Roving Reporter in the Field - November

Exciting changes have taken place over the last 30 days at the Union Station site. The dirt and metal has started to take form. Union Station Advocates is proud to offer the point-of-view of our Roving Reporter in the Field, Rick Anstey, who takes notes on daily growth and monthly development. Below are brief updates of the site which have transpired during the month of November:

• Construction of the roof of the bus terminal has been underway since early November.


• Backfilling behind the walls started at about the same time using dirt from the two large piles on the site.


• Concrete partitions are being built to separate machinery (air-handling equipment, etc) from the bus and passenger areas of the terminal.


• The concrete floor for the light rail passenger platform has been poured.


• Renovation of the temporary Amtrak station appears to be complete: the outside walls have been painted, signage has been added, and the parking lot is striped.


• Much of the concrete floor of the Amtrak passenger platform has been poured.


• Frequent updates and detailed photos can be found at www.Denverinfill.com/blog/

Stay tuned for more updates!

Evaluating Future Uses of Union Station

At a public meeting on October 15, RTD presented an informal look at the process RTD will use for evaluating the future uses of the historic station.



The evaluation will address the following issues:

1. Transportation


2. Preservation


3. Neighborhood


4. Public Access


5. Finances

Each of the 5 areas are intertwined and must all complement each other with trade-offs required. Public meetings and stakeholder meetings will help to evaluate these issues. Final recommendations regarding these 5 areas are set to be made in February.

If any of our Union Station Advocates members or interested citizens are concerned about these areas of RTD, feel free to let us know! We look forward to hearing RTD's results of this evaluation.

Tour the Denver Union Station Redevelopment Site

In an effort to engage the public and keep the citizens informed, Union Station Advocates, in partnership with DenverInfill, is offering one-hour guided walking tours of the Denver Union Station project site. The tours will provide an overview of this exciting project and a description of current construction activities. Stay engaged and informed about Union Station's transformation by joining Union Station Advocates on a tour!

• Where:
  Tours start in front of the historic station at 17th and Wynkoop
  


• When:
  First, third, and fifth (as applicable) Saturday of each month
  10:00 AM - 11:00 AM, arrive by 9:55 AM
  Tours will happen rain or shine
  


• Who:
  Limit 15 people per tour, first come first served
  


• Donation:
  $10 per person, cash only

We look forward to seeing you onsite!

RTD Forms Stakeholder Group

Over the next three months, a group of stakeholders has been assembled by RTD to assess the possible reuses of Denver Union Station. A recommendation, as decided upon by this group of stakeholders, will be made to the RTD Board of Directors in early February 2011. This post elucidates the stakeholder representatives, purpose, vision, and role.

Members of the Stakeholder Group:

• Elbra Wedgeworth/Jerry Glick - DUSPA
• Annie Levinsky - Historic Denver
• Anne Hayes/Ron Straka - Union Station Advocates
• John Desmond - Downtown Denver Partnership
• Mike West - Lower Downtown Neighborhood Association
• Holly Barrett/Chris Shears - Lower Downtown District, Inc.
• Diane Barrett/Ellen Ittelson - City and County of Denver
• Bill Sirois - RTD

As a first step, the group is working on a protocol document that will guide all future discussions. This document will establish:

• Purpose of the Stakeholder Committee
• Group Member Roles
• Facilitation
• Public Input
• Denver Union Station Vision Statement
• Potential Uses of the Station Building
• Funding/Operations Options for Station Building
• Goal of Consensus

Activity Dates:

• Public Meeting – October, 14 2010
  Launch the Process
  Open the Way for Public Input and for Communication between the Stakeholder Group and the Public
  Review Vision and Goals
  Discuss Tradeoffs
  
• Stakeholder Meeting #1 - October, 28 2010
  Affirm Process and Protocols
  Review/Revise/Ratify Goals
  Translate These Into Evaluation Criteria
  Discuss Data Needs and Begin Data Presentations
  First Look – Options/Alternatives
  Expert Panel
  
• Stakeholder Meeting #2 - November, 18 2010
  Building Tour
  Review Data
  3:00 – 5:00 USNC’s office
  In Denver Union Station
  Expert Panel
  
• Stakeholder Meeting #3 - December 16, 2010
  Discuss Options
  Expert Panel
  
• Stakeholder Meeting #4 - January 13, 2011
  Review Independent Evaluation
  Discuss Options/Alternatives
  Identify Most Promising Option or Options
  Discuss Governance
  Begin Consensus Building on Recommendation to RTD Board
  
• Public Meeting #2
  Present Preliminary Conclusions
  Take Feedback
  Expert Panel
  
• Stakeholder Meeting #5
  Build Consensus on Recommendation to RTD Board, January 27, 2011
  Findings to RTD Board, February 1, 2011RTD Board Action, February 15, 2011

We encourage our readers and members to engage in public input meetings! Join us in helping to make Union Station a great public space!

USA September 2010 News Summary

This issue of the USA News Summary provides summaries of DUSPA’s first annual meeting and the public meeting that addressed the latest design refinements to the transit and public realm design. It also provides a construction update, with photo, from USA’s Roving Reporter in the Field. For those interested in the paving materials being considered for the Wynkoop Plaza, please see the section describing the viewing location for three paver mock-up displays. Also see a brief description of USA’s inaugural DUS project tour event and information on notice for future tours.


September 2, 2010 DUSPA Summary

This was the first Annual Meeting of the DUSPA Board. A block nomination for re-appointment of the current board was moved, seconded and approved unanimously. It was mentioned that Mark Smith’s resignation from the Metro District Board has created a vacancy on that board.

The Finance Committee reported that the Master Development Agreement Amendment that includes meeting the federal requirements for release of funds was approved.

In the Owner Representative Report, Bill Mosher stated that $926,000 has been drawn on the $3 million advance, and $65 million has been spent to date on the project with $57,950,000 paid.

Regarding the construction status, Mike Sullivan of Kiewit stated that the project is on schedule with the Light Rail Terminal 45% complete, the Bus Box 20% complete, the Commuter Rail Terminal 14% complete and street/plaza 15% complete. Overall the transit portion of the project is 21% complete. The time spent on the project to date is 549 work days. The transit design for streets will be 100% complete by mid-October and the CRT design is 90% complete. He also stated that remediation of ground water is going well.

Bill Mosher stated the public realm design is in the 30% to 60% phase, and there will be a public meeting on September 15th to present the latest design refinements. He was followed by Ken Haines of Hargreaves, the landscape architectural firm for the project, who showed slides of the current thinking for aspects of the public realm including the 17th Street Gardens and the LRT tubes. The slide presentation is posted on the official www.denverunionstation.org website. Ken also showed some samples of paving material for the Wynkoop Plaza and several possible stone samples for seating walls and other uses.

Bill Mosher then stated that the public realm design was in the “trade-off” stage where changes (upgrades) in some areas can be funded by scope reductions in other areas. DUSPA’s current priorities are 1.) 16th Street Mall, 2.) Wynkoop Plaza, 3.) 17th Street Gardens, 4.) LRT Plaza, and 5.) 18th Street Pedestrian Bridge. The Wynkoop Plaza is 1/3rd of the budget (~$8.8 Million) with ~$15.7 Million for the west side of the station. The annual maintenance budget for the overall project is $4 Million. The public art budget is 1% of the total budget.

Kris Takacs of SOM showed slides of recent design refinements which are also available for viewing on the official www.denverunionstation.org website.

Bill Sirois of RTD talked about the formation of a DUS Historic Building Task Force comprised of people from RTD, USNC, DUSPA, and Historic Denver. He stated that there is an internal task force at RTD putting together the process to decide what to do with the station building. There is to be a Stakeholder Group that includes Historic Denver as well as Union Station Advocates and other interested organizations/persons. Michael Hughes from the Center for Science & Public Policy of The Keystone Center has been hired by RTD to facilitate the public process for Station Building.

USNC is analyzing the building including ascertaining prospective uses and estimating costs for renovation. The individual who is conducting the analysis of the building for USNC is Martin Willie. That analysis will inform the public process.

The meeting adjourned without moving into Executive Session.


Paver Mock-ups and Sample Fencing Material

Kiewit has constructed mock-ups of three paver options for Wynkoop Plaza outside of their offices in Union Station (South wing outdoor seating area). Each is 10’x10’ with two of mock-ups having 4”x8” pavers and another with 6”x12” pavers. The mock-ups will remain in place into October.

There is also a sample of the wire mesh fence that will border the 18th Street pedestrian bridge.


September 15, 2010 Public Meeting Summary

Bill Mosher opened the meeting with a brief statement of project progress schedule. He stated that the transit architecture was 95% complete, and the public realm (landscaping) architecture was 50% complete. Overall the project is 20% complete. The Light Rail Terminal is 60% complete, and the bus box is 20% complete. The relocation of AMTRAK will be complete by February 2011.

