San Rafael Heritage Speaks: “Visioning the San Rafael Station Area, Transit Hub, and Gateway to San Rafael”
While we are talking about trains and train history, let’s remember that the presence of SMART trains and their proposed extension to Larkspur will have an impact on San Rafael’s physical future. That is why the Federation of San Rafael Neighborhoods held a meeting on September 21, 2016 to discuss ideas for this area. San Rafael Heritage, represented by Cynthia Landecker, was part of a 14-member panel that was asked to give their own vision of “the future of the new transit center, the old train depot, our commercial crossroads, area creeks and pathways.” The Federation’s goals for the area include creating an appealing aesthetic and respect for the City’s natural setting and history.
SRH board member Amy Likover led the discussion for the Federation, board member Jeffrey Rhoads represented Friends of SMART, and board member Jim Draper helped with the logistics, so we were very well-represented!
Lots of wonderful, creative ideas were expressed about many facets of this issue. SR Heritage was able to make a strong pitch for keeping the historic Mission Revival train depot as an identifiable welcoming center for transit users, thus preserving this link to our important rail history (as so many other California cities have done.) We will continue to advocate for creative preservation of the station.
Suggestions included:
SRH board member Amy Likover led the discussion for the Federation, board member Jeffrey Rhoads represented Friends of SMART, and board member Jim Draper helped with the logistics, so we were very well-represented!
Lots of wonderful, creative ideas were expressed about many facets of this issue. SR Heritage was able to make a strong pitch for keeping the historic Mission Revival train depot as an identifiable welcoming center for transit users, thus preserving this link to our important rail history (as so many other California cities have done.) We will continue to advocate for creative preservation of the station.
Suggestions included:
- Showcase the historic SR Station Depot building. Make it our "Ferry Building." Whistlestop continues ownership, and could possibly host "World-Class" high profit concessions in the building: top notch Marin cuisine restaurant upstairs, first-rate espresso bar downstairs w senior discounts etc.
- Build a smaller matching "Mission-revival style building" where the Bettini Transit Center sits to create a welcome balance to that site. Could be the transit information hub.
Read Dick Spotswood's editorial:
Whistlestop may be on track to win OK for housing
In Sunday's Feb 21st Marin IJ
AND
Marin IJ Editorial, Feb 25th: Whistlestop shifts plan to promising track
By Stephanie Weldy, Marin Independent Journal
POSTED: 07/24/15, 8:27 PM PDT
13 COMMENTS
Amy Likover, right, chants through a bullhorn during a protest against possible demolition of the former train depot.
A persistent pack of protesters has become part of the Friday afternoon scene at the corner of Tamalpais Avenue and Third Street in San Rafael.
As they’ve done periodically since February, the demonstrators — part of an online San Rafael historical preservation group — marched Friday against demolition of the city’s former train depot at the site now occupied by Whistlestop senior center.
“We don’t want the depot destroyed,” said Cynthia Landecker, who manages the preservation group. “I’m not saying don’t knock down any historical building, but this is the entrance to the city.”
The group started the protests when Whistlestop officials in January went to the city with a proposal to expand their center into a five-story affordable senior housing and services center by 2017.
Public hearings were held and community members expressed concern with the size of the proposed building, its design and parking layout.
Officials with the nonprofit senior center, who own the property the depot is situated on, went back to the drawing board and earlier this month formally submitted a new design that addressed community concerns. The $25 million plan includes a senior services center, 41 studio and one-bedroom apartments, a 1,250-square-foot public plaza, a cafe and a parking garage.
The center has operated out of the site since 1971.
The depot was built 85 years ago. But the site has served as a train station since 1884 and was a crucial component of developing San Rafael into what it is today, Landecker said.
“We want to save the train station, because that’s what it is — the existing building is related to the past function of the first station there in 1884,” she said. “And its connection to San Francisco is so vital. The whole development of the city is rooted in that spot.”
Landecker and Amy Likover, another resident dissatisfied with the possibility of the depot’s demolition, said they support the mission of Whistlestop but believe it could be better situated at another location.
“We want to help find a more appropriate site for seniors to live that’s not at the crossroads of the 101 (freeway), the transit center and Second Street,” Likover said. “It’s an opportunity to create a welcome center.”
Whistlestop CEO Joe O’Hehir has said expanding at the site is the cheapest option for the group as it already owns the property. The group is also on a deadline, as they’re hoping to learn what they’re doing in regards to expansion before the Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit commuter train, which has tracks adjacent to Whistlestop, rolls into operation beginning next year.
POSTED: 07/24/15, 8:27 PM PDT
13 COMMENTS
Amy Likover, right, chants through a bullhorn during a protest against possible demolition of the former train depot.
A persistent pack of protesters has become part of the Friday afternoon scene at the corner of Tamalpais Avenue and Third Street in San Rafael.
As they’ve done periodically since February, the demonstrators — part of an online San Rafael historical preservation group — marched Friday against demolition of the city’s former train depot at the site now occupied by Whistlestop senior center.
“We don’t want the depot destroyed,” said Cynthia Landecker, who manages the preservation group. “I’m not saying don’t knock down any historical building, but this is the entrance to the city.”
The group started the protests when Whistlestop officials in January went to the city with a proposal to expand their center into a five-story affordable senior housing and services center by 2017.
Public hearings were held and community members expressed concern with the size of the proposed building, its design and parking layout.
Officials with the nonprofit senior center, who own the property the depot is situated on, went back to the drawing board and earlier this month formally submitted a new design that addressed community concerns. The $25 million plan includes a senior services center, 41 studio and one-bedroom apartments, a 1,250-square-foot public plaza, a cafe and a parking garage.
The center has operated out of the site since 1971.
The depot was built 85 years ago. But the site has served as a train station since 1884 and was a crucial component of developing San Rafael into what it is today, Landecker said.
“We want to save the train station, because that’s what it is — the existing building is related to the past function of the first station there in 1884,” she said. “And its connection to San Francisco is so vital. The whole development of the city is rooted in that spot.”
Landecker and Amy Likover, another resident dissatisfied with the possibility of the depot’s demolition, said they support the mission of Whistlestop but believe it could be better situated at another location.
“We want to help find a more appropriate site for seniors to live that’s not at the crossroads of the 101 (freeway), the transit center and Second Street,” Likover said. “It’s an opportunity to create a welcome center.”
Whistlestop CEO Joe O’Hehir has said expanding at the site is the cheapest option for the group as it already owns the property. The group is also on a deadline, as they’re hoping to learn what they’re doing in regards to expansion before the Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit commuter train, which has tracks adjacent to Whistlestop, rolls into operation beginning next year.