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Union Station (Indianapolis)
Encyclopedia
The Indianapolis Union Station was the first union station
in the world, opening on September 20, 1853, by the Indianapolis Union Railway
within the Wholesale District of Indianapolis, Indiana
at 39 Jackson Place. A much larger Richardsonian Romanesque
station was designed by Pittsburgh architect Thomas Rodd and constructed at the same location beginning in November 1886 and opening in September 1888. The head house (main waiting area and office) and clock tower of this second station still stand today.
(1838–1886). Historian James R. Hetheringon has concluded that Pittsburgher Rodd would have studied the nearly completed Allegheny County Courthouse
designed by Richardson prior to his death in 1886. Considered by Richardson to be his best work, the Courthouse was highly influential, with the Union Station one of the oldest surviving examples.
The three-story Union Station is built of granite
and brick
, with a battered water table
and massive brick arches characteristic of the Romanesque. It features an enormous rose window
, slate roof, bartizan
s at section corners, and a soaring 185-foot clock tower. The 1888 station included a large street-level iron train shed.
was formed, and it began to lay tracks to connect the various railroads. Then in 1853, it built a large brick train shed at the point where all the lines met, becoming the first union station in the United States.
As Indianapolis and its railroad traffic grew, the limitations of the original structure became increasingly obvious. In 1886, Thomas Rodd was hired. At the time, Rodd was employed by the Pennsylvania Railroad
, but did independent civil engineering and architectural projects on the side. The new station was completed in 1888, and in 1893 approximately 25,000 passengers rode an average of 120 passenger trains daily.
By 1900 over 200 trains a day were serviced, forcing the station to eventually build an expansive elevated platform (1915-1922) so as not to interfere with regular street traffic. It was once second only to Chicago
's Union Station
as a Midwest railroad hub.
, intercity passenger rail travel in the United States
began to decline. In 1946, only 64 trains a month used Indianapolis Union Station, falling below 50 by 1952. Throughout the 1960s and well into the post-Amtrak
era the number of train passengers declined to such a trickle that in cities where rail stations didn't serve commuter traffic, most were allowed to physically decline to a point where many were closed and some demolished. Indianapolis' Union Station almost suffered that fate. By the late 1970s, vagrants and vandals had taken over much of the facility and there were numerous police and fire runs made to the cavernous building. So local business and political leaders began looking for some way to preserve this historic structure and transform it into a vital part of the city again.
The station was placed on the National Register of Historic Places
on July 14, 1982.
In 1984 the facility began to be converted from primary use as a railroad station to a festival marketplace
by Woollen, Molzan and Partners
, opening as such in 1986. Union Station became a collection of restaurants, nightclubs, and specialty stores; which included an NBC Store and a model train retailer. The eastern end of the former train platform area featured a large food court, plus several self-contained bars and nightclubs. Throughout the facility there were erected several statues of individuals who might have been seen in the railroad station in older years. A Crowne Plaza
Hotel took up much of the western portion of the train shed, with twenty six of its rooms being housed within old Pullman cars.
However, in 1997 the marketplace era concluded with the departure of the last non-hotel and non-transportation tenant, a Hooters
restaurant, which relocated to another nearby downtown building. The September 1995 opening of the Circle Centre Mall
, just a block to the north, had drawn off the overwhelming majority of Union Station's retail customers. A planned pedestrian bridge between these two structures was denied by officials for historic preservation reasons, and a direct underground connection was deemed to be not economically feasible. So the City of Indianapolis was forced to take ownership of Union Station and began to try to find another reuse for much of the building. After some time, they began leasing out space for a wide variety of purposes, including for office use and as an indoor go-kart track.
In 2002, 21st Century Charter School
was started within the facility. The still-successful hotel expanded to take up a larger portion of the building. Additional companies and organizations began to inquire about and lease space in the station. In 2006 tenants included the following: Bands of America
, Consulate of Mexico
(which has since relocated elsewhere downtown), Indiana Museum of African American History, Japan-America Society of America, and the Indiana Pacers
academy (another charter school). Many of the building's internal directories still use Spanish as well as English, reflecting the demographic changes in Indianapolis, as well as being a left over from the days when the building housed the Mexican Consulate. The Grand Hall of Union Station is also rented out for banquets and other special events, such as a Magic: The Gathering
prerelease party.
