Union Station Revitalization Project

Union Station is the busiest transit hub in Canada. In 2006, the City of Toronto required a revitalization plan to: expand and enhance the multi-modal hub to accommodate the expected growth, from 60 million passengers a year to a projected 130 million passengers by 2036; restore and renovate the National Historic Site, the most important Beaux Arts railway station in Canada; and create a destination, commercial retail hub.

NORR was selected to lead the project and developed the most technically innovative architecture and engineering solution to ever be implemented at this scale in Canada. The expansion work is where it matters the most at four meters below its basement level. Covering one full city block, the Revitalization project is equivalent to one million square feet, from Bay Street to York Street and from Front Street to Maple Leaf Square. The project features two new 50,000 square foot concourses, flanking the existing central concourse, alleviating the physical constraints of the existing heritage envelope. At the north end, is the completely restored Great Hall flanked by four-story east and west wings that have been completely renovated for modern office use. The design ensured that Metrolinx (Ontario’s regional transit network) and Via Rail (Canada’s passenger train service) operations were maintained and that the connection to the Toronto Transit subway station was uninterrupted during construction.

Union Station opened in 1927. Until the 1970s, the station was the major gateway for immigrants into the City of Toronto changing operation to a local train operation with the inception of GO Transit as the Ontario commuter train system into Toronto which has grown exponentially over the years. The innovative expansion will ensure that the projected 130 million passengers will be accommodated in the future.

Photo Credit: Doublespace Photography