Union Station, Tacoma, Washington : a design study for a surplus rail site

Abstract

Recent technological changes in railroads, mergers, major shifts in urban land use patterns, and declining rail passenger travel has resulted in a surplus of urban rail lands. These lands represent a significant resource for land poor cities. An unparalleled opportunity exists for major new intervention without the usual adverse effects of land assemblage and so called "urban renewal". This work is an urban design study for a 22 acre rail site and 15 acres of adjacent waterfront land in Tacoma, Washington. The site, including Union Station and its yards, is on the edge of Tacoma's central business district. Union Station represents the largest assembled parcel of developable land in the downtown area. An attempt is made to illustrate a possible site use scenario which reflects the divergent and often conflicting goals of various differing interests.