Completed Raleigh Union Station will serve as a catalyst for the city’s Warehouse District
By David Malone, Associate Editor
Skanska USA and Clancy & Theys and in association with Holt Brothers Construction recently completed construction on Raleigh Union Station, an adaptive reuse project in Raleigh’s Warehouse District. The multi-modal transit center, designed by Clearscapes and STV will serve as a catalyst for the revitalized district and provide a hub for future upgraded commuter rail service in the community.
The project converted the abandoned Dillon Supply Warehouse into the 26,000-sf urban transport center. The center houses passenger rail facilities, commercial space, and interior and exterior civic space for special events.
Courtesy Raleigh Union Station.
Skanska preserved 80% of the structural steel from the Dillon Supply Warehouse and used it to frame the new terminal building. The rust-colored steel provides a visual connection between the buildings history and its current role as an Amtrak station. The original concrete footing of the building is also visible in the new setting.
A red oxide color is used throughout the building to match the rust-colored steel with black, gray, and orange accents used on other building elements, such as the 40 to 50 foot sliding barn doors found across the station.
The station also includes:
— two rail bridges
— a passenger concourse and tunnel
— a 950-foot-long center-loading train platform
— A larger waiting room and enhanced amenities for Amtrak passengers
— A grand Civic Hall for large public events
— A large public plaza that provides an urban gathering area and space for special events
— Commercial rental space for retail, office, or restaurants
— A center island passenger platform with level-boarding to provide better access for wheelchairs and strollers
— Sustainable features such as on-site bioretention, permeable pavement systems, green roof areas, and other stormwater management features
— A pollinator garden that includes plants chosen to enhance the populations of pollinating creatures in the area
Raleigh Union Station replaces a previous facility on Cabarrus Street. The first trains will arrive this summer.
See Also: The winning design for the Paris metro station competition looks like a giant, loopy “P”
