When the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation convened for its business meeting in November, members and staff had a chance to tour one of Washington, D.C.’s most historic buildings, Union Station. This multi-use transportation hub has continued to evolve in the 117 years since it was built. It was designed by architect Daniel Burnham as one of the nation’s first great union railroad terminals. The station opened in October 1907, was completed in April 1908, and has continuously operated since then.
Leading the ACHP tour was Doug Carr, President and CEO of Union Station Redevelopment Corporation (USRC), and Program Manager Jennifer Rouse. They started the tour outside for an overview of the station, then toured inside, touching on the station’s history, including its stint as a national visitor center, and the various preservation projects. There was a major restoration in the 1980s and an interior statue cleaning in 2021.
The USRC, in cooperation with Amtrak, is now gearing up for a multi-billion-dollar commuter rail facilities expansion and modernization and terminal rehabilitation project that Carr says will “blend classic elements with a contemporary experience.” The federal government, acting through the Federal Railroad Administration, which owns the building and leases it to USRC, the ACHP, and others have entered into a programmatic agreement to guide how the project will be carried out in accordance with the requirements of the regulatory process that the ACHP administers pursuant to Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act.
ACHP Chair Sara C. Bronin noted the importance of continuing to invest in and expand the historic terminal.
“For more than a century, Union Station has evolved to meet contemporary needs while maintaining key historic elements. As the latest rehabilitation plans develop, the ACHP will continue to promote flexibility in both honoring the historic nature of the terminal and enabling essential upgrades to the passenger and visitor experience,” Bronin said.
Currently, Union Station, a National Historic Landmark and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is home to five forms of public transportation with 37 million passengers a year.