Photo by Chang Kim

The transit station features fabric-topped canopies resembling wings.

Photo by Ryan Gobuty

The $50-million El Monte Transit project more than doubled the size of the existing station so that it can more efficiently serve the 40,000 daily transit passengers who travel between downtown Los Angeles and the San Gabriel Valley.

The 350,000-sq-ft, two-level bus transit center includes 29 bus berths and serves multiple transit systems. The station's entry buildings feature angled walls and fabric-topped canopies that resemble wings, helping to create a sense of motion.

To meet the challenge of incorporating the original vision for the project into the final design, the project team collaborated extensively to create this LEED-Gold-certified station that judges called "terrific looking and world class."

Key Players

Contractor KPRS Construction Services Inc., Brea

Owner Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transit Authority

Lead Design RNL, Los Angeles

Architect-of-Record/Exec. Arch. Gensler, Los Angeles

Civil Engineer W2 Design, Pasadena

Structural Engineer Nabih Youssef Associates, Los Angeles; Saiful Bouquet, Pasadena

MEP Engineer Storms & Lowe, Los Angeles; PBS Engineers, Glendora

Landscape Architect Melendrez, Los Angeles