Criticisms of a draft plan to revamp D.C.'s Union Station have described the proposal as far too concerned with car storage.
Following controversy this summer about the proposal to revamp Union Station in Washington, D.C., the team behind the revamp has offered a new vision for the project, one more focused on people, placemaking, and transit, than car parking.
According to an article by George Kevin Jordan, "Akridge, the company that owns the air rights above rail tracks, and oversees Burnham Place, a sibling development project at Union Station, has offered up some new renderings and a video offering an alternative vision of the renovation project."
The controversy created by the number of parking spots included in the proposed redesign created news in July, but the earlier iteration's treatment of car pick up and drop off and the station's bus station have also faced fierce debate, according to the article. The concerns about the previous design were enough to compel D.C. Andrew Trueblood, director of D.C.’s Office of Planning, to release a statement criticizing the proposed designs.
Jordan provides a lot of detail about how the new designs have revised the previous designs, breaking down how the new designs address each of the areas listed above to make Union Station both a place for millions of people to pass through efficiently (100,000 people use the station every day, according to the article), but also to create a sense of place at the station that makes people want to stay a little while.
The Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Washington Union Station Expansion Project, created by the Federal Rail Administration (FRA), is available for public review and comment until September 28.
FULL STORY: New renderings offer a revamped vision of a Union Station designed for people, placemaking, and transit
Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House
If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.
World's Largest Wildlife Overpass In the Works in Los Angeles County
Caltrans will soon close half of the 101 Freeway in order to continue construction of the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing near Agoura Hills in Los Angeles County.
U.S. Supreme Court: California's Impact Fees May Violate Takings Clause
A California property owner took El Dorado County to state court after paying a traffic impact fee he felt was exorbitant. He lost in trial court, appellate court, and the California Supreme Court denied review. Then the U.S. Supreme Court acted.
California Grid Runs on 100% Renewable Energy for Over 9 Hours
The state’s energy grid was entirely powered by clean energy for some portion of the day on 37 out of the last 45 days.
New Forecasting Tool Aims to Reduce Heat-Related Deaths
Two federal agencies launched a new, easy-to-use, color-coded heat warning system that combines meteorological and medical risk factors.
AI Traffic Management Comes to Dallas-Fort Worth
Several Texas cities are using an AI-powered platform called NoTraffic to help manage traffic signals to increase safety and improve traffic flow.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Tufts University, Department of Urban and Environmental Policy & Planning
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.