Next Jim Gast of AECOM spoke to the design of the 18th Street pedestrian bridge and the DUS canopy. The 18th Street pedestrian bridge is a 15’ wide straight walkway from the north Wynkoop Plaza to the future B-block building on Wewatta. The L leg of the bridge to Wewatta has been eliminated and replaced with stairs, elevator and bikeway at the site of the B-block building. This will provide pedestrian access to both 17th and 18th streets. Currently the design shows an 8’ stainless steel fabric fence bordering both sides of the bridge. The DUS canopy will provide cover between the historic station and the train shed. It will stand alone and not touch the historic station. To provide clearance for emergency and service vehicles, the design currently has a 12” encroachment into the view plane of the west side of the station. The roof will be made of a non-transparent opaque material.

Mary Margaret Jones and Ken Haines of Hargreaves next addressed the current design of the public realm. Mary Margaret stated that money saved from a shortened 18th Street pedestrian bridge would allow for the use of stone versus precast concrete in certain places on the Wynkoop Plaza. Concrete pavers would still be used in highly trafficked corridors. Granite would be used to define “a room within a room” on both the north plaza (incorporating the bosque area) and the south plaza (incorporating the fountain area). (As stated in the previous article, these stone and paver options are current on display in the south plaza.) She next spoke to a design change proposed by the City for parking on the west side of Wynkoop Street between 16th and 18th streets. This would require an encroachment into the plaza area to accommodate drop-off and vehicle parking for taxies, buses and cars. Another design refinement is that seat walls are to be spaced 15’ apart, instead of 12’, to facilitate pedestrian flow. When asked about event space on the south plaza, Mary Margaret stated that with the fountain off there would be an area of approximately 120’ by 50’ that could accommodate a stage (under the trees) and 1000 chairs.

Ken Haines addressed lighting and vegetation. Regarding lighting, column lights will be used throughout the project except for Wynkoop Plaza. Up-lights will be used on the Wynkoop Plaza trees and for the LRT tubes. The lights on Wynkoop Plaza will be painted metal, probably gray in color. LEDs will be used to highlight certain features such as the fountain and the base of benches. There will be under-lights on the 17th Street Garden seat walls. The trees under consideration for the Wynkoop Plaza include Lace Bark Elms along the street and Ginkgo trees spaced 22’ apart within the plaza. Initial plantings on the plaza will be trees of 4” to 4 ½” caliper.
The meeting ended with Bill Sirois describing RTD’s process to assess uses and governance/management issues for the historic station. (See 9/2/10 DUSPA report).


September 22, 2010 DUS Construction Update from our Roving Reporter

Most of the July and August newsletter updates were devoted to describing the early stages of construction of the bus terminal floor. Only one month later, that floor is nearly complete. At least 16,000 cubic feet of concrete have been poured. As you can see in the photo, there is only one section remaining.

The new story is the construction of the bus terminal walls. So far, ten wall sections have been poured. Each section is 19 feet high, 50 feet long, and two feet thick. It appears that 20-25 more sections will be needed to enclose the current floor space.

Two rows of 40 pillars rise from the center of the floor. Each pillar will be 12 feet high. So far, the pillars are made only of rebar, but they start to define the separation of the passenger area in the center from the bus-travel area around the perimeter of the terminal.

Twenty-eight foundations for the canopy support posts at the new light rail station have been built, and two of the support posts have been installed. Those posts are the first examples of non-concrete construction. Handicap ramps are currently being built at each end of the line of foundations. Dirt is being trucked in to create a base for the light rail tracks. Soon, rails will be welded together on site in preparation for laying the tracks at the station.

Remember to go to Denverinfill.com/blog/ for frequent updates and photos of the project.





September 22, 2010 Inaugural USA Tour of the DUS Project

In a co-sponsored event with LDDI and LoDoNA, Union Station Advocates conducted a birds-eye tour of the Union Station Project from the balcony of the Anstey’s unit in the Glass House. Despite rainy weather, the view of the project was spectacular and the 40+ attendees appreciated the overview presentations and Q&A sessions conducted by Ken Schroeppel and Rick Anstey. Starting in October, DenverInfill, in conjunction with USA, will be conducting semi-monthly tours of the project. More information about upcoming October tours will be available through www.denverinfill.com/blog or the www.unionstationadvocates.org website.

To download this News Summary in PDF format, please click here.

