Union Station: Greedy Developer's Broken Promise #1 (Denver: 2014, lease, hotel)

[KaaBoom]

I've been critical of Union Station Alliance's plans to turn Union Station into a yuppie hotel, since the beginning. Anyone who would come up with such a horrid plan for a historic train station, does not have the best interest of the building at heart. Looks like I was right. Here is their first broken promise. There will be many more.

Union Station developers give beloved model train layout the boot
By Patricia Calhoun Tue., Apr. 23 2013 at 12:01 PM

The beloved model-train layouts in the basement of Union Station have reached the end of the line. Back when two developers were competing for the contract to redevelop the facility, both promised there would always be a spot for the model trains -- and the clubs that ran them. And when those rail buffs held one last public open house in November 2011 before shrouding their layouts until the redevelopment was done, they had no doubt that their trains would be back on track in 2014. But now that plan has been derailed.

Union Station Alliance, the outfit chosen by the RTD board to redevelop Union Station, has determined that both train layouts must go.

Union Station developers give beloved model train layout the boot - Denver - News - The Latest Word

[SkyDog77]

What was your plan for Union Station? It's a shame you moved to sunny California. This place is falling apart without you here. I really wish you would move back soon. Sorry our weather sucks.

[denverian]

I thought yuppies stayed in the '80s?

[Owain1]

Originally Posted by denverian

I thought yuppies stayed in the '80s?

Oh no, they are alive and well and invading a trendy area near you soon.

[KaaBoom]

Originally Posted by SkyDog77

What was your plan for Union Station?

I have already posted it before, but here goes again.

I would have used the station just as it was. Spent a few million to clean and repair it. The Amtrak ticket window would have stayed right where it was. I would have used the existing rail platforms and the historic tunnels for access from the train platforms into the station. They were in great condition. RTD had just completely renovated them when they bought Union Station. One platform for Amtrak, one platform for the Airport line, one platform for the Gold line, and there would have still been a couple of extra tracks for future lines. I'd have put the RTD customer service window, right next to Amtrak.

Then I would have built a combination underground bus and light rail station under the parking lot on the south side of the station, at the 16th St. Mall and Wynkoop St. with a Mall Shuttle turn around loop above it. That way transit riders could have made easy transfers between light rail, regional busses, mall shuttles, all right there at the intersection of 16th and Wynkoop. Or they could walked the up stairs and into Union Station to catch Amtrak or the commuter trains.

Not only would that have been more convenient for transit riders, but it would have saved RTD a ton of money by not having to build all the extra infrastructure. Plus with all the pedestrian traffic concentrated in the historical station, I expect that it would have been easy for RTD to lease out space for retail. The way they have it now, I think its going to be pretty hard for them to lease it.

Oh, and I would have left the model trains in the basement.

[KaaBoom]

Originally Posted by denverian

I thought yuppies stayed in the '80s?

Nope they are alive and well, and they hate model trains. As a matter of fact they hate anything that doesn't make them money.

[denverian]

Originally Posted by KaaBoom

Nope they are alive and well, and they hate model trains. As a matter of fact they hate anything that doesn't make them money.

I live in Stapleton, so maybe I'm one of them But I had a huge model train set as a kid... loved playing with that thing!

I really have no opinion on Union Station. They're saving the nice old building, and I'm fine with a boutique hotel. I'll probably never step foot in any of it until the rail line to the airport is up and running since I'll then be able to take the train to Union Station. It'll be interesting to see how all the surrounding development turns out.

[KaaBoom]

Originally Posted by denverian

I live in Stapleton, so maybe I'm one of them But I had a huge model train set as a kid... loved playing with that thing!

I really have no opinion on Union Station. They're saving the nice old building, and I'm fine with a boutique hotel. I'll probably never step foot in any of it until the rail line to the airport is up and running since I'll then be able to take the train to Union Station. It'll be interesting to see how all the surrounding development turns out.

The problem is that the old building didn't need to be saved. It was working just fine the way it was. All it needed was a little bit of fixing up.

Now that the developers have already broken their first promise, by kicking the model railroads out of the basement. What promise will they break next? Maybe the promise to let train passengers use the Great Hall (aka the hotel lobby)? They only made that promise under duress, in a last ditch effort to save their plan, in face of public opposition.

This project is a mess.

[denverian]

Originally Posted by KaaBoom

.

This project is a mess.

I think you're on your own with that opinion. You don't even live here, so what do you care if they tear it down and put in a Dollar Store? (Ok, that would **** me off lol!)

[brown_dog_us]

From the Denver Post:

The PV&W club complains they are being permanently kicked out, but the Midland group sees it as a necessary short-term move and fully expects to be back.
"We haven't received any notice that we're being evicted," said Hugh Blaney, president of the Midland group.
The president of the PV&W, Chris Rand, however, thinks the alliance has been slowly pushing the trains out for months.
"Every indication we have is that there's no space for us," Rand said. He said the developers have mentioned space is needed for a stairwell or mechanical room.


Read more: Model trains forced out by Union Station renovation are not certain to return - The Denver Post Model trains forced out by Union Station renovation are not certain to return - The Denver Post