Chicago Union Station, opened in 1925 and now Amtrak’s fourth-busiest (serving 37.6 million Amtrak and Metra rail passengers annually, 120,000 on a typical weekday), has undergone a $22 million restoration of its Great Hall, featuring a restored skylight and improved lighting.
Amtrak is on notice by the Surface Transportation Board (STB) that should it discriminate against other railroads sharing access to Amtrak’s wholly owned Chicago Union Station (CUS), it could face regulatory discipline.
Amtrak’s $22 million project to restore and improve historic Chicago Union Station’s Great Hall is under way. The year-long project will result in a public space painted in its original colors, and made brighter by a restored and protected skylight with improved lighting.
Chicago announced Jan. 12 that the city, along with Amtrak, Metra, the RTA and the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) Build America Bureau are entering into an Emerging Projects Agreement (EmPA), towards the ultimate goal of seeking up to $1 billion in federal funding for the Union Station modernization project.
Amtrak has selected a short list of four joint ventures that will compete to become Master Developer for commercial elements of Chicago Union Station (CUS) and other neighboring properties, all owned by Amtrak.
Amtrak is seeking responses to a Request For Qualification (RFQ) for a Master Developer for commercial elements of Chicago Union Station (CUS) and neighboring properties.
