For those that don’t frequent the City of Seattle’s website, Seattle has been posting monthly updates on the progress of the King Street Station Renevation.
On a visual level, they have installed the new glass clock faces all around the tower. It is much cleaner and you can see through the glass, visually a nice effect. The station track improvements are almost completed with power switch machines soon to be installed on tracks 4-7.
Stimulus funding that would have accelerated the restoration project fell through, however it could be re-applied via the passenger rail investment stimulus (either the HSR or Amtrak portion).
Interior work in the passenger section will start in Spring 2009. Passengers will be moved outside to a temporary portable “office” to purchase tickets and baggage.
For more information on the station and its restoration, check out the website!
Thanks for the links and update. I was downtown the other day and had a little time to kill so I checked out the station. I was generally pleased with the exterior progress but disappointed with the interior progress. I’m glad to hear that work on the inside will start soon.
Question: Where do the “King Street Station Clock Tower Glass Tiles” go? I assume the roof on the tower will get the green ceramic tiles, but where do the clear glass ones go?
That’s a really good question. I e-mailed the city about that just a few minutes ago.
I believe that the clear glass ones are the ones used in the pyramidal clock tower roof.
Using glass tiles on the pyramidal roof of the clock tower would only make sense if the roof was supported by some sort of lattice work and then lit from the inside (which would be pretty darn cool), but I’ve never seen any reference to that and somehow I doubt they went to all that trouble.
I’m guessing that the glass tiles are used somewhere else on the clock tower, but that is only a guess.
I think they’re on the pyramid, and they’ve been there the whole time. I don’t know that they’re backlit, I think they’re just shiny…
You can see reference to the tile location on the display board in the station, as well as on the City’s website. They are on the tower roof pyramid.
Amazing. I just went and poked around on that website and it does appear that they go on the roof of the tower and that they ARE BACKLIT.
If you go to the Photo Gallery (Yesterday and Today) and then look at pics 25 and 26 it clearly shows that they go on the roof and that it apparently was backlit.
I’m amazed. That must look stunning at night when it is lite up.
I remember many years ago my Dad talking about how cool it looked, but I never thought they’d bring that back. (I still prefer Union Station, but it will be wonderful when King Street finally gets finished and we have a worthy train station once again.)
The stimulus money for the station fell through? When? How? I thought it was a done deal.
AUGH WE HAVE TO USE A BOX!!!
I hate those things with a burning passion. But I suppose the improvement to the station, i.e. restoration to former glory, will be well worth it.
I believe the proper term is “Amshack”.
Yeah, I hope it is a fairly big one. Nothing beats a packed station when you have 4 trains trying to leave the station at the same time. Sardines..
Thanks Brian
One of my pet projects and it is sad to hear that Councilmember Jan Drago will be leaving the Seattle City Council this year as she was a huge force behind the restoration project.
I believe the glass must be going up the sides of the pyramid. I have many pictures of guys poking their heads out on the clock faces either painting or removing the clock hands.
I also think their will be some interior lighting and better external lighting of the tower before the work is done. Anyone know anything on this?
So the interior work – is there a contractor and funding for it or are we still waiting for some stimulus?
Tim
The glass tiles on the “pyramid” have always been there. But they got dirty and the lighting behind/inside was not maintained. Plus some cracked and let water in.
It is going to look amazing when finished!
I live in Pioneer Square and noticed a few weeks ago from my living room window that the King Street station clock tower was all lit up at the top. It was an amazing and beautiful sight! Since that night it has been dark. Does anyone know when it will be regularly lit up at night?