During America's train/rail heyday, ST. LOUIS UNION STATION was once the busiest rail center and station in the world. Reopened and restored in the 1980's, St. Louis Union Station was developed into a visitor/tourist attraction.



Today, Union Station has seen/had it's comings and goings but remains one of the city's top tourist destinations. Plans and proposals have been charted to add residential and more shops to the 107 year old station. Currently the station is having an outside facelift and cleaning. The station is home to approx. 60 shops, restaurants, clubs/bars, and has Hyatt Union Station in the Grand Hotel. Drury Hotel Union station and Hampton Inn Union Station also provide accommodations within the Union Station parameters.



Union Station is only served by specialty excursion trains and by St. Louis' METRO rail system which utilizes the Union Station subway tunnel beneath the train shed. Amtrak, Greyhound, and Metro buses will soon utilize the new Gateway Transporation Center next door to Union Station (when completed this summer/fall).



Photos taken on Saturday, May 12, 2005



Coming off the METRO at Union Station: Date/Time:







The Station:

Amazing building. Thanks for the pics.

Wow - that girl in black looks like she's about to kick your a$$! Nice pics - there are a lot more people there than the last time I was inside - a lot of people eating especially. Good news.

I can't for the life of me figure out why anyone would want to go out in one of those paddle boats on that tiny little "lake". But that's just me...

^ ...and is it intentional that the water in that "lake" always looks like it came straight out of the Mississippi?

Union Station--

truly gorgeous building

crappy 80s mall defacing it, however

how sweet it would be to rip out those chain restaurants & parking underneath the large shed roof in the back and (re)construct train platforms where commuter rail or metrolink lines from far out suburban areas (metro IL?) could terminate and make transfers...

Union Station should be the multi-modal center for the region, not some awkward building next to the interstate.

The door has closed on making Union Station the region's multi-modal hub with a modern hub being built at Civic Center. Likewise, Gateway Mall won't be an open vista for years to come, with Gateway One's Class A office space long closing that door, and with the New I-64 underway, the door is closed for MetroLink to be built along Highway 40.



Should've, could've, would've... Rather than complain about past decisions, it's time to think about other options for Union Station. Surely, there are more options than a multi-modal center (door closed) or a festival marketplace (tired, current use).

southslider wrote:The door has closed on making Union Station the region's multi-modal hub with a modern hub being built at Civic Center. Likewise, Gateway Mall won't be an open vista for years to come, with Gateway One's Class A office space long closing that door, and with the New I-64 underway, the door is closed for MetroLink to be built along Highway 40.



Should've, could've, would've... Rather than complain about past decisions, it's time to think about other options for Union Station. Surely, there are more options than a multi-modal center (door closed) or a festival marketplace (tired, current use).

Sometimes you have to wait for the next generation to come along in 30 years and take their shot at rehabilitation. Union Station is one of those landmark buildings that will get re-worked every 50 years or so for the next 400 years.



It reminds me of a rathskellar in Breman Germany, where I saw a plaque on the wall that said this was the city hall in the 1400's. It struck me that people were down here drinking beer in the same building before the Western hemisphere was discovered. In 400 years, the same thing will happen in Union Station.

^ I don't know that there's much of anything that can be done with Union Station if there aren't people living nearby and the tourist base remains limited. As more people live downtown maybe everyday, useful retail can move it. How about a pharmacy? A rather large grocery store would fit. Under the shed would be a great place for an aquarium if we're still bent on building multi-million dollar touristy things . . .