USA August 2010 News Summary

This month’s USA News Summary reports on the August 5, 2010 DUSPA meeting and includes a schedule of public meetings for the next several months. USA’s Roving Reporter in the Field has provided an informative report on construction progress including a recent photo of the in-process bus box and light rail terminal.

August 5, 2010 DUSPA Summary

TIFIA/RRIA LOAN UPDATE

The loans closed on July 23. Both closed with lower interest rates than anticipated. DUSPA is now working on reporting and compliance details.

OWNER REPORT

There will be a new construction schedule issued in the next 30 days. The project is now 18.5% complete. The Light Rail Platform is 30% complete, the Bus Box is 17% and the Streets and Plazas are 16% complete. The 100% completion date has been moved up a month to April 2014 from May 2014. There are 46 months of construction left in the schedule. There have been 521 consecutive work days accident free.

Design will be 100% complete by October for everything but the public realm.

Concrete pours have started and there will be 15 separate pours each needing 110 to 130 concrete trucks. The pour days commence at 3:30 a.m.

The east platform wall is 100% done. The utility relocations are going well.

The USA resolution was distributed to the board members and they were told that the design of the pedestrian bridge was being refined.

Ground water remediation is still a challenge, but they continue to be in compliance yet are trying to become more efficient.

An asbestos survey of the site was done. There are two areas of remediation that are unavoidable. One is the storm line through the north parcel and the other is the waterproof wrap around the pedestrian tunnel.

A revised budget was handed out. There will be a quarterly review of the budget from here on out.

The next DUSPA board meeting will be a tour of the construction site. Starting in September the meetings will be reduced to once a month on the 1st Thursday.

August 24, 2010 USA Construction Update from USA’s Roving Reporter in the Field

Since the July newsletter, much progress has been accomplished. Most notable is the construction of the elaborate rebar structure that will provide strength for the floor of the bus terminal.

Multiple flatbed tractor trailers have been delivering loads of rebar each a day for several weeks. Much of it is 60-feet long #10, which is 1.25 inches in diameter and 4.3 pounds per foot. Each piece weighs 258 pounds. After the rebar is unloaded and staged, the crane “flies” it into the specific work spot at a rate of 2.5 tons per flight. The base level of rebar is the typical raw steel. Vertical pieces of green, epoxy-coated rebar are shaped like an upside-down V. Straight, green pieces are tied to the top of the vertical pieces to form a giant three-dimensional grid. Sheets of membrane material that are being installed over the concrete mud slab and under the rebar will adhere to the bottom of the new concrete floor, making the terminal water proof.

Four of 17 sections of the bus terminal concrete floor have been poured. Each section requires 100-140 trucks delivering 1,000-1,400 cubic yards of concrete. The floor is very thick (four feet) to be sure that it will not float once the dewatering system is dismantled and the ground water rises back to its normal level.

Work also continues on other segments of the project. Concrete forms for the bus terminal walls are being constructed and staged along the sides of the hole. Foundations for the new light rail tracks and passenger platform are still being constructed and foundations for the catenary system (overhead electric lines for the light rail) are being installed. Foundations for the elevators and escalators have been completed. Interior renovations of the temporary Amtrak station at Wewatta and 21st streets are nearing completion and work has begun on retaining walls adjacent to the current passenger tracks near the Union Station building.

Remember to go to Denverinfill.com/blog/ for frequent updates and photos.

DUS Construction Celebration Planned for September 7

The Regional Transportation District (RTD), Denver Union Station Project Authority and City and County of Denver will host a Denver Union Station Construction Celebration on Tuesday, September 7, 2010, at 1:30 P.M. Governor Bill Ritter, Mayor John Hickenlooper, RTD Chairman Lee Kemp and General Manager Phil Washington will make remarks.

Denver Union Station is the centerpiece of the RTD’s FasTracks transit expansion program and will serve as a multimodal hub for the region. The project will generate thousands of jobs and add more than $3 billion into our state's economy over the next decade, creating jobs and improving transportation mobility choices. With the unique financing structure completed, construction on the transportation facilities is in full swing.

The public is invited to attend and celebrate this remarkable public-private partnership and the impact it will have on our region for generations to come.

