Wow, it's been a while but Union Station's mall is just about empty. What were once Dierdorf and Harts and a bookstore now sit empty. Abandonment is sort of like a snowball; if it starts rolling it can be hard to stop the momentum.
But on a happier note, the hotel is still just as stunningly beautiful as it has always been since its renovation. The side lobby still elicits the same sense of style that it had a hundred years ago.
The detailing, with its gilding and Romanesque Revival elements are still crisp and clean.
The lighted floor, which my father said were once common throughout the United States, still impresses me.
Wow, it's been a while but Union Station's mall is just about empty. What were once Dierdorf and Harts and a bookstore now sit empty. Abandonment is sort of like a snowball; if it starts rolling it can be hard to stop the momentum.
But on a happier note, the hotel is still just as stunningly beautiful as it has always been since its renovation. The side lobby still elicits the same sense of style that it had a hundred years ago.
The detailing, with its gilding and Romanesque Revival elements are still crisp and clean.
The lighted floor, which my father said were once common throughout the United States, still impresses me.
At least part of the reason for the vacant units is the charge for parking. When you have similar retail outlets (bookstores, restaurants, etc.) in strip or other malls - why pay for parking?
ReplyDeleteWhy not use a portion of the back part of the Union Station complex as the Amtrak station, instead of a plain trailer shed a few blocks away?
ReplyDelete"AmShack" closed in 2008, after 30 or so years. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gateway_Multimodal_Transportation_Center
ReplyDeleteThere was talk about using Union Station for this, but it did not come to fruition - I dunno/forgot why...
When the station was renovated, the tracks were evaluated and turned down by Amtrack because the trains would have to reverse out or in. That maneuver is considered outdated and as it would require extra personnel and signals.
ReplyDelete