As the headlines note, the RTD Board voted unanimously to move forward with the proposed hotel project for Union Station: RTD Board supports Union Station hotel proposal.  I joined my fellow board colleagues in this final vote last Tuesday after my initial opposition to the staff recommendation in favor of the hotel project.  I will take a second here to explain my decision.

As noted, RTD staff recommended the hotel concept that the Union Station Alliance submitted over the competing re-use proposal from the Union Station Neighborhood Corporation.  My previous blog contains links that describe the two re-use proposals: Union Station Re-Use: How to Move Forward?  Both proposals were strong and offer substantively the same features on the first floor of Union Station; a large waiting area surrounded by amenities such as local retail stores and restaurants.

During the initial RTD Board committee vote, I stood with the minority in opposition to the staff recommendation in favor of beginning negotiations with Union Station Alliance (Team USA, as has become their popular name).  I was very clear then that my preliminary committee vote did not suggest a preference for either of the competing re-use proposals.  Instead, given the high degree of public interest from across the Denver region in the future of our iconic Union Station building, I believed it was appropriate to provide the opportunity for further public scrutiny of the two re-use options before arriving at a final decision.  This was particularly important, I felt, in light of adjustments and clarifications the two competing teams made in the their proposals during the course of initial Board deliberations.

Faced with majority Board support for moving forward on negotiations with Team USA, I ultimately joined my Board colleagues in last Tuesday’s unanimous formal decision in favor of the staff recommendation.  I took this position on the basis of a number of factors.  First, as I explained during the final Board vote, I still would have prefered additional public input prior to the negotiations phase.  However, staff has promised that they will incorporate extensive additional public input as part of the negotiations process.  Along these lines, I made clear my specific desire for open house gatherings so the public has a chance to juxtapose the proposed re-use investments against the current configuration of Union Station.

I also noted in casting my vote last Tuesday evening that I have high expectations for the remainder of the Union Station re-use RFP process.  We are now in the negotiations phase . . . and I expect rigorous negotiations.  In particular, I urged RTD staff to press hard on three specific points:  1) The first floor of the station building must provide a welcoming and comfortable environment for all citizens, particularly RTD patrons; 2) An expert analysis must confirm the Team USA financial prospectus; and, 3) The building remodel must comply with historic preservation standards.  While I will account for many other considerations in my review of any final agreement with Team USA, I believe these three criteria are of paramount importance.

All that said, I do believe the Team USA proposal and its hotel concept is the most appealing re-use option for Union Station and the regional community it serves.  The 24-hour activity that a successful hotel will generate, along with the extensive remodelling investments Team USA promises to make to the building and the attractive financial return their proposal offers RTD, hold the greatest promise for the future of Union Station.  I look forward to seeing if, through the negotiations process, we can secure all the elements that are critical to fulfilling the exciting vision for Union Station in the Team USA proposal while meeting the expectations that RTD transit patrons and our other regional stakeholders have for this important building.