Orlando Amtrak station to get $2.1 million face-lift

[Caesar La Rock]

The Amtrak train station near Orlando Health in downtown Orlando was built in 1926, and its whitewashed stucco walls, parapets and twin domed towers create one of the area's prime examples of Spanish Mission architecture.

But time has beaten down the station. Its walls are cracked, faded and spotted with mold. The tiled roof and windows leak and people in wheelchairs have a hard time getting in and out of the main terminal.

That will change starting next month when the state and Orlando launch a $2.1 million overhaul of the station's exterior. The work, which will not change the historic nature of the building, should take about a year to complete.

"It's a fabulous building," said Dena Wild, chairman of Orlando's Historic Preservation Board.

The stop has served a number of companies through the years and in May picked up a new next-door tenant, the SunRail commuter train linking downtown Orlando with south Orange and Volusia counties.

Source

 

[Caesar La Rock]

My response to this, finally. That station needs overhaul.

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

That station is beautiful and will look amazing once she gets a much needed facelift. I've run inside a couple times during the extended stop and love the interior as well. Hopefully they will leave it be because it is already classic and a step back in time.

 

[Scott Orlando]

Thank God. A beautiful station in a great city. Thanks for making my day CJ

 

[pennyk]

Thanks for posting this. This is great news. I was wondering how I missed this, but then realized that the article likely will be in Saturday's (tomorrow) newspaper. (I am old fashioned and read the print version of the newspaper). I can relate to this story because about 20 years ago, I was a member of the Orlando Historic Preservation Board, when Dina Wild (who is now retired) was employed by the City of Orlando AND Orlando is home station.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Kuddos to Orlandos leaders(not all Florida Politicians are morons) for wanting to save and spruce up this old jewel instead of bulldozing it and building a "modern" station!☺

 

[NE933]

Yes! This is great news, it's something to reverse my many worries. Will the freight house get redone too?

 

[mfastx]

Good news, hopefully a platform restoration is in store as well. That thing is awful and it's sort of funny how Amtrak is relegated to that crappy platform when there are brand-new SunRail platforms directly adjacent, lol.

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

Good news, hopefully a platform restoration is in store as well. That thing is awful and it's sort of funny how Amtrak is relegated to that crappy platform when there are brand-new SunRail platforms directly adjacent, lol.

I always get a kick out of seeing those little ceiling fans, many sitting idle, underneath the platform canopy. If they restore the platforms then redo the fans with the classic belt drive system. That would add to the period appearance of the station.

 

[NE933]

In 1986/7 back when canopies didn't extend the full length of the southernmost section of the platforms, while waiting for a delayed #98, it rained, we got wet, and the water brought out an army of fire ants, which are prolific in Florida. My mother and several others found themselves swatting these biting insects off themselves, with with itchy welts on their legs for the week after.

 

[Caesar La Rock]

Thank God. A beautiful station in a great city. Thanks for making my day CJ

I got to think one of my friends for pointing that article out to me yesterday.

 

[pennyk]

The story made front page above the fold of the print edition of the Orlando Sentinel today (8/23).

 

[ScottRu]

Great news. We take the Silver Meteor down to Orlando each winter. Love the old station and deplore how deteriorated it had become. I can't wait to see it resplendent in her old glory ... assuming they will carefully restore the beautiful wooden benches, the ceiling fans, the wonderful Spanish-style exterior.

 

[trainman74]

The story made front page above the fold of the print edition of the Orlando Sentinel today (8/23).

What it looked like:

 

[VentureForth]

Great news. We take the Silver Meteor down to Orlando each winter. Love the old station and deplore how deteriorated it had become. I can't wait to see it resplendent in her old glory ... assuming they will carefully restore the beautiful wooden benches, the ceiling fans, the wonderful Spanish-style exterior.

I hope they don't do away with the classic wooden phone booths!

 

[rrdude]

Convert the old wioden phone booths to iPad/phone/tablet "Charging Stations" and they will be around for a while.....

 

[John Bobinyec]

It would be nice if they got rid of that monstrosity of an A/C unit.

jb

 

[pennyk]

I think they only have funding for the outside - for now.

 

[Guest]

I hope they don't do away with the classic wooden phone booths!

I hope so too. Matter of fact, a few weeks ago my kid mentioned that he had never seen a real phone booth. I had to remind him that he not only saw such, but played in such, while we waited for our Silver train heading back north at Orlando.

I hope they renovate and thus reopen the rest of the station. There is so much of the interior of that station that isn't used. While waiting for our Silvers, and walking around, I even envisioned the unused space being made into a Sleep Class lounge.