Lancaster Renovations on Track

Officials broke ground in late June, 2009, on what is the first phase of the $12 million renovation of the 1929 Lancaster, Pa. station, a project more than a decade in the making. By January, contractors were in the first phases of the building renovations and exterior improvements.

Among the improvements coming up:

• Increasing the number of parking spaces from 175 to 237
• A new Trailways bus terminal
• Improved landscaping
• A new heating and cooling system and new restrooms
• Rehabilitation of the building’s exterior and interior
• Realigning the driveway with Duke Street and relocating the taxi drop-off area

The restorations will be careful to preserve the historic architecture and design, according to the project managers. The station is part of Lancaster's historic district, and is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Renovations are set to be complete in May or June 2011, and so far, the project is on time and on budget. The project received $9.6 million from the federal government, $2 million from the state, and $400,000 from Lancaster County.

The renovations will see a wide audience: Lancaster is Amtrak’s third-busiest station in Pennsylvania and ranks 22nd out of 525 stations served nationwide.