Reynolds Park Yacht Center has a rich history and an exciting future. Formerly known as Lee Field Naval Air Station, it was the site of one of the largest U.S. aviation training facilities during World War II. In 1946 this 1700-acre complex, located on the St. Johns River, was developed into a marine terminal to securely house the Mothball Fleet of WWII ships. Over 600 ships were stationed here until, under his first executive order, President Johnson decommissioned the facility and moved the fleet to Texas, his home state.
The Navy relinquished the facility and industrialist J. Louis Reynolds, former chairman of Reynolds Metal Company, established Reynolds Park in 1965. The park remains in the family today and is now home to a diverse variety of businesses, local and international. Since established the waterfront and piers had been used mainly for commercial vessels, dredging equipment, ship building and repairing.
Most marinas are in restricted spaces with no room to expand. With the increasing size and number of yachts creating a demand for more yacht facilities it was decided in 2002 to develop part of the waterfront as a yacht marina to take advantage of the existing piers and available space.