![]() While the magnificent, historic Great Hall is used for major events and has been seen on TV and in films such as The Untouchables, My Best Friend’s Wedding, Chain Reaction, ER and Early Edition-it was always meant to be a working structure and was designed to accommodate large crowds and heavy daily use. Two figural sculptures by Henry Hering tower over the Great Hall on its east wall, one represents “Day” (holding a rooster) and the other represents “Night” (holding an owl), a recognition of the 24-hour nature of passenger railroading. The skylight was blacked-out during World War II in order to make the station less of a target for enemy aircraft, since the station then served nearly 100,000 daily passengers and more than 300 daily arrivals and departures. The Great Hall has a 219-foot long barrel-vaulted skylight that soars 115 feet above the floor. ![]() ![]() The west side building, the headhouse, contains the Great Hall-the waiting room, if such a mundane term may be applied for this soaring, beautiful space. The original complex incorporated two different buildings on either side of Canal Street, connected below street level. Together with the approach and storage tracks, the entire station facility takes up nearly 10 city blocks. The exterior of the building is clad in Bedford limestone quarried in Indiana. Union Station is the only example in the United States of a “double-stub” station, where the 24 tracks approach from two directions and most do not continue under or through the station. ![]() Successor firm Graham, Anderson, and Probst, later joined by White, took over the project. Daniel Burnham, Chicago’s famous architect who was also responsible for designing Washington, D.C.’s Union Station, began designing this Beaux Arts structure, but he died before plans were completed. They desired a grand station befitting the city’s status as a national railroad hub, and this $75 million facility replaced the city’s overcrowded 1881 Grand Passenger Station. Together, the railroads owned shares in the Chicago Union Station Company (CUSCo), which managed station operations. The Chicago and Alton Railroad also used the station as a tenant. Find additional travel information.Ĭhicago Union Station, begun in 1913 and completed in 1925, was built through a partnership among four railroads: the Pennsylvania Railroad Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad Michigan Central Railroad and the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Entrances on the corners of Clinton with Adams and Jackson also lead to the Great Hall and trains. It is accessible and leads directly into the station’s Great Hall and train concourses. Plan to arrive at least 45 minutes before your scheduled departure.Ī new mid-block entrance is now open at 255 South Clinton Street, between Adams and Jackson and across from West Quincy Street. Please allow extra time getting in and around the station and expect significant traffic congestion during this project. Sidewalks along Canal Street will also be partially blocked. It will temporarily eliminate Union Station access by all vehicles between West Adams Street and West Jackson Boulevard. Note to Travelers: Starting in July 2023, the Chicago Department of Transportation is replacing the structure under South Canal Street during an 18-month project. Understanding Accessibility Requirements.North Carolina Station and Train Host Association Case Study.Surface Transportation Block Grant Program: Transportation Alternatives (TA) Set-Aside.Historic Preservation and Sustainable Design: St.Cultural Space & Museums: Cincinnati, OH.Architectural & Aesthetic Improvements: Elizabethtown, PA.Aesthetic and Architectural Improvement.
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