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38 < m ETRO m AGAZINE JUNE 2014 metro-magazine.com The revamped design incorporates new modes, such as bicycle, bus and light rail, along with added emphasis on vehicular interfaces to the depot, which was not originally designed for modern vehicle operations. BY GREG S. BROWN, PE Union Depot in St. Paul, Minn., with 132 years of history behind it, has been revi- talized into a multimodal transportation hub with regional and national signifi- cance. Te 33-acre site was transformed from a defunct rail station to an active transportation center in the heart of a thriving neighborhood. Its long history, during which it was built and rebuilt sev- eral times, presented the owner and de- signers with a number of interesting chal- lenges from the start of the project to its conclusion. Union Depot was originally construct- ed in 1881 but was destroyed by a fre in 1913. It was rebuilt between 1917 and 1926 by the St. Paul Union Depot Co., which represented nine major railroads. During the boom years of the passenger rail era, the depot served more than 140 trains carrying more than 20,000 passen- gers a day. After rail passenger service to Union Depot ended in 1971, portions of the structure were converted to a mail sorting facility for the adjacent U.S. Post- al Service and Custom House. In 1974, it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Three years ago, the Ramsey County Regional Railroad Authority (RCRRA) secured federal, state, and county fund- ing to finance the $150 million restora- View of renovated Union Depot at new Sibley Street-Kellogg Boulevard entrance. Historic St. Paul Depot Revived as Modern Multimodal Hub tion and renovation project. Te project involved restoring the Minnesota land- mark to its original use as a multimodal transportation hub accommodating Am- trak, intercity and transit buses, pedestri- ans, bicycles, and future commuter rail and high-speed rail service for the state and the region. Access to light rail is avail- able just steps away from Union Depot's North Plaza. STATE-OF-THE-ART TRANSIT CENTER Te revitalized facility features a green overlook to the Mississippi River with views both upstream and downstream to an active working riverfront. It