From: Emese Wood
Sent: Thursday, February 22, 2024 1:15 PM
To: [email protected] <[email protected]>; Lindsay Lara <[email protected]>
Subject: Design for 1929 Northwestern Pacific Railroad Depot in the San Rafael Transit Center Project
Dear Mr. Santiago and Members of the City Council,
I am writing in regard to the design of the historic 1929 Northwestern Pacific Railroad Depot, and the way it will be incorporated into the redesign of the San Rafael Transit Center. As I understand it, the current plans call for the reuse of parts of the 1929 building, but in a fragmented way, literally gutting it with a central open courtyard in between fragments of the older building. I don't believe that this design respects the integrity of the historic structure. The Depot is a building with a meaningful history for the city of San Rafael, as well as architectural significance as an example of the Spanish Colonial Revival style. I would like to urge that the building be restored and reused in its entirety. I appreciate that the design team has made an effort to include important features of the 1929 Depot, but it has not gone far enough. They should save and restore the entire exterior, reconstructing parts of it if necessary. It will make a beautiful and welcoming entry into our wonderful city.
Respectfully submitted,
Emese Wood
San Rafael, CA, 94901
From: Sue Burrell
Sent: Friday, February 23, 2024 4:11 PM
To: Raymond Santiago <[email protected]>; Mayor Kate <[email protected]>; Lindsay Lara <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: Letter on Transit Center for March 4 Council Meeting
I'll try this again. I left the period out of Lindsay's email address, and sent only a fragment of the SRHS letter. Hopefully this will be right. Thank you, Sue Burrell On Fri, Feb 23, 2024 at 4:04 PM Sue Burrell wrote:
Please see attached letter and enclosure for consideration in the discussion of the Transit Center Project at the March 4 Council Meeting. Thank you, Sue Burrell --
Sue Burrell
San Rafael, CA 94901
Sue Burrell
San Rafael, California 94901
February 23, 2024
Raymond Santiago, Project Manager
San Rafael Transit Center
Golden Gate Highway and Transportation District
Members of the San Rafael City Council
1400 Fifth Avenue, Room 203
San Rafael, CA 94901
(By electronic submission to [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected])
Re: Design for 1929 Northwestern Pacific Railroad Depot in the San Rafael Transit Center Project - Request for Modifications to Current Design Dear Mr. Santiago and Members of the San Rafael City Council:
This letter is written in anticipation of the March 4, 2024, presentation by the Golden Gate Bridge Highