Renovation plans for DC’s Union Station unveiled

A rendering of a design for Union Station. (Courtesy U.S. Commission of Fine Arts)

A $10 billion plan to renovate Union Station in D.C. was unveiled this week.

In a presentation to the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, the new union station could be finished by 2040 and would feature a lot of skylights and glass.



In addition to reconfiguring the space for trains, buses and Metro, the new design is supposed to improve the pickup and drop-off zones.

But one thing would be similar to the current look of the historic transportation hub — a large atrium with very high ceilings

Former D.C. Mayor Anthony Williams is the CEO of the Federal City Council, which is helping to make the project happen.

The new modern, vitalized facility will allow for the transformation of Union Station — The Nation’s Station — into a world-class destination for both domestic and international travelers, as well as an economic hub for the city, Williams said in a statement to WTOP.

A separate $3 billion private project, called Burnham Place, is also planned surrounding the new station, featuring apartments, offices retail and green space.

Burnham Place, a separate private project, planned near Union Station in D.C. (Courtesy U.S. Commission of Fine Arts)

Union Station’s iconic main hall will be preserved in this renovation, and parking will be shifted underground, eliminating the current parking garage.

You can watch a video of the plans for Union Station here.

Kyle Cooper

Weekend and fill-in anchor Kyle Cooper has been with WTOP since 1992. Over those 25 years, Kyle has worked as a street reporter, editor and anchor. Prior to WTOP, Kyle worked at several radio stations in Indiana and at the Indianapolis Star Newspaper.

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