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(rshsdepot) Springfield, MA
Editorial in The Republican.
Bernie Wagenblast
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Union Station plan on the right track
by The Republican Thursday October 02, 2008, 6:00 AM
Like the "Little Engine That Could," plans to revitalize Springfield's long
dormant Union Station couldn't gather enough steam to get rolling.
But after years of fits and starts, the city's historic station is finally
on the right track to regain some of its 1926 grandeur as a transportation hub
for the region.
Local, state and federal officials on Tuesday unveiled a new $65 million
redevelopment plan that will transform the derelict property into a
state-of-the-art intermodal transportation center including ticketing and operating
facilities, a 139,000- square-foot bus terminal with 23 bays, a 400-space,
two-level parking garage, and office and retail space.
While scaled back from grandiose plans hatched back in the 1980s - a $115
million project that called for a luxury hotel and an IMAX theater - the new
plan is much more in line with what the community needs and what can be
achieved in today's market.
U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal, who helped obtain $38 million in federal funds
for the project, praised new plans and urged local officials and the Pioneer
Valley Transit Authority, the project administrator, to keep the project moving
along, saying it "will transform .¤.¤. the historic terminal into a vibrant
and dynamic destination for people traveling through Western Massachusetts."
The new plan, drawn up by Nebraska-based HDR Architecture - the same firm
tapped to help redevelop New York City's Penn Station - could be completed in
2011.
We applaud the leaders who maintained a "think-I-can" attitude following
decades of setbacks - including funding challenges, a lawsuit by the building's
former owner and ups and downs in the economy. They deserve our admiration and
gratitude for not giving up on the project.
With the opening of the new federal courthouse and ongoing improvements to
the State Street corridor, plans for a revitalized Union Station are another
sign that the city is on the rebound.
As a community, Springfield needs to keep saying, "I think I can." It's an
attitude that pays off.
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The Railroad Station Historical Society maintains a database of existing
railroad structures at: http://www.rrshs.org
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End of RSHSDepot Digest V1 #1786
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The Railroad Station Historical Society maintains a database of existing
railroad structures at: http://www.rrshs.org