In January 2011, a new underground walkway between the newly-expanded Indiana Convention Center
(ICC) and nearby Lucas Oil Stadium
opened. It also contains a connection to the Crowne Plaza hotel at the west end of Union Station. This climate-controlled pedestrian path replaces an old, above-ground link between the hotel and the now demolished RCA (née Hoosier) Dome
, which itself was once part of the ICC and stood where the new wing of the convention center is now situated.
As to the actual passenger train service in today's Indianapolis, it is very limited. Several Amtrak
trains a week to Washington, DC and Chicago (the Cardinal and Hoosier State) stop at the Amtrak station
which, like the Crowne Plaza hotel, never left the building after its "festival marketplace" era. Located in the southern portion of Union Station's old train shed, at street level along Illinois Street, it is co-located with the city's Greyhound bus depot, making this a multi-modal transportation hub, albeit a small one. As of early 2011, there is still no commuter or light rail
service in Indianapolis, but it has long been envisioned that Union Station will serve as a possible hub if and when such services are finally established.
Union station
A union station is the term used for a train station where tracks and facilities are shared by two or more railway companies, allowing passengers to connect conveniently between them...
in the world, opening on September 20, 1853, by the Indianapolis Union Railway
Indianapolis Union Railway
The Indianapolis Union Railway Company , is a terminal railroad operating in Indianapolis, Indiana. It was organized on May 31, 1850, as the Union Track Railway Company by the presidents of the Madison and Indianapolis Railroad Company , the Terre Haute and Richmond Railroad Company , and the...
within the Wholesale District of Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
at 39 Jackson Place. A much larger Richardsonian Romanesque
Richardsonian Romanesque
Richardsonian Romanesque is a style of Romanesque Revival architecture named after architect Henry Hobson Richardson, whose masterpiece is Trinity Church, Boston , designated a National Historic Landmark...
station was designed by Pittsburgh architect Thomas Rodd and constructed at the same location beginning in November 1886 and opening in September 1888. The head house (main waiting area and office) and clock tower of this second station still stand today.
Architecture
Thomas Rodd's design clearly shows the influence of noted architect Henry Hobson RichardsonHenry Hobson Richardson
Henry Hobson Richardson was a prominent American architect who designed buildings in Albany, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Pittsburgh, and other cities. The style he popularized is named for him: Richardsonian Romanesque...
(1838–1886). Historian James R. Hetheringon has concluded that Pittsburgher Rodd would have studied the nearly completed Allegheny County Courthouse
Allegheny County Courthouse
Allegheny County Courthouse is a government building of Allegheny County located in the county seat, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.- Early structures:...
designed by Richardson prior to his death in 1886. Considered by Richardson to be his best work, the Courthouse was highly influential, with the Union Station one of the oldest surviving examples.
The three-story Union Station is built of granite
Granite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
and brick
Brick
A brick is a block of ceramic material used in masonry construction, usually laid using various kinds of mortar. It has been regarded as one of the longest lasting and strongest building materials used throughout history.-History:...
, with a battered water table
Water table
The water table is the level at which the submarine pressure is far from atmospheric pressure. It may be conveniently visualized as the 'surface' of the subsurface materials that are saturated with groundwater in a given vicinity. However, saturated conditions may extend above the water table as...
and massive brick arches characteristic of the Romanesque. It features an enormous rose window
Rose window
A Rose window is often used as a generic term applied to a circular window, but is especially used for those found in churches of the Gothic architectural style and being divided into segments by stone mullions and tracery...
, slate roof, bartizan
Bartizan
A bartizan or guerite is an overhanging, wall-mounted turret projecting from the walls of medieval fortifications from the early 14th century up to the 16th century. They protect a warder and enable him to see around him...
s at section corners, and a soaring 185-foot clock tower. The 1888 station included a large street-level iron train shed.
