TJPA Unveils Final Design for New Transbay Transit Center

The Transbay Joint Powers Authority (TJPA) Board today heard a final design report prepared by Pelli Clarke Pelli, the project architect, for the new Transbay Transit Center and Park. The completion of the design will permit construction of this landmark facility to start in August of this year. The TJPA staff also presented a $1.589 billion budget for the first phase of the project, updated to include the cost of building the below ground train box.

A recent grant of $400 million in federal stimulus funds for construction of the train box completed funding for the Transit Center. A Temporary Terminal facility on Main and Beale in between Howard and Mission Streets, under construction since December 2008, will serve the current transit operators while the existing terminal is demolished and the new Transit Center is constructed.

In their presentation to the TJPA Board, the Transit Center architects displayed an iconic glass-and-steel structure that will serve twelve transit systems, including Caltrain and future California High Speed Rail. Designed to be the focal point of a new transit-oriented neighborhood, the Transit Center will be a destination for both transit users and the general public. The second phase of the project, scheduled for completion later this decade, will provide rail access to the new Transit Center via an underground tunnel from the existing rail terminal at 4th and King Streets.

One of the highlights of the new Transit Center is the 5.4-acre rooftop urban park. The park will feature an outdoor amphitheatre for musical performances, space for evening film screenings, cafes and restaurants. The park will contain some 20 sub-environments including the amphitheatre, a children’s playground, public artworks and a lily pond, providing rich educational and recreational experiences to the public.

The Transit Center is also slated to be among the greenest buildings in the U.S. and will meet the LEED Gold level standards for 2009. Some of its sustainable features include a geothermal system to assist in substantially reducing energy consumption and a greywater recycling system that will manage and re-use waste water in the facility. The Transit Center will be entirely naturally ventilated, and, to a large extent, naturally lit. The 5-acre park on the roof will contribute not only to the sustainability of the Center by acting as a “living roof,” but will also enhance the quality of the environment for neighboring buildings. For more information about the Transbay Transit Center Project, please visit www.transbaycenter.org