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Richmond's Rail Revival continued...

 

Revealing Details

Restoring the original aesthetics of the building created numerous challenges. For example, handmade tiles on the first floor were nearly impossible to match. Eventually, Gensler located Brian Fiorentino, a Loyola University professor and ceramicist, who agreed to recreate tiles for the first floor of the building.

The men’s loggia at the front of the building also offered its share of challenges and surprises. Badger recalls, “The floors were covered with old wooden planks; when we removed them, we found the original glass skylights that opened down below. It was a beautiful detail we were able to uncover.”

The restoration of the men’s loggia unearthed some architectural elements that had been preserved since the 1920s. Rosettes set in arches were just a few of the treasures found in the process.

Meanwhile, a new structural steel support system was necessary in order to restore the second floor of the station.

Another one of the team’s challenges in the waiting room was to recreate the 22' columns that framed the space. As previously mentioned, all but two of the original dozen columns had been destroyed in the 1983 fire.

These marble columns and the high, vaulted ceiling, make the second floor grand waiting room one of Badger’s favorite aspects of the project. (Although, as an urban planner, she was fascinated by the entire thing.) Details include waves, egg and darts, and leaves.

Ironically, none of this detail was easily visible before the restoration, because it was situated 70', 80', and 90' high in the air. Gilman says, “We had to use cameras with telephoto lenses in order to document these details. It’s just amazing that the original designers would put that much effort into something put in a place where no one could see it.”

Now, Interstate 95 swings within six or seven feet of the clock tower, making it possible for drivers to appreciate some of the beautiful detail inside. Badger notes, “the top of the tower has gorgeous cherubs, cornucopia, and lions that are now on display to those who travel that portion of the highway in Richmond.”

A Jewel In The Rough

While not as severely damaged as the interior of the building, the exterior suffered its share of deterioration over the years as well. Young writes, “Time had taken its toll on the masonry surfaces and terra cotta details. Pompeian brickwork needed extensive tuck-pointing, freeze and thaw cycles cracked the terra cotta and allowed water to infiltrate the building, balustrades were structurally unsound, and stone work was deteriorating.”

The simple fact that coal burning trains had used the station for many decades translated into surface decay caused by coal dust, sunlight, and hydrochloric acid. Gilman says, “A lot of the stones had to be pulled out and replaced. This surprised me; I didn’t know you could pull a stone out of a building like that.”

And since the tracks were still active, all exterior repairs had to be interrupted several times a day for safety reasons. Gilman recalls, “Every time a train came by, we had to stop work. We had a flagman on each side (since there were different train companies on each side) who would talk to the dispatcher when a train was coming. They’d make our men leave the site and wouldn’t allow them to return until the train left. This would happen every day, several times a day. The worst was when the track actually broke with a train on top of it. The train was stuck for two days, and we couldn’t touch any work at that time.”

Historic preservation extended to the new train platform as well. While the new platform was constructed of modern precast concrete planks that could be removed for maintenance purposes, the railings and steel support structure replicated the original ironwork details. Now the entire platform rests on the original trestles, making it the largest intact train trestle system in the country.

Piotrowski says, “It’s really cool how the platform extends out. Some of the elements we added were primarily functional, but they certainly contributed to the modern safety issues. Yet, when you walk back into the building, you feel like you’ve gone back in time. “

Spotlighting the extraordinary exterior features of the restored structure was another dramatic element of the project. In fact, the night lighting aspect wasn’t even part of the original plan.

Schlair recalls, “I was the one who brought it before the city and explained the positive impact it would have. We wanted to show off the building and call attention to it, particularly highlighting its return to life.”

As representative of the city, Badger embraced this concept from the outset. She recognized its value immediately.

“So we hired an architectural lighting firm out of Philadelphia to handle the monument type exterior lighting,” says Gilman. “We had to get permission to hang huge light brackets and run power from the interstate to them. We didn’t know if we would ever get that kind of cooperation, but it was approved. Surprisingly, getting all of the big bureaucracies melded and functioning together worked out. It ran fairly smoothly, particularly as a transportation facility with specific requirements. But it did take time. We made contacts, built up trust, and we were able to work through it. At first, it was a daunting effort.”

Neighborhood Renaissance

For many years, Main Street Station was an unwanted element in Richmond’s deteriorating Shockoe Bottom historic district. But after its massive restoration, the building is now having a positive impact on the surrounding neighborhood.

“Since its opening on December 17, 2003, the building has stimulated a ton of activity; not only daytime, but nighttime as well. There is a life around the building, and it continues to grow,” says Schlair.

For those who believed in the project from the start, this restoration is a major step toward the long-term vision and goal set by Badger and the City of Richmond. Schlair continues, “In addition to having transformed the building’s splendid interiors, it’s very gratifying to see that we successfully reached outside the walls with this project. The whole neighborhood has received an enlivened dimension as a result of the restoration. It has energized the area and has generated a lot of life.”

In addition to reviving the neighborhood, the station has gradually experienced an increase in ridership. As for business, the city is in the process of finalizing a deal with a major tenant for the upper three floors of the station, adding to the activity in and around the building.

Now a popular site for weddings and other events, the building also attracts its fair share of railroad buffs. “They just walk around and look at everything,” Gilman says. It’s easy to understand why so many people can appreciate Main Street Station.

This article was based on interviews with Badger, Gilman, Piotrowski, and Schlair. For more information on this project, contact Bruce Ross at BRUCEROSS@aol.com

To share your historic preservation project, e-mail schwartz@ groupc.com. Past Showcases are online at www.TodaysFacilityManager.com.

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