<ARTICLE> 5 <CIK> 0000037008 <NAME> FIRST UNION REAL ESTATE EQUITY AND MORTGAGE INVESTMENTS <MULTIPLIER> 1 <CURRENCY> DOLLARS <PERIOD-TYPE> 9-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1999 <PERIOD-START> JAN-01-1999 <PERIOD-END> SEP-30-1999 <EXCHANGE-RATE> 1 <CASH> 78,374,000 <SECURITIES> 0 <RECEIVABLES> 10,942,000 <ALLOWANCES> 0 <INVENTORY> 3,438,000 <CURRENT-ASSETS> 92,754,000 <PP&E> 525,913,000 <DEPRECIATION> (82,056,000) <TOTAL-ASSETS> 605,002,000 <CURRENT-LIABILITIES> 0 <BONDS> 360,882,000 <COMMON> 42,477,000 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 31,737,000 <OTHER-SE> 123,193,000 <TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY> 605,002,000 <SALES> 0 <TOTAL-REVENUES> 227,790,000 <CGS> 0 <TOTAL-COSTS> 163,933,000 <OTHER-EXPENSES> 43,824,000 <LOSS-PROVISION> 0 <INTEREST-EXPENSE> 31,788,000 <INCOME-PRETAX> 0 <INCOME-TAX> 0 <INCOME-CONTINUING> (17,755,000) <DISCONTINUED> 0 <EXTRAORDINARY> 0 <CHANGES> 0 <NET-INCOME> 8,028,000 <EPS-BASIC> .23 <EPS-DILUTED> .23