What is Happening with Union Station?

Meeting on Denver Union Station's Public Plaza
Wednesday, Dec. 12 at 5:30 pm
RTD Administrative Offices
1600 Blake Street, basement
Bus: 0, 1, 6, 10, 20, 44, 120X, B, AF (Other buses will get you there, but stop running before the end of the meeting)

I was reminded to put this announcement up by Edie Bryan's report to ColoRail members about the Denver Union Station Project. She working to make sure that ColoRail has a decent showing. We need to make sure that the project is really open to the general public, and is oriented to people who walk, ride the bus, and take the train.

Here is her report in full: 

AMTRAK trains will relocate to their new location Februrary 1, 2014, now a firm date.  This will necessitate a new lease between RTD and AMTRAK.  The historic Denver Union Station has been turned over to RTD to manage with the new hotel management, Team USA,  and is no longer under DUSPA  (Denver Union Station Project Authority).  All tenants have moved their offices out of DUS to 1441 18th street.

The longshoreman strike on the west coast is a snag, slowing the timely delivery of fabric and construction materials.  

The public art project, previously rejected, is going to be handled under the city of Denver public art process.  David Chavez  of the city showed photos of various projects, such as the blue bear, and a spiral at the convention center.  The major criteria  is maintenance and longevity, as well as fitting the site.  Some discussion about getting other entities to participate in the public art funding.  You definitely get a higher level of interest from artists with a larger budget.  The public art will be on RTD property, so RTD will be responsible for the maintenance, upkeep, and repairs,

The whole DUSPA project is on schedule with no environmental risks left, only schedule and budget risks.    $357,109 has been spent so far, with Kiewit getting $267 thousand.  Kiewit has a record number of days without any worker injury and the workers take pride in that. 

A diagram was distributed showing some 10 different building sites in the vicinity, not counting the historic Denver Union Station itself.  These are all under construction at this time.  (I will bring this to the meeting.  These include the North and South Wing buildings, Cadence apatments, Block A apartments, 16th & Wewatta Office building ALTA City House and 2100 Delgany.  

RTD has scheduled a public meeting for input on the Wynkoop plaza design.  5:30 p.m. at the RTD offices on Blake Street.