Okay, let me tell you guys something. As you know, I live in DC. I drive my car to work (little choice, unfortunately), but other than that I try to use transit/cabs, etc. DC is a great city, and it benefits a lot from being a part of the BosWash corridor.
I have more and more frequently been visiting DC's Union Station these days. Not because I am planning any trips. Actually, because it is so damn awesome. It is humungous, it is classic, and it connects Amtrak to the local Metro. It is has several levels of shops, restaurants, 5-6 bars, usually an artistic presentation in the main hall, movie theatres--and the best feature, a great food court. This food court has all types of quick restaurants, ranging from Sushi, to Thai Food, to German sausages, to coffee and deserts, to Indian food. When I look at DC's Union Station I realize that no single rail depot in America, outside of Grand Central Station, beats it.
Now I think about Chicago's Union Station. Honestly, I have only seen it from the outside. Today, in DC, I sat next to a guy who travels frequently by rail, and I brought up Chicago's Union Station. He said it is a beautiful building with a lot of potential, but said "it's too empty. Plus there are all these weird peddlers always trying to sell you things. There are a few restaurants that have great food, but definitely needs a lot of work. Chicago needs to be more classy--it needs to do more with all of that space!"
Interestingly, he said that DC's Union Station was also a piece of shit until recent city renovations, which were very expensive--but trust me, when I tell you, DC's Union Station is fucking AWESOME. Anybody who likes transit and great rail depots would love this place.
Back to Chicago. The Central Area plan wants to combine Union Station and Ogilvie into a grand West Loop transit center, or whatever. But what about now? Are there any plans to add more amenities--retail shops, a food court, some more activity, etc, to Union Station? After all, it is Chicago's great link between national and regional rail, and I think the city should invest in it more--just like they pour so much into O'Hare.
Final question. Is Union Station connected to the CTA, or the pedway, or does it just connect to Metra?> |
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