Union Market


Union Market is a food hall located in Washington, D.C. It anchors the Union Market District, a neighborhood encompassing high-rise apartments, office buildings, retail, and entertainment options.
It was formally known as Union Terminal Market when it started as a replacement market center for the old Center Market located near the National Mall in 1931. It became an important part of the Washington food infrastructure to feed a growing city population. It featured retail and wholesales stores as well as a farmers' market which ran into trouble with the city in the 1960s due to its failure to comply with sanitation and safety standards. A new building was completed in 1967 to replace it and is today the food hall carrying the name "Union Market".
After falling into disrepair in the 1980s and 1990s, the area is being revived as a destination for restaurant and nightlife near NoMa and H Street. While for many it is a specific building containing the gourmet food hall, it is in fact an area that today features restaurants, a small movie theater, an ice cream factory and new luxury apartment buildings in Northeast Washington, D.C. off of Florida Avenue NE. These new venues are slowly replacing the old stores that had been the heart and soul of the market.

Construction

Planning

A committee composed of Maj. Carey H. Brown, engineer of the National Capital Park and Planning Commission; Lloyd S. Tenny, acting chief of the Bureau of Agricultural Economics of the U.S. Department of Agriculture; C. W. Kitchen, business manager and superintendent of the Washington Center Market, and George M. Roberts, superintendent of the office of weights, measures and markets of the District Government recommended 5 criteria for the selection of a new site to replace
  • Proximity of railroad connections to eliminate the cost of handling the food products.
  • Readily accessible to the greatest number of inhabitants of the District of Columbia.
  • For the farmers' market, seen an essential feature to protect consumers from commission merchants, it must be located so that farmers can easily bring their produce without having to go through congested areas.
  • Accessibility of street railways and bus lines heading to different parts of the city.
  • Large enough accommodate all the groups which are an integral part of a market center. The building as well parking must be big enough to accommodate hundreds vendors and even more customers.
  • The land must be cheap to offer warehouses clustering around the market center.
Two sites were found to meet these needs:
The Trinidad Citizens' Association opposed the move of the market to the Patterson Tract and voiced its opposition following the vote by the Citizens' Advisory Council on March 30, 1928, in the District Building.
Union Terminal Market was set up by the Union Market Terminal Company, an organization of commission merchants with some from the old Center Market on the Patterson Tract. The property was located at the intersection of Florida Avenue and 5th Street NE and was originally put on sale on January 1, 1929 by the Phillips & Caldwell real estate firm. The tract of land was used at various times by the military. During the Civil War, it was the site of Finley General Hospital from 1862 to 1865. During World War I it became Camp Meigs.
After 130 years in operation, the beautiful Center Market designed by Adolf Cluss was to be demolished by the Federal Government and be replaced by the National Archives Building as part of the redesign of the National Mall as specified in the McMillan Plan. The farmers gave their endorsement to this bill. Phillips & Caldwell representing the Union Terminal Company on July 29, 1929 announced the new plan to build a $1 million retail and wholesale market center to replace the lost market. It would be built on 85 acres of the Winslow estate. It would be wholesale and retail market. Congress approved funds for a new market in Southwest but this was not seen as enough for the Association.

Design

Charles H. Tompkins Co. was awarded the contract for nine 2-story market buildings. Permits were submitted and the cost for each building was $132,000. A new $300,000 plant for Joseph Phillips & Co. as part of the market development. Tompkins was to build this too. Multiple permits were issues to many retailers and wholesalers that day. Excavation of the new site started on August 28, 1929 with construction scheduled to start soon after. Negotiations were still under way with the National Capital Park and Planning Commission and the heirs of the tract of land regarding the additional purchase of 42 acres of a park and playground. It seems an agreement had been reached for the purchase for $395,577.18. Six acres of flat land would be developed as a playground and athletic field as discussed for several years. It would be preserved as a national park.
On October 19, more permits were issued to build 25 more buildings. It was estimated that the total cost was $452,000.
The Maryland-Virginia Farmers' Marketing Association made the decision to partner with them on January 16, 1930 in the New National Museums auditorium and open a farmers market. The Association had been formed in 1929 top represent the local commission merchants and the farmers and represented 1000 farmers. The plan was to allow the farmers to use the tract of land in exchange for a daily fee. The Federal Government had considered purchasing a tract of land to replace the market where they had been evicted but had not yet done so. Some of the vendors had relocated to the Northern Liberty Market located on K Street NW and 5th Street NW. With this new location, 100 to 1,000 farmers would be able to sell there. It was considered to be a more viable location then another proposed in Southwest DC as the patrons were not going into this area.
By February 2, 1930, the project was about 75% complete. With enough buildings to house between 600 and 1,000 farmers, it was going to compete with the new project being planned in Southwest. According to the President of the Union Market Terminal Corporation, J.O. Harrison, 42 commission men were planning to move in by May 1930. They represented 80% of the total tonnage of fruits and vegetables being sold in the District of Columbia at the time. On May 10, more permits were issues to build six more buildings costing $40,000.

