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30-903: The race was established by the Jacksonville Track Club (now JTC Running ) in 1978 when it was known as the Jacksonville River Run. The initial sponsor of the race was the Florida Publishing Company , which published the Florida Times-Union and Jacksonville Journal . An inspiration for the race was the Peachtree Road Race , a 10,000 meter road race sponsored for several years by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution . An initial planning meeting

60-400: A cash offer of $ 9.0 million from Gate Petroleum . Shortly thereafter, Gate began a multimillion-dollar renovation of the entire building and renamed it Riverplace Tower . Building occupancy was 40% when the sale closed; within two years from the completion of the renovation, it had soared to nearly 95% and the building was restored to its former prominence. The banner sign at the top of

90-648: A morning paper. Charles H. Jones wanted to buy the Union but was refused by McCallum. Annoyed, Jones started a rival paper, the Florida Daily Times , in November 1881. By 1883, the Daily Times was dominating the Union . McCallum became ill and finally decided to sell the paper to the Daily Times . The Union then combined with the Daily Times to form The Florida Times-Union , whose first edition

120-589: Is Paul Runnestrand. In 1864, during the American Civil War , J. K. Stickney and W. C. Morrill published the first edition of the Florida Union . It was a Northern and Republican paper, at the time when Jacksonville was occupied by the Union Army . By 1867, Stickney sold the Florida Union to Edward M. Cheney, of Boston . Cheney tried to make the paper into a daily publication but lacked

150-494: Is a four-time winner of both the New York City and Boston Marathons , won the first River Run. He was invited by the organizers, pending an appearance fee of $ 1,000, which was an under-the-table payment because of the amateur status of so many world-class athletes at that time. There was no other appearance or prize money offered. Rodgers' powerful victory helped catapult the event into the national running consciousness. On

180-424: Is an example of a suspended structure . The building gets structural support from the central core and the external vertical beams, which leaves a more open internal space. There are two tapered columns on each side of the building. Cross beams connect the vertical columns to create a skeleton which allows the cantilevered floors. The concrete grid on the outside of the building is the only support needed to hold up

210-487: The Florida Times-Union 5K Run & Walk for Charity , and the one-mile Junior River Run had 2,041 and 1,873 participants, respectively. Doug Alred, who has served as race director for 31 of the 36 years of the race, said that 2013 was the 11th consecutive year of record entries. Upon completion of the 2021 race, there were 26 Streakers , defined as an individual who has completed every River Run. During

240-485: The Florida Union in 1864. Its current incarnation started in 1883, when the Florida Union merged with another Jacksonville paper, the Florida Daily Times . In 1983, Morris Communications of Augusta, Georgia , purchased Florida Publishing Company. The Times-Union became the largest newspaper of this chain, which owns a number of newspapers around the country. The paper is now owned by Gannett . Its editor

270-682: The American Institute of Architects 's Florida Chapter placed the building on its list of Florida Architecture: 100 Years. 100 Places as the Riverplace Tower / Formerly Gulf Life Tower . The Auchter Company , Jacksonville's oldest general construction contractor, built the 542,000 ft Gulf Life Tower for the Gulf Life Insurance Company in 1966. It was designed by the notable architect, Welton Becket and KBJ Architects . When completed in 1967, it

300-1007: The Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute went through the arduous process of selecting the Seven precast concrete "Wonders". Their choices were: the Department of Housing and Urban Development Headquarters in Washington, D.C.; Gulf Life Tower in Jacksonville; Disney World Monorail in Orlando, TransAmerica Pyramid in San Francisco; Aurora Justice Facility and Municipal Center in Aurora, Colorado; Sunshine Skyway Bridge in Tampa Bay, Florida; and

330-607: The Times-Union from Morris Communications, in conjunction with numerous other papers across the country, for $ 120 million. Riverplace Tower The Riverplace Tower is a 28-floor office building on the south bank of the St. Johns River in Jacksonville, Florida . At the time of its construction, it was the tallest building in the state of Florida and was the defining landmark in Jacksonville's skyline. On April 18, 2012,

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360-482: The 2013 race, one of the Streakers collapsed with a heart attack, but was given CPR by firefighters who were also running the race, and was revived with a defibrillator from a quickly responding emergency unit. The Gate River Run Hall of Fame was established in 2002 and is permanently located in the Riverplace Tower , on the southbank in downtown Jacksonville. Memorabilia dating from the race's inception in 1978 up to

390-456: The GRR six times, held the women's record with 47:15 at the GRR in 2003. An equalizer was added in 2004. The difference in time between the women's and men's 15K national records was 4:53, so the elite women runners got a five-minute head start on the elite men. The first finisher, man or woman, receives a $ 5,000 bonus. Even so, the women had only won the prize once (in 2007). In 2012, the equalizer

420-609: The Seaboard merged in 1967 and were predecessors of CSX Transportation ; the Florida East Coast has maintained its corporate identity into the 21st century. Both railroads have their headquarters in Jacksonville, the railroad hub of the state. In 1983 Morris Communications of Augusta, Georgia , acquired the Florida Publishing Company for $ 200 million. In October 2017 Gatehouse Media acquired

450-785: The Wells Fargo building at 1 Independent Drive, Suite 200 in downtown Jacksonville. For most of the 20th century, The Florida Times-Union was owned by the Florida Publishing Company, which was in turn jointly owned by the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad , the Florida East Coast Railway , and the Seaboard Air Line Railway , the three main railroads serving Jacksonville, having been acquired in equal shares by them or their corporate predecessors about 1896. The Coast Line and