Early History
The first railroad to reach Indianapolis was the Madison and Indianapolis Railroad, which began service there in 1847. Competing railroads began connecting Indianapolis to other locations, but each had its own station in various parts of the young city, creating problems for passengers and freight alike. This problem was common to many U.S. cities, but Indianapolis was the first to solve it with a union station, which all railroads were to use. In August 1849, the Union Railway CompanyIndianapolis Union Railway
The Indianapolis Union Railway Company , is a terminal railroad operating in Indianapolis, Indiana. It was organized on May 31, 1850, as the Union Track Railway Company by the presidents of the Madison and Indianapolis Railroad Company , the Terre Haute and Richmond Railroad Company , and the...
was formed, and it began to lay tracks to connect the various railroads. Then in 1853, it built a large brick train shed at the point where all the lines met, becoming the first union station in the United States.
As Indianapolis and its railroad traffic grew, the limitations of the original structure became increasingly obvious. In 1886, Thomas Rodd was hired. At the time, Rodd was employed by the Pennsylvania Railroad
Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
, but did independent civil engineering and architectural projects on the side. The new station was completed in 1888, and in 1893 approximately 25,000 passengers rode an average of 120 passenger trains daily.
By 1900 over 200 trains a day were serviced, forcing the station to eventually build an expansive elevated platform (1915-1922) so as not to interfere with regular street traffic. It was once second only to Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
's Union Station
Union Station (Chicago)
Union Station is a major train station that opened in 1925 in Chicago, replacing an earlier 1881 station. It is now the only intercity rail terminal in Chicago, as well as being the city's primary terminal for commuter trains. The station stands on the west side of the Chicago River between Adams...
as a Midwest railroad hub.
History after World War II
After World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, intercity passenger rail travel in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
began to decline. In 1946, only 64 trains a month used Indianapolis Union Station, falling below 50 by 1952. Throughout the 1960s and well into the post-Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
era the number of train passengers declined to such a trickle that in cities where rail stations didn't serve commuter traffic, most were allowed to physically decline to a point where many were closed and some demolished. Indianapolis' Union Station almost suffered that fate. By the late 1970s, vagrants and vandals had taken over much of the facility and there were numerous police and fire runs made to the cavernous building. So local business and political leaders began looking for some way to preserve this historic structure and transform it into a vital part of the city again.
The station was placed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
on July 14, 1982.
In 1984 the facility began to be converted from primary use as a railroad station to a festival marketplace
Festival marketplace
A festival marketplace is a realization by James W. Rouse and the Rouse Company in the United States of an idea conceived by Benjamin C. Thompson of Benjamin Thompson and Associates for European style markets taking hold in the United States in an effort to revitalize downtown areas in major US...
by Woollen, Molzan and Partners
Woollen, Molzan and Partners
Woollen, Molzan and Partners is a US-based second-generation architecture, interior design, and planning firm. The company was founded in 1955 by Evans Woollen...
, opening as such in 1986. Union Station became a collection of restaurants, nightclubs, and specialty stores; which included an NBC Store and a model train retailer. The eastern end of the former train platform area featured a large food court, plus several self-contained bars and nightclubs. Throughout the facility there were erected several statues of individuals who might have been seen in the railroad station in older years. A Crowne Plaza
Crowne Plaza
Crowne Plaza is a chain of full service, upscale hotels catering to business travelers and to the meetings and conventions market. It forms part of the InterContinental Hotels Group family of brands, which include InterContinental and Holiday Inn and operates in 52 countries, usually located in...
Hotel took up much of the western portion of the train shed, with twenty six of its rooms being housed within old Pullman cars.
However, in 1997 the marketplace era concluded with the departure of the last non-hotel and non-transportation tenant, a Hooters
Hooters
Hooters is the trade name of two privately held American restaurant chains: Hooters of America, Incorporated, based in Atlanta, Georgia, and Hooters, Incorporated, based in Clearwater, Florida...
restaurant, which relocated to another nearby downtown building. The September 1995 opening of the Circle Centre Mall
Circle Centre
Circle Centre is a large indoor shopping mall located in downtown Indianapolis. Plans for a downtown Indianapolis mall had been in development by the Simon Property Group since 1979. Circle Centre was opened to the public on September 8, 1995, adjoining Simon corporate headquarters, and...
