By Paul Tuthill
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wamc/local-wamc-961402.mp3
Springfield, MA – Officials have announced what they said is a milestone for a major regional project..the redevelopment of Union Station in Springfield Massachusetts into a transportation hub for Western Massachusetts WAMC's Pioneer Valley Bureau Chief Paul Tuthill reports
An architect and a project manager have been hired. Design work is to start immediately with a tentative groundbreaking next summer for the 72 million dollar project that officials say can have a key role in the Obama administration's efforts to revitalize the rail system in the Northeast.
The newly hired architect , Donald Warner of HDR Architecture called the redevelopment of Springfield's Union Station a project of rare importance .
HDR will be paid four point 2 million dollars to design the new Union Station that is to include a refurbished 120 thousand square foot train and bus station station along with office space. Union Station was built in1926. It closed almost 40 years ago.. Several earlier redevelopment efforts failed.
HDR's recent projects have included the redevelopment of New York City's Penn Station. The company hired by the Springfield Redevelopment Authority to serve as the Union Station project manager Skanska USA Building Inc..has experience working on transit projects in New York City and across the country, according to company officials.
Springfield's chief development officer John Judge says the Union Station re-development will put Springfield at the hub of federally funded high speed rail projects in Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont
At Monday's announcement of the naming of an architect and project manager, Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno praised US Representatives Richard Neal and John Olver, and Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick for their strong support for the project..
Officials acknowledge the project still faces a current funding gap of roughly 30 million dollars. To close it, officials hope to tap into a portion of the 8 billion dollars in federal stimulus money for high speed rail projects that may not be spent in some states..