Union Stations continue to provide grand gateways in many of our major cities. Although far too many were demolished after years of declining use and neglect, the survivors are flourishing as multi-use, multimodal stations that reflect the reinvention of urban transportation and so much more. Just as the first Union Station was opened in Indianapolis in 1853 to consolidate multiple rail lines, today’s Union Station revivals are the result of large and complex collaborations between public and private players. In fact, Washington, D.C.’s Union Station is the largest public/private partnership ever attempted in the United States.
I visited Denver’s Union Station this summer — what a stunning example of a successfully reinvented transit hub. Friends were arriving aboard the airport bus shuttle, giving me the opportunity to walk the length of station and check out the action. It’s definitely on. Every area was bustling — the 22-bay bus concourse, rail platforms, B-cycle station, shops, cafes, bars, the Grand Hall, and the Crawford Hotel, named for Dana Crawford, the developer who spearheaded downtown Denver preservation efforts and launched the Union Station consortium. The partners have delivered a center of activity, and there is still more to come. An expanded bike hub opening this fall will add lockers, showers and a service center. Next year the Regional Transportation District (RTD) will inaugurate rail service to the airport.
To varying degrees across the country, Union Station projects are proving to be the perfect catalyst for downtown redevelopments. This is only natural since once great downtowns grew up around the stations, particularly in cities without ports. Washington, D.C., Kansas City, St. Louis, St. Paul, and soon, Chicago, all have brought new vitality to their stations, and not just for transportation. The typically classic architecture and grand halls provide a unique setting for concert series, museum exhibits, weddings and other social events. The various non-transit activities serve to introduce a wide audience to their local union station, and for some, to transit options they may have never considered.
Want to know more? Case studies of the restoration of Union and other train stations — including getting your project started, benefits, funding, keys for success, and insights from participants — can be found at Amtrak’s GreatAmerianStations.com website.