, just a block to the north, had drawn off the overwhelming majority of Union Station's retail customers. A planned pedestrian bridge between these two structures was denied by officials for historic preservation reasons, and a direct underground connection was deemed to be not economically feasible. So the City of Indianapolis was forced to take ownership of Union Station and began to try to find another reuse for much of the building. After some time, they began leasing out space for a wide variety of purposes, including for office use and as an indoor go-kart track.
In 2002, 21st Century Charter School
Charter school
Charter schools are primary or secondary schools that receive public money but are not subject to some of the rules, regulations, and statutes that apply to other public schools in exchange for some type of accountability for producing certain results, which are set forth in each school's charter...
was started within the facility. The still-successful hotel expanded to take up a larger portion of the building. Additional companies and organizations began to inquire about and lease space in the station. In 2006 tenants included the following: Bands of America
Bands of America
Bands of America , a division of Music for All, Inc., is an organization that promotes and organizes marching band competitions for high school students. Competitions include both Regional and Super Regional Championships as well as the Grand National Championships...
, Consulate of Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
(which has since relocated elsewhere downtown), Indiana Museum of African American History, Japan-America Society of America, and the Indiana Pacers
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
academy (another charter school). Many of the building's internal directories still use Spanish as well as English, reflecting the demographic changes in Indianapolis, as well as being a left over from the days when the building housed the Mexican Consulate. The Grand Hall of Union Station is also rented out for banquets and other special events, such as a Magic: The Gathering
Magic: The Gathering
Magic: The Gathering , also known as Magic, is the first collectible trading card game created by mathematics professor Richard Garfield and introduced in 1993 by Wizards of the Coast. Magic continues to thrive, with approximately twelve million players as of 2011...
prerelease party.
In January 2011, a new underground walkway between the newly-expanded Indiana Convention Center
Indiana Convention Center
The Indiana Convention Center is a convention center located in Downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. It contains over of open exhibit space and almost of group meeting space. It was finished in late 1983 along with the Hoosier Dome , which it was connected to prior the Dome's deconstruction in 2008....
(ICC) and nearby Lucas Oil Stadium
Lucas Oil Stadium
Lucas Oil Stadium is a multi-purpose sports stadium in Downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. The stadium celebrated its grand opening on August 24, 2008, and its ribbon-cutting ceremony August 16, 2008. It replaced the RCA Dome as the home field of the NFL's Indianapolis Colts. The stadium was built to...
opened. It also contains a connection to the Crowne Plaza hotel at the west end of Union Station. This climate-controlled pedestrian path replaces an old, above-ground link between the hotel and the now demolished RCA (née Hoosier) Dome
RCA Dome
RCA Dome was a domed stadium, located in Indianapolis, Indiana, and the home of the Indianapolis Colts NFL franchise for 24 seasons ....
, which itself was once part of the ICC and stood where the new wing of the convention center is now situated.
As to the actual passenger train service in today's Indianapolis, it is very limited. Several Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
trains a week to Washington, DC and Chicago (the Cardinal and Hoosier State) stop at the Amtrak station
Indianapolis (Amtrak station)
Indianapolis is an Amtrak station in Indianapolis, Indiana, served by the Cardinal and is the eastern terminus of the Hoosier State. It was also served by the Kentucky Cardinal until July 5, 2003. The station is adjacent to Lucas Oil Stadium...
which, like the Crowne Plaza hotel, never left the building after its "festival marketplace" era. Located in the southern portion of Union Station's old train shed, at street level along Illinois Street, it is co-located with the city's Greyhound bus depot, making this a multi-modal transportation hub, albeit a small one. As of early 2011, there is still no commuter or light rail
Light Rail Transit
The name Light Rail Transit is used to refer to several light rail systems, as an official name or otherwise:* Please see List of tram and light-rail transit systems.-See also:* Light Rapid Transit * Light railway* Light rail...
service in Indianapolis, but it has long been envisioned that Union Station will serve as a possible hub if and when such services are finally established.