GRIMSHAW- BEYER BLINDER BELLE SELECTED AS MASTER DEVELOPMENT PLAN TEAM FOR THE FUTURE OF WASHINGTON UNION STATION

April 7, 2015

Washington, DC – The Union Station Redevelopment Corporation (USRC), together with its partners Amtrak and Akridge, have commissioned Beyer Blinder Belle Architects & Planners LLP and Grimshaw Architects (BBB/Grimshaw) to create the Master Development Plan for Union Station’s 2nd Century.

Building on the initial vision presented in Amtrak’s 2012 Washington Union Terminal Master Plan, the Master Development Plan for Union Station’s 2nd Century is the next major milestone in the process and will encompass comprehensive planning, public engagement, and an environmental assessment. The project scope also includes conceptual design services for improving and expanding passenger spaces, enhancing the overall customer experience, as well as analysis and progression of the initial 2012 vision concepts to ensure the development enhances the functionality of the existing regional intermodal facility. The Master Development Plan for Union Station’s 2nd Century will respect and reinforce the station’s historic setting, while also integrating it with surrounding neighborhoods, and the construction of Burnham Place, a three-million-square-feet of mixed-use space, parks, and plazas to be developed over the rail yard.

The BBB/Grimshaw team was selected through a comprehensive bidding process which began with an issuance of an RFP on October 3, 2014. They were selected for their combined experience expanding and restoring historic buildings in sensitive urban sites, and previous designs of high-tech architecture and transportation projects, including: New York’s Grand Central Terminal, Amsterdam’s Bijlmer Station, London’s Waterloo railway station, and Melbourne’s award-winning Southern Cross railway station.

“The selection of the Master Development Plan team is a huge milestone for this project. We are excited with the progress we’ve made to-date in preparing for this next step, and we look forward to continuing on a successful path of planning to conceptual design for the station’s future.” said Beverley Swaim-Staley, President and CEO of USRC.

“With growing demand for passenger rail service, it is imperative that we continue to advance our vision for the future of Washington Union Station,” said Bob LaCroix, Amtrak Deputy Chief of Northeast Corridor Infrastructure and Investment Development. “Once complete, Washington Union Station will be a world-class transportation hub that will provide the region with improved mobility and connectivity for generations to come.”

“BBB/Grimshaw is an internationally-renowned team that will solidify the framework for our region’s most influential development project,” said Akridge Vice President of Development, David Tuchmann. “This project will have a profound economic impact on the regional economy.”

“We are honored to have the opportunity to deliver a Master Development Plan that sets an ambitious, yet achievable course for the development of Washington Union Station,” commented Hany Hassan, Partner-in-Charge for Beyer Blinder Belle. “The Union Station Master Development Plan will be one of the most transformative projects in the city.”

Grimshaw Partner, Vincent Chang, said “Washington DC deserves a station that serves the region on a practical level whilst celebrating the gateway to the nation’s capital. We are pleased to bring our wealth of global transportation expertise to this project, and we look forward to working with the 2nd Century partners, stakeholders, and the public to deliver a key multimodal transport hub.”


Union Station Redevelopment Corporation
Union Station Redevelopment Corporation (USRC) is a non-profit organization founded in 1983 and charged with three main objectives: to preserve and restore Union Station’s historic and architectural significance, preserve the station’s long-term function as a multi-use transportation center, and enhance the retail and amenities within the station. Today, USRC continues to oversee the station as it evolves into a world-class facility, meeting the needs of more than 100,000 visitors a day.

Amtrak
Amtrak is America’s Railroad, the nation’s intercity passenger rail service and its high-speed rail operator. Amtrak and its state and commuter partners move people, the economy, and the nation forward. Formally known as the National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Amtrak is governed by a nine member board of directors appointed by the President of the United States and confirmed by the U.S. Senate. Anthony R. Coscia is board chairman, and Jeffery R. Moreland is vice chairman. In FY 2013, a record 31.6 million passengers traveled on Amtrak on more than 300 daily trains – at speeds up to 150 mph (241 kph) – that connect four states, the District of Columbia and three Canadian Provinces.

Akridge
Akridge is a comprehensive real estate services company that has invested in the Washington Metropolitan area for over four decades. It provides acquisition, development, asset and property management, leasing, and consulting services. The company has acquired, developed, or entitled more than 14 million square feet of office, industrial flex, residential, retail, and entertainment space. Akridge currently manages 4.5 million square feet at an estimated value of $2.0 billion. In additional to Burnham Place, notable projects include the 1 million square foot Gallery Place, the internationally recognized Homer Building, and 1200 Seventeenth Street. 

Beyer Blinder Belle Architects & Planners LLP
Beyer Blinder Belle is an internationally renowned architecture and planning practice located in Washington, D.C. and New York City with a longstanding commitment to design excellence, social integrity, and sustainable practices. The firm’s multi-faceted portfolio encompasses preservation, urban design, and new construction projects that span a wide spectrum of building typologies and sectors, including cultural, civic, educational, residential, and commercial. For more than four decades, the firm’s work has focused on the design, revitalization, and master planning of nationally-celebrated buildings and sites, including Grand Central Terminal, Ellis Island Museum of Immigration, St. Paul Union Depot, the Washington Monument, Old Post Office, United States Diplomacy Museum, Historic DC Courthouse, and the Kennedy Center.

Grimshaw Architects
Grimshaw is an architectural practice with a reputation for design excellence. The practice has an unrivalled expertise in delivering successful, functional rail projects and is committed to resolving both the ambitions of the client and the complexities of the site. Founded in 1980, Grimshaw operates worldwide, with offices in London, New York, Melbourne, Sydney and Doha employing over 350 staff. With over 20 years’ experience in the rail sector, Grimshaw is involved in all aspects of railway design, from master planning and interchange facilities, to associated commercial developments and multi-modal station design. Their experience includes The Fulton Center in New York, London Waterloo’s International Terminal, the London Bridge Station Redevelopment, Bijlmer Station in Amsterdam and Southern Cross Station in Melbourne.

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