Overview

Recently purchased by Metro, Union Station is located adjacent to downtown Los Angeles, the region's civic center. As the regional transit hub, Union Station connects five bustling counties in Southern California via multiple rail and commuter lines, including Amtrak, Metro Rail (Red, Purple and Gold Lines) and Metrolink. The transit operations result in approximately 100,000 people daily accessing the site. Los Angeles Union Station additionally encompasses a total of over 40 acres and is entitled for a remaining 5.9 million square feet of office, retail, entertainment, and residential development.

Union Station is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. First opened in 1939, the station was restored in 1992.

RFIQ/ RFP

On July 22, 2011 Metro issued an RFIQ requesting interested firms and/or teams of firms to submit their qualifications in the preparation of a multi-modal facilities and transit oriented development (“TOD”) master plans.  Metro received 22 qualified responses and recommended a short list of 6 firms to receive the Request for Proposals.  On December 15, 2011 the Metro Board of Directors approved a short list of six teams.  The short listed teams all include multiple firms, and are led by the following prime contractors: 

1. EE&K a Perkins Eastman Company/UNStudio
2. Gruen Associates/Grimshaw Architects
3. IBI Group/Foster+Partners
4. Moore Ruble Yudell Architect and Planners/Ten Aquitectos/West 8
5. NBBJ/ingenhoven Architects
6. Renzo Piano Building Workshop (RPBW)/ Parsons Transportation Group

The Board report describing the RFQ process and recommending the short listed firms can be accessed here.

Metro released the Request for Proposals (RFP) on December 21, 2011.  The RFP included a detailed scope of work with five main tasks:

1. Data Collection and Analysis
2. Preparation of Draft Alternatives
3. Final Preferred Plan and Implementation Strategies
4. Public Outreach (throughout the process)
5. Project Administration (throughout the process)

In addition, the RFP required submission of a high-concept Vision Board showing the firms’ vision for Union Station in the year 2050.

On March 16, 2012, Metro received responses from all six short-listed teams.  Metro is in the evaluation process and will bring a recommendation for the USMP consultant team to the Board of Directors on June 28th, 2012. This recommendation will be public approximately June 17th.

Highlights

• 40+/-acre, transportation-served, urban mixed-use development site.
• Approved for up to 6 million square feet of additional new development.
• Located adjacent to the Los Angeles Civic Center and downtown Los Angeles.
• Serves as transportation hub for region with Amtrak, Metrolink, and Metro bus and rail lines.
• Headquarters for Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority and Metropolitan Water District totaling 1.1 million square feet.
• Property operations are comprised of various agreements with the transit agencies (Amtrak & Metrolink), retail leases, filming and special events and parking.
• Features beautifully restored historic train station, extensive gardens and courtyards, restaurants, and convenience food service.

Development

Entitlements:

Since its completion in 1939, Union Station has adapted and found new life as the multi-modal transportation hub of the region and a model Transit Oriented Development site. The City of Los Angeles adopted the Alameda District Specific Plan (ADP) in September 1996 establishing entitlements to create new mixed-use development at Union Station. In 1997, Catellus, the former owner entered into a 25 year development agreement with the City of Los Angeles  which agreement has been assumed by Metro in its purchase of the property in 2011. Under this agreement and the Alameda District Specific Plan the property is entitled for over 6 million square feet of commercial development.

Projects:

• Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) Headquarters Building, 26-story, 628,000 square feet, completed in 1995.
• Metropolitan Water District (MWD) Headquarters Building, 10-story, 540,000 square feet, completed in 1998.
• First 5 LA Headquarters Office Building, 3-story, 47,805 square feet, completed in March 2005.
• Union Station Village, 4-story, 278 unit residential project, completed in October 2006.

Vision Boards

As part of the RFP response, the six short-listed teams were required to submit one 30x40 Vision Board showing a high-concept vision for Union Station in the year 2050. The Vision Boards are not part of the formal evaluation process, but rather a means to begin the public engagement process and ignite inspiration about Union Station as a multi-modal regional transportation hub. The Vision Boards were presented to the public at a viewing event on April 25th, 2012.

• Vision Board 1 (JPG, 467KB)
• Vision Board 2 (JPG, 551KB)
• Vision Board 3 (JPG, 539KB)
• Vision Board 4 (JPG, 469KB)
• Vision Board 5 (JPG, 585KB)
• Vision Board 6 (JPG, 568KB)