure safety for passengers and workers alike.
Rob Maphis is Vice President of Operations and COO at The Collage Companies, and says of the significance of the project: “Rail travel has been an important part of this nation’s past, and the Tampa Union Station has a 100-year history of serving train passengers along Florida’s gulf coast. Our work at this station will allow this tradition to continue, providing for upgraded accessibility and an improved passenger experience when boarding Amtrak’s trains. We are truly honored to be one of only eight builders nationally working as part of Amtrak’s ADA stations program to help serve America’s railway passengers.”
The Collage Companies is an established integrated services firm with expertise in Design Build, Construction Management and General Contracting Collage has served the southeast since 1982 from their headquarters in Lake Mary, Florida, pursuing community–centric projects with an emphasis in the hospitality, religious, transportation, and park sectors. The Collage Companies was honored as one of the 2018 Florida Companies to Watch as announced by GrowFL for developing valuable products and services, creating quality jobs, enriching communities, and broadening new industries throughout Florida.