RTD Historic Station Building Task Force Update

The following is the update provided to the RTD Board recently concerning RTD’s analysis of the historic Union Station and their process for its future restoration and reuse:

RTD DUS Historic Building Task Force

Meeting since March to develop information for RTD Board decision on long‐term interest in DUS future uses and management

Union Station Neighborhood Development Company (USNC)

Contracted with Denver Union Station Project Authority (DUSPA) to develop an assessment of building infrastructure requirements, potential future uses, and capital/operating cost estimates

DUS Historic Structures Assessment (Historic Denver)

Analysis of critical deficiencies and solutions required to rehabilitate, restore or preserve the historical features of the building

Study timing

Important to keep pace with existing DUS construction and to prepare for infrastructure investments needed to support use or current condition

Public investment required

Developing a common understanding of building and investment required for redevelopment is important in weighing viability of future uses

Amtrak facility requirements

Requirement under any scenario to have space for Amtrak to move back into the building

Open process

Stakeholder /public involvement important because of interest and historic importance of the building

Develop goals/objectives for process

Overall goals/objectives to use for framing ultimate Board decision. Steps to develop recommendation for Board:

1. Develop understanding of building through use of USNC ‘s Technical Assessment and Historic Structures Assessment

2. Evaluate types of uses that would be viable for the building

3. Look at options for dealing with capital and ongoing operating costs and evaluate ownership/governance options for the building

Solicit public/stakeholder input

Conduct series of meetings to introduce analysis, solicit input, shape alternatives, display preliminary findings for comment

Third party review

Independent consultant/expert panel to provide feedback to the Board on USNC’s analysis and recommendations from process Provide staff recommendation with feedback and input from process for a RTD Board decision

Next Steps

Aug 24 - RTD Board; process overview/kick‐off

Sept 2 - DUSPA Board: process overview, goals/objectives

Late Sept/early Oct - Initial public meeting

Oct. 5 - FasTracks Monitoring Committee update

Oct/Nov - Stakeholder meetings: ID potential uses, viability

Dec. 7 - FasTracks Monitoring Committee update

December - Stakeholder meetings: review potential uses, governance, costs

Jan. 4 - FasTracks Monitoring Committee update

January - Final public meeting

Feb. 1 - Findings/staff recommendation to Board

Feb. 15 - Board action

Membership Renewal Time

Time to renew your USA membership! Please help us out by renewing your membership today. The easiest way is to renew by credit card or PayPal on our website. Please go to:

http://www.unionstationadvocates.org/membership.html

Thank you for your continued support!

To download a PDF of this news summary, click here.

USA July 2010 News Summary

The big news this month is the signing of the USDOT loan documents for the Union Station project. See News Release immediately below. Also herein are reports on the July 8 and 16 DUSPA meetings and construction progress from USA’s Roving Reporter in the Field.

July 23 News Release

Denver Union Station Project Authority Closes
Two Loans with U.S. Department of Transportation

LOANS COMPLETE FUNDING PACKAGE FOR REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT

DENVER – The Denver Union Station Project Authority (DUSPA) and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) announced the closing today on a $145.6 million Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) loan and a $155 million loan under the Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing Program (RRIF) for Denver Union Station (DUS). DUS is the centerpiece of the Regional Transportation District’s (RTD) FasTracks transit expansion program and will serve as a multimodal transportation hub for the region.

“We are delighted the Department of Transportation found a creative way to use different loan programs to help fund the Denver Union Station redevelopment,” said Mayor John Hickenlooper. “This project will generate thousands of jobs and put more than $3 billion into our state’s economy over the next decade. We are grateful to the Department of Transportation for helping us invest in Colorado’s future and improving transportation options for everyone who lives in and around the metro area.”

The loan closings guarantee the completion of the public transportation infrastructure of the redevelopment including a 22 bay underground bus facility, a light rail station for current and future light rail routes, a commuter rail station that will serve Amtrak and the East, Gold, North Metro and Northwest Rail commuter rail lines, extension of the 16th Street Mall Shuttle and public plazas to integrate transit service with adjacent neighborhoods. “The DUS project is the most important economic development initiative for the City of Denver and the State of Colorado. It has taken commitment and determination from very dedicated Board members, city and RTD leadership, staff and other stakeholders for this project to move forward and it has been worth every step,” said DUSPA Board President Elbra Wedgeworth. “This is a remarkable achievement for DUSPA and our partners.”

The DUS project represents the first time the two federal loan programs have worked together to fund a major infrastructure project. By working with the DOT, the interest rates on the loans are slightly below 4%, well below what could have been secured in the tax-exempt capital markets.

“This transaction has had many loan structuring challenges due to the prospective nature of the tax-increment revenues,” said Claude Pumilia, Denver’s chief financial officer. “We met this challenge by tailoring debt service to our future revenues and using the cash flow to create additional reserves to act as a safeguard, while still meeting the loan repayment criteria.”

