ReTown President & Managing Director and our company have worked extensively on transit-oriented developments (TODs) and train stations.
ReTown redeveloped the Metra station in Palatine, Illinois, and has also been involved with plans for the Amtrak intermodal station in Detroit, Michigan, a TOD and downtown design for Mundelein, Illinois, an intermodal transit station in Waukegan, Illinois, and a TOD and downtown design for Michigan City, Indiana.
Following is a re-post of a story about the King Street Station renovation by ZGF Architects in Seattle, Washington, written by Samuel Cochran for Architectural Digest.
The renovated interior of Seattle’s King Street Station, completed by ZGF Architects, showcases the ceiling’s stunning early-20th-century plasterwork. Photo: Benjamin Benschneider/Otto. Featured photo at top by Doug Scott.
Hard as it might be to imagine, until recently the exquisite plasterwork at Seattle’s King Street Station was hidden under a drop ceiling of acoustical panels and fluorescent lighting. Such unfortunate interventions were made in the mid-20th century as part of shortsighted efforts to modernize the 1906 rail terminal, which was designed by the architecture firm Reed and Stem. But a $55 million renovation, completed by ZGF Architects last year, has returned the building to its original glory. The project removed clumsy additions and revived historic elements, chief among them the ornamental relief that crowns the 45-foot-high waiting room. Structural upgrades now ensure the longevity of the station (a commuter-rail stop as well as Seattle’s main Amtrak hub), while an adjacent parking lot has been transformed into a public plaza, connecting the surrounding Pioneer Square neighborhood with this magnificent city landmark.
Before: The original plasterwork hidden above a drop ceiling.
The waiting hall in 1907.
After: The beautifully restored ticketing area.
Before: The ticketing area pre-restoration.
After: The exterior of the station and drop-off area.
Before: The weathered exterior and drop-off area.
The station entry in 1906.
You can read the original story here.