Exit133

September 29, 2014 · Exit133

Share Your Thoughts on Freighthouse Square Amtrak Station Design Options

Every once in a while something slips past us in the in-box that we really wish we'd caught. This is one of those times.

The good news is you still have time to share your thoughts on the latest design options for the new Amtrak station at Freighthouse Square. Not a long time - the online survey closes September 30 - but some time.

All of the design sketches in the survey show an outline that matches with the outline of the existing building. The interior images show an open waiting area with a check-in window and benches on a slight elevation above track level, and a what looks like a tiered, bleacher-style seating area facing the south face of the building where the trains will arrive and depart.

The survey shows four possible exterior design options for the new Freighthouse Square Amtrak station, with a focus on the windows.

  • The first design option would essentiall replicate the building facade as it is now, mostly siding with high, square windows above ground level, but no visible street-level windows other than the doors.
  • The second option maintains those high windows and a fair amount of siding, but opens up street level with a more open street-level looking in on the waiting room.
  • The third takes openness a step further, extending the street-level window bank up to just short of the roofline, repacing the small windows with a continuous bank of glass (shown above, at night).
  • The final option takes the continuous bank of glass all the way to the roofline, making a nearly full wall of windows, with virtually no siding visible.

The survey also asks for input on the types of beams and ceiling design being considered. All four options would use some sort of natural wood, but vary in degrees of polish and design.

  • The first options shows a fairly straight-forward design with square or rectangular beams and columns, and exposed electrical, mechanical, and plumbing elements, in a simple design referencing the timber construction of the rest of the building.
  • The second beam option is a little more polished, with an arched ceiling dropping low enough to conceal the functional elements of the building. The smooth arch lines and round beams of this design are meant to reference ship hulls and masts.
  • The third interior option is the fanciest of the three, with a sculpted wave of a ceiling. Again the practical ceiling elements are concealed, and the columns are sculpted and more narrow than the other designs (shown just above).

The survey give you a brief description of each design, and the chance to share thoughts on the elements you like and dislike about each. There isn't an opportunity to view the options side-by-side, but you can see then next to each other, along with more information, by downloading a presentation of the design concepts (pdf) from WSDOT. Take the survey survey here.

The citizen advisory committee for the project will discuss the results of the survey at its October 7 meeting, and the committee will come up with recommendations based on public input, which it will share with the public at an open house planned for October 30 at UWT.

The first round of designs got a pretty negative reaction from the public, and these look substantially different, with an emphasis on wood construction and references to Tacoma's history.

What do you see that you like? What don't you like?

Filed under: Transportation, Neighborhoods, Dome District, Amtrak

7 comments

  • Dan September 29, 2014

    I think the two design options shown in this article are the best of the ones offered in each part of the survey. I'd like to see a little more creativity in the waiting area; like curved benches and some unique lighting. The arcade should also include an art installation on the long blank wall. Overall, I'm very excited for this project. I'm looking forward to this location and no longer needing to catch a cab to the station when I want to take a weekend trip to Portland. Just one transfer on the Link, or a few blocks of walking from the #1 bus stop on Pacific Avenue and I'll be there.

  • Jenny J September 30, 2014

    I like the options shown here too. Taking the survey, I can't believe they're even considering the one with virtually no street level windows. It's a train station - which means a lot of people waiting to see their trains - something that's hard to do with no windows facing the tracks. I hope that design option is tossed out immediately. As for the interior, I think all of the designs would be fine - the wood is much better than the metal from the original design.

  • James September 30, 2014

    It's a building, not a boat. I love the direction this is going in now, but from a structural design standpoint, it's starting to sail in an odd direction. Hope they reel it back in and remember that it's an insertion into a historic warehouse district, not the party deck of an ocean liner. Simple, thoughtful structures can be beautiful, without resulting to nautical motifs. Keep the structure simple and keep the "organic" elements to those elements that people touch: handrails, furniture, benches, hardware, etc.

  • paolo October 1, 2014

    Waves in wood is a wonderful concept. Further inspiration should be taken from the interior design of Doug Fir, a Portland restaurnant and lounge. Expansive station windows would add brightness to the nighttime street-scape. The challenge now is for the owner of Freighthouse Square to also devise a plan for a coffee-house space for the western-most part of the old structure that could impliedly expand the public waiting-room area for the Amtrak station where guests could enjoy wi-fi, read a book or view television while waiting for their trains within the local area or to distant points. There would seem to be a wonderful opportunity to create a coffee house/light food area only separated from the Amtrak station by metal roll-up screens during hours of closure that celebrates the cultural diversity, industrial heritage and business prowness of early Tacoma. One hopes Tacoma bankers would back a vision for the owner of Freighthouse Square to create such a commercial waiting space--even if it is for the likes of corporate Starbucks. Such a station will be a first/last impression place of Tacoma many visitors, so get it right. The Station should be a refuge, not a place to avoid except to briefly pass through to catch a train.

    • Jenny J October 1, 2014

      I think that's a great idea - I would love a nice place to grab a coffee and hang out while still being able to watch for my train. Maybe a second Bluebeard location? Or a second Metro Coffee might be a good fit.

    • Dan October 1, 2014

      That is an excellent idea! I vote for a second Corina or similar bakery. After a trip to Paris this spring I've been thinking about how Tacoma needs more places for fresh breads and croissants. It might even pull in a few commuters who need to pick up bread on the way home. I know the commuters are a tough crowd, but I believe that the right kind of place could pull in a few of the thousands of Sounder riders. The food court might be able to grab a few with a convenient system for ordering and picking up takeout.

  • Chris October 5, 2014

    And why exactly cant the vacant lot on the other side of the tracks be a part of this?