480-550: The building on October 31, 2014 to CFLC Replace LLC in Glen Allen, Virginia for $ 29.0 million. The building was sold on December 1, 2016 to LCP Riverplace LLC in Glen Allen, Virginia for $ 53.4 million. The building was sold on December 22, 2021 to 1301 Riverplace Owner, LLC in Greenwich, Connecticut for $ 73.2 million. The structural system consists of precast concrete floor plates and a poured concrete core. The building

510-539: The building originally displayed "Gulf Life" in 1967. After Gulf Life was acquired by American General in 1991, it was changed to "SouthTrust", and the structure was known as the SouthTrust Building . When SouthTrust and Wachovia merged in 2005, "Wachovia" signage was installed, but it was removed January 22, 2011. Since 1968 until its closure in 2016, the University Club of Jacksonville occupied

540-508: The building's top floor. There were approximately 1,300 members: business executives of both genders; older, long-term associates; and young professionals. The private club was available to members and their guests, or ClubCorp affiliates. The facility was a hub for networking and entertaining clients, as well as providing conference rooms and offices for conducting business in private. The club also offered two full service athletic facilities; one co-ed and one for men only. Gate Petroleum sold

570-412: The needed money. The Union was sold to Walton, Fowle & Co. in 1873. Stockholder C. F. Mawbey assumed control and turned the Union into a daily publication. Cheney returned to the Union as an editor. In 1876, the Union was in decline and abandoned daily publication. Financially doomed, it was sold to H. B. McCallum, who then returned it to daily publication and converted it from an afternoon to

600-457: The present is on display and a five-minute video gives visitors an overview of the race. Plaques for each of the 14 persons inducted into the HOF are on display. Key:     Course record Florida Times-Union The Florida Times-Union is a daily newspaper in Jacksonville, Florida , United States. Widely known as the oldest newspaper in the state, it began publication as

630-519: The race course and the finish line is beside TIAA Bank Field . Special running caps are given to the top 10 percent of racers and medals are given to all 15K finishers. There is a 3-day runner's expo, with dozens of vendor representatives promoting running and health-related products. Seminars with running themes are presented; typical topics are: Hydration and Nutrition, Foot and Ankle Injuries, Shin Splits and Shoe Fitting, Basic Injury Care. Bill Rodgers

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660-406: The structure, leaving the interior completely available for use. Each of the exposed beams consist of fourteen precast units held together with high strength post-tensioned steel cables. The beams cantilever 42 feet from the columns as they taper upward and inward. The color of the concrete façade comes from White quartz sand and white cement bonded to the surface. The Gate River Run Hall of Fame

690-516: The women's side, Kim Merritt , a national-class runner in a period when women were first beginning to be taken seriously at longer distances, took home the distaff honors. Gate Petroleum became the underwriting sponsor in 1994. Todd Williams holds the American 15K record with a time of 42:22 at the 1995 GRR, which he won five times. Shalane Flanagan , won in 2014 and set the new women's record with 47:00. Before that, Deena Drossin , who has won

720-446: Was a special guest at the expo in 2013, talking about running and signing autographs. Following the race, Publix supermarkets hosts a celebration at the fairgrounds. In 2013, 17,454 people registered for the race, with 15,569 runners actually completing it. The winner was Ben True from Hanover, New Hampshire with a time of 43:38. The fastest woman in 2013 was Janet Cherobon-Bawcom , from Rome, Georgia at 49:44. The related races,

750-483: Was established in 2002 and is permanently located on the concourse level. Memorabilia from the event, which began in 1978, is on display, and a five-minute video gives visitors an overview of the race. Plaques for each of the 12 persons inducted into the HOF are on display. Savour is a public restaurant located on the second floor of the tower, and it offers an excellent view of the river and northbank through its glass, north-facing wall. In honor of its 50th anniversary,

780-689: Was held at the Jacksonville YMCA, with representatives of the Y, the newspaper and members of the Jacksonville Track Club . The 15,000-meter distance was proposed, to distinguish the race from the Atlanta race and the plethora of 10K road races then spreading across the country as a result of the running boom. The course crosses two major bridges spanning the St. Johns River, giving the race its name. Running legend Bill Rodgers , who

810-484: Was increased to 6:35, and Janet Cherobon won the $ 5,000 bonus that year and in 2013. In 2013, total prize money exceeded $ 85,000, including bonus money for record-breaking performances. The event has more prize money than any major non-marathon event in the United States. There are separate but equal awards for men and women individuals, teams and masters (over 40). Live bands perform at locations along

840-517: Was merged into American General Life of Houston in 1991 and the Jacksonville Gulf Life Tower was unneeded and destined to be sold. American General wanted $ 30 million, but the building was 24 years old and no longer a class "A" property. Several prospective buyers looked at the building, but the property stayed on the market for more than two years. For tax reasons, American General was desperate to sell during 1993 and accepted

870-499: Was published on February 4, 1883. The paper was partisan and worked to promote railroad interests. The Daily Times was reporting on election related violence in 1882. On February 11, 2018, The Florida Times-Union printed its last papers in Jacksonville after 154 years. The Florida Times-Union newspapers are now printed at The Gainesville Sun and The Daytona Beach News-Journal , which are both owned by Gatehouse Media . On April 1, 2019, The Florida Times-Union moved to

900-570: Was the tallest precast, post-tensioned concrete structure in the world. It remained Florida's tallest for five years until Miami's One Biscayne Tower was constructed in 1972. It was Jacksonville's tallest for eight years until the Independent Life Building (now the Wells Fargo Center) was built in 1974. As of 2023, Riverplace Tower is the fifth tallest building in Jacksonville. Gulf Life Insurance Company

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