SPRINGFIELD — Unfinished space in Springfield’s Union Station is more likely to rent if it’s further along the construction process and closer to being move-in ready, management says.
As it searches for tenants, Union Station is letting pop-up food stands try out the transit hub in hopes that one might decide to locate there permanently.
The Springfield Redevelopment Authority, which owns the 93-year-old station, is advertising for an experienced design company to provide professional design and construction administrative services for a proposed $650,000 to $1.35 million project. Work would include bathrooms on the mezzanine level of proposed office space and work on restaurant space that’s still unused on the first floor, said Christopher J. Moskal, executive director of the Springfield Redevelopment Authority.
Moskal said the authority is paying for the construction out of money it has left over from the state, local and federal money it used in the $103 million rehab of Union Station, a project driven by U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal, D-Springfield. The design fee has been set not to exceed $75,000.
Proposals are due March 17, and bidders must attend a mandatory site visit at 10 a.m. Friday, according to legal notices announcing the plan
“We’ve noticed the need for speed among potential tenants,” said Paul M. Stelzer, president of Appleton Corp., which manages the property on behalf of the Springfield Redevelopment Authority. “They want to be in a place quickly.”
But they just can’t be in quickly when the unrented space at Union Station is still an unfinished shell.
"Three months. Just doing basic work can put me back 90 days," Stelzer said. "And that's not acceptable."
Work might include putting in electrical connections, some basic plumbing and covering brick interior walls with more finished surface. Moskal described the result as a “vanilla box,” more finished than raw space, but unfinished enough to allow the tenant some level of customization.
All work at Union Station is subject to advertising and bidding requirements, said Moskal. That is the main reason for the delays.
In the meantime, Union Station is working with pop-up vendors. Moskal said last week it was a stand called Veganish. A hot dog vendor sets up outside a few days a week and there are plans for a Latin foods vendor.
The idea is for vendors to try out the space and for the station to try out vendors. Union Station is also working to bring in tables and chairs in part of the space so people have a food court-type place to eat.
The restaurant space on the first floor has been eyed several times but it no one has located there.
About 72% of Union Station’s space is occupied, including a convince store, Subway sandwich shop and Dunkin’ coffee and doughnuts on the first floor, along with ticketing offices for Peter Pan Bus Lines, Greyhound and Amtrak, and a ticketing office and waiting room for the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority.
CTrail Hartford Line tickets are sold through machines on the concourse.
Upstairs office tenants include Peter Pan, the Yee family’s Bean Restaurant Group and Dietz & Co. Architects. More than 64,000 square feet of office space, most of it once occupied by railroad employees, is still available.
Union Station receives $500,000 annually from MGM Springfield to assist with costs including tenant build-outs and operations.
The station was built in 1926. Mostly vacant since the 1970s, it reopened in 2017. The last part of its revitalization, the $11 million upgrade of Platform C, was completed late last year.
3/6/2020 -Springfield- Veganish Foodies opened a pop-up kiosk inside Union Station. They offered vegan wraps and their signature "Everythang Sauce".
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Springfield Union Station gives pop-up restaurants a try as it works to fill vacant space - MassLive.com
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