Zoning opposition

While construction of the 52 building was going well, some opposition was being felt. The Trinidad Citizens' Association met on May 26, 1930 to voice their opposition to the project with regards to the change in zoning. A portion of the land was zoned as residential and the Company wanted to change this to second commercial. According to the civic group, this rezoning would be detrimental to the Gallaudet College and to nearby homeowners. The action was being pushed by the President of Gallaudet, Dr. Percival Hall who also chaired the park and planning committee of the citizen group. His residence was adjacent to the area being rezoned. He argued that the development would "distract from the general beauty of the region" and would bring hundreds of vehicles on Florida Avenue. The area in question went from Florida Avenue and covered the area from 5th Street NE to the property line with Gallaudet College all the way to New York Avenue covering 15 acres. The hearing was scheduled for June 4, 1930 and the market was defending its request by the new buildings were a better option then the vacant lot currently there. In addition, 6th Street was scheduled to be opened providing a buffer between the two properties.
On June 9, the Zoning Commission made a decision on the matter. They ruled that part of the petition would be granted once the property owners dedicated all the streets as listed on the highway plan for the District, including opening up 6th Street NE north of Florida Avenue. The land east of 6th Street would remain residential to act as buffet between the school and the market. This would also preserve the access to the park located being the property. A strip of land on the north side of Florida Avenue was rezoned to first commercial instead of second commercial. This would protect the street from heavy types of commercial structures.
The Trinidad Citizens' Association urged the National Capital Park and Planning Commission to acquire 16 acres of land next to Gallaudet College on June 25, 1930. This would have been on top of the 40 acres already purchased the previous year.

Wholesale and Retail Stores

The first part of market with it 42 fireproof stores started receiving its first tenants on September 20, 1930. The first one was the Joseph Phillips Co. which moved in its $150,000 meat packing and distributing plant. The facility featured refrigeration equipment using cold air being propelled in storage cambers by fans. All the walls were tiled in white for easy cleaning. The buildings featured long canopies on the front and back of the buildings allowing for extra space outside. Each building was also equipped with an elevator. The streets were designed to allow easy parking for loading and unloading. The streets were 100 feet wide and the alleys 40 feet with large parking areas available.
The first four buildings were completed by that time and receiving their tenants. The building closest to Florida Avenue was to be dedicated to retail sales exclusively. For access to the complex, shoppers would come through Florida Avenue. New York Avenue was not yet finished but under way.

Farmers Market

However, the farmers' market located further north were not yet finished. On February 14, 1931, at a meeting of the Maryland and Virginia Farmers' Marketing Association, 215 farmers applied for 300 stands. A 25 cent fee would be paid by the farmers to be on the line. It was expected to increase once the sheds were built but the goal was not to make a profit but to cover the cost of interest, taxes and sanitation.
A permit for the sheds were issued on May 9, 1931. Located at 1315 5th Street NE, it would be made of steel and cost $10,000. A second permit was issued for a shed at 1314 6th Street NE for the same cost and same specifications on May 23. The extension was officially announced on July 11, 1931. The two structures would measure 360 feet long and 30 feet wide. It would provide enough space for 336 farmers. An additional emergency space was provided to house 165 farmers until these structures are completed. In addition, twelve other stores were going to be built on the site.
On August 4, 1931, the commission merchants had a 9 o'clock breakfast with local officials including Dr. Luther H. Reichelderfer, President of the Board of District Commissioners and Col. U. S. Grant, 3rd director of Public Buildings and Public Parks as guests of honors. The reception was followed with a visit of the new complex.