The Chicago's Union Station has reopened an entrance on Clinton Street after more than four decades of being sealed off from the world.
As reported by NBC Chicago, the entrance had been dormant since a tragedy – a fire that claimed one life in 1980. In the aftermath, the Clinton Street entrance was walled off, windows removed, and bricked over. Its reopening in early August 2023 resuscitated the station's Great Hall entrance with a fresh outlook – new windows, along with the addition of an elevator to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Amtrak spokesperson Marc Magliari even mentioned their eagerness to add a temporary ramp for wheelchair users to access the station without hassle.
Union Station's renovation reflects an appreciation for history and a desire to preserve the past for future generations to experience. The newly reopened entrance now greets passengers with a taste of yesteryear through a series of colorful posters that have embellished its walls. These posters, promoting various Amtrak routes, were rescued from an old Union Station parking garage slated for demolition via the Chicago Sun-Times. Saved from oblivion, they've been given another chance to tell their stories, brightening the waiting area for visitors.
The Union Station renovation extends beyond the entrance. A significant part of a $10 million land sale from the garage site – now occupied by BMO Tower – has been dedicated to building a food hall. This project commenced in 2019 and has seen setbacks due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Nevertheless, Amtrak presses forward with their plans to finish not only the entrance, but also the food hall space before construction gets underway on Canal Street.
The food hall location, nestled between the Great Hall and Clinton Street, was formerly the Fred Harvey Lunch Room – an establishment that catered to the rail passengers of its time. Amtrak is currently in discussions with potential tenants to fill the designated space, seeking a "master tenant" to market it for different vendors.
The ongoing efforts to revitalize Union Station, originally opened in 1925, have encompassed various improvements and revamps. A Metropolitan Lounge, catering to business class and sleeper car passengers, unveiled in 2016, along with the transformation of the former Women's Lounge into an event space. Additionally, 2018 marked the restoration of a historic Great Hall skylight, finally fixing persistent water leaks that had plagued the building for decades.