In addition to the federal loans, funding for project includes money from state and federal grants and allocations from the FasTracks program.

“Today’s announcement ensures Denver Union Station will be ready when our new transit corridors are completed,” said RTD Chairman Lee Kemp. “This is a critical step in helping deliver the voter-approved FasTracks program that will greatly improve mobility around our region.” Early construction work including utilities relocation and excavation of the regional bus facility has been underway since 2009. The RTD Board approved bridge funding to DUSPA to allow DUS construction to advance while the project awaited approval of the federal loans.
The DUSPA was formed by the City and County of Denver in July 2009 to serve as the financing and contracting entity for the transportation improvements at DUS, through a partnership with RTD, the city, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG) and the DUS Metropolitan District.

July 8 and 16 DUSPA Meeting Summaries

TIFIA/RRIF Loans: Legal documents required for closing were approved by the board in a special board meeting on July 16th. It is expected that the loan close sometime during the week of July 19th.

At the July 8th meeting a quarterly draft budget was distributed. It was stated that an updated budget would be distributed every quarter. The budget reflects a total project cost of approximately $481 million dollars. So far there have been 10 change orders to the project with an 11th pending and $4.4 million of the $18.5 million contingency has been used.

The Owner Representative Report included the following construction updates:

- The ground water permit was re-issued two weeks prior to deal with the high iron content. Samples will be taken each Friday and the findings will be averaged monthly. The first tests show that the mitigation measures are working.
- The placement of mud slabs that go down prior to the slab on grade has commenced.
- Waterproofing has started
- Work continues on the Light Bulb Building (Amtrak temporary location)
- Light Rail platform work continues with pouring of foundation walls.

A new based schedule is being prepared reflecting the April 28th Notice To Proceed.

The draft DUS Historic Structures Assessment Report has been completed and submitted to the Owner Representative. This report identifies the improvements that are required to upgrade the building.

July 23, 2010: Report from USA’s Roving Reporter in the Field

As reported last month, upgrading the dewatering system to remove high amounts of iron from the ground water brought the project to a halt. After about three weeks, the problems were solved and construction resumed in late-June.

The most recent progress is depicted in the photo below. In the past month, a 6-inch thick mud slab (concrete floor) has been poured over most of the bottom of the bus terminal hole. The purpose of the slab is simply to give the Kiewit construction crew a solid, flat surface upon which to work on building the foundation, which serves as the floor, for the bus terminal. In the center of the photo below is a large white square. That is the concrete mud slab, about half of which is covered with a water proof membrane. Further up the photo is a darker area. That’s concrete covered with the membrane and also covered with a dense amount of rebar. As mentioned in last month’s report, the bus terminal floor will be 4-feet thick. Combining that amount of concrete with tons and tons of heavy-duty rebar (it takes three workers to carry one piece of rebar) will make for a very solid foundation.

Referring again to the photo below, please notice foundations for the two escalators and the sole elevator. They are inside the area covered by the concrete mud slab. Those escalators and the elevator, of course, will eventually carry passengers between the below-grade bus terminal and the street level plaza.

It is difficult to pick out in the photo, but surrounding the mud slab are a 4-foot high concrete forms. They are being installed in preparation for pouring the concrete bus terminal floor on the mud slab, after the membrane and rebar are completed. It will be interesting to watch tens of thousands of cubic yards of concrete flowing into that hole.

Work also continues on the new light rail station and light rail tracks along the consolidated main line (the freight tracks). Likewise, there is ongoing progress on the temporary Amtrak terminal at 21st and Wewatta streets. Visually, those two construction sites are far less dramatic than the bus terminal site.

The best places to view the project are the two pedestrian bridges: the Millennium Bridge and the nearby Union Gateway Bridge. If you like big construction activity, be sure to watch Denverinfill.com/blog/ for information on when the concrete will start pouring into the massive floor.

Membership Renewal Time!

Time to renew your USA membership! Please help us out by renewing your membership today. The easiest way is to renew by credit card or PayPal on our website. Please go to:
http://www.unionstationadvocates.org/membership.html
Thank you for your continued support!

Union Station Advocates Is Now On Facebook!

Are you a USA member or just excited about our historic Union Station and its big transformation? Join us on Facebook by being a fan of Union Station Advocates! Here’s a link: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/Union-Station-Advocates/43803914945?ref=ts

To download a PDF copy of this month's news summary, please click here.