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Inside of large depot with marble floors and large skylights

St. Paul, MN

Historic Restoration of Union Depot in St. Paul

Reviving an historic structure into today's modern transportation hub.

Ramsey County Regional Railroad Authority (RCRRA) announced today that Union Depot achieved LEED Gold Certification. This is a tremendous accomplishment that marries historic preservation with today’s sustainable building trends. Specific elements that helped achieve LEED Gold include:

- Building reuse
- Building material salvaging
- Asbestos abatement
- Construction waste management
- Connection to district heating and cooling
- Lighting controls systems
- Natural lighting optimization
- Stormwater control
- Water-efficient landscaping
- Bicycle station
- Electric vehicle charging stations
- Fuel-efficient vehicle parking
- Bike/pedestrian enhancements
- Public transportation access
- Waste management and recycling

Owned by RCRRA, Union Depot, originally built in the 1920s, was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. RCRRA secured federal, state, and county funding to finance the $243 million restoration project. The renovation began in 2011 with Mortenson as the design-build contractor, HGA Architects and Engineers as the building architect and engineer of record, and URS Corporation as transportation design and engineer. The renovation generated approximately 4,400 jobs.

Completion Date

November 2013

Project Cost

$243,000,000

Delivery Method

Design-Build

Related

Public + PPP

Transportation

Minneapolis

LEED/Sustainability Certified

We are proud of the hard work of so many people that led us to this moment. The LEED Gold designation is a challenge to attain in an older building, especially one on the historic register. High levels of creativity were required to maintain the historical integrity of the building while modernizing it to be relevant for the next century.
RAFAEL ORTEGA, CHAIR, REGIONAL RAILROAD AUTHORITY
RAFAEL ORTEGA, CHAIR REGIONAL RAILROAD AUTHORITY

Awards

DBIA Award of Merit (National), 2013

Large Project of the Year Award, 2012

Restoration/rehabilitation/adaptive reuse, 2014

DBIA Best Project Award (Regional), 2013

Annual Excellence in Concrete and Masonry Design & Construction Awards, 2013

Cultural Heritage Award, 2011

Best in Real Estate Award, 2012