Union Station Advocates Makes Final Recommendations

After months of conversations, the public process for the Denver Union Station Historic Building has been completed. Union Station Advocates, by discussing with various stakeholder groups and interested citizens, has submitted a final recommendation. Below is a summary of our final recommendations:

Overview
o Redevelopment goals
o Criteria to apply to any redevelopment idea (in an expanded submittal)
o Illustrative scenarios – apply the criteria to three possibilities
o Process

Goals

1. New destination uses must activate the building.
2. New uses should serve the neighborhood and the station district area as well.
3. New uses will energize and reestablish Union Station as the regional transportation hub.
4. New ground floor uses will give life to the adjacent public spaces and vice versa.
5. The central train room must remain the focal point of the building.
6. Redevelopment must preserve the historic integrity of the building.
7. New uses must allow the building to be financially independent or have a dedicated funding source.

Scenarios
We examined three scenarios and discussed whether each could meet the goals. While each has advantages and challenges, we determined that all three are viable alternatives that can realize the goals.

Scenario 1
1st Floor Retail attraction (specialty market or unique store)
Destination restaurant
Includes Amtrak and transit services
2nd Floor Office single tenant or multi-tenant
3rd Floor Office single tenant or multi-tenant

Scenario 2
1st Floor Hotel function
Hotel restaurant
Includes Amtrak and transit services
2nd Floor Hotel rooms and back-of-house
3rd Floor Hotel rooms

Scenario 3
1st Floor Civic or cultural destination
Destination restaurant
Includes Amtrak and transit services
2nd Floor Civic/cultural and office space
3rd Floor Office space

Process
Denver’s historic Union Station is one of region’s most significant standing structures. Its role as the centerpiece of Metro Denver’s FasTracks regional transit system will reaffirm and likely increase this significance. The successful reuse of the Historic Station is critical to the success of the entire Denver Union Station redevelopment, including the transportation elements and adjacent public spaces in which the citizens within the Regional Transportation District are investing considerable dollars. It will be very important to assure that the ultimate use of the historic station is determined through a process that encourages broad participation and elicits creative and financially sound solutions. The DUS Stakeholders believe that their goals and supporting criteria will have the greatest chance of being realized if RTD solicits proposals from a number of developers and evaluates the proposals to select the best solution for the historic station.

A Request for Proposals (RFP) would clearly communicate the project goals that have been identified though this DUS Stakeholder/Expert Panel public process. The RFP can make clear the funding and timing of the core and shell improvements that are part of the current DUS redevelopment project budget and also can include applicable federal procurement requirements. The RFP should set forth absolute requirements such as assured financing, satisfactory accommodation for AMTRAK and other essential elements of a successful reuse plan. The DUS Stakeholders believe that an RFP process will provide RTD with the best chance to receive creative and diverse proposals both from a spatial and a financial perspective and give them more choice in their ultimate decision for the successful reuse of the historic station.

Criteria
New destination uses must activate the building.
The new uses should serve the neighborhood and the station district area as well.
New uses will energize and reestablish Union Station as the regional transportation hub.
New ground floor uses will give life to the adjacent public spaces and vice versa.
The central train room must remain the focal point of the building.
Redevelopment must preserve the historic integrity of the building.
The new uses must, in the aggregate, allow the building to be financially independent, or the uses should have a dedicated funding source.



We would like to thank all of our supporters and interested citizens who have helped us form these final recommendations!