Economic hopes are high in Springfield, Mass., due largely to the renovation of a 200,000-sq-ft historic 90-year-old train station. The $94-million Springfield Union Station restoration reflects a nationwide trend in transportation and “placemaking”—the attempt to transform train stations into multimodal hubs of commerce, entertainment and urban living.
Construction began in the spring of 2013 and reached substantial completion on Jan. 23—three weeks ahead of schedule—with plans to be operational by April. The CM-at-risk contract included complete renovation of the building and its central concourse to support Amtrak ticketing and waiting, intercity and state-supported regional rail service, as well as regional and intercity bus operations. The intermodal complex includes 26 bus berths for public and private carriers, an Amtrak station, and a CSX freight line.