Historic Fresno Train Depot Will Become Part of HSR Station

One of the first four stations for California’s north-south high-speed rail line will repurpose a 150-year-old train depot originally built in 1872.

“Designated for potential future use as a hospitality and office space, the original building will sit alongside new public plazas that the California High-Speed Rail Authority hopes to be an alluring gateway to the train system, as well as a spark for economic development in Fresno’s downtown,” writes Nate Berg in Fast Company.

Fresno’s depot is listed in the National Register of Historic Places, and its Queen Anne-style architecture recalls the steam-era of train travel that helped build many parts of the Western U.S. Though it’s been disused since the 1970s, the historic depot sits alongside a freight rail right of way that has been expanded to accommodate the new high-speed train line.

The building is being retrofitted for seismic safety and will likely house restaurants and other businesses.