Train stations are not frequently thought of as a hub of transportation and commerce – in a lot of cities, they’re worn down, dilapidated, built in what has become the bad part of town, and in many cases, abandoned. Thanks to the past couple of decades, though, and a remarkable public-private partnership of a number of organizations, Washington D.C.’s Union Station has become the antithesis to that mold. Now, it’s a thriving hub with high-end shops and restaurants that sees 32 million people passing through every year – including 56% of all air/rail traffic between Washington, D.C. and New York City.
Completed in 1908, the building, like multitudes of other train stations, fell into disuse after World War II and eventually was all but abandoned. Amtrak passengers used a makeshift terminal behind the main building for many years during the 70s and early 80s. Thanks to a mammoth public-private partnership, however, WUS received a $160 million face lift, completed in 1988, that brought high-end retail, shops and restaurants to the storied building. This weekend (and, in fact, all year), the building is celebrating both the 100-year anniversary of its construction and the 20-year anniversary of its rehabilitation. Events this weekend include an exhibit of both modern and historic passenger rail equipment and a display of archival photos of the station. If you can’t make it in the near future, though, check it out the next time you’re in the city; it’s a building worth seeing.
(Via CNN)