Capitol Hill Restoration Society

Building Conservation Associates Finalizes Preservation Plan for Union Station

Posted on May 25th, 2015

The Union Station Preservation Coalition is an advocacy group lobbying for the preservation and long term planning of Union Station’s expansion.  The Coalition was formed in 2013 in response to plans for Burnham Place.  The Coalition is led by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, together with the Committee of 100; DC Preservation League, CHRS, and the District of Columbia Office of Planning.

Burnham Place would greatly expand the passenger terminal in conjunction with the 14 acre air rights project above a reconstructed rail yard.  Burnham Place will bring significant changes to Union Station’s retail areas and also alter circulation patterns through and around Union Station.  The Coalition has worked closely with the Union Station Redevelopment Corporation (USRC) to assure that the historic fabric of Union Station will be preserved, restored, and enhanced.

USRC recognized that a planning document was needed to guide any expansion and engaged Building Conservation Associates (BCA) to develop the Preservation Plan.  The purpose of the Preservation Plan is to identify and document the existing condition of historic fabric to be preserved and restored as changes are undertaken. The Coalition recently commented on the final draft of BCA’s Washington Union Station Preservation Plan. The Coalition’s letter is posted here.  After BCA’s Preservation Plan is complete, the Coalition expects the Preservation Plan to be available on-line, and CHRS will provide a link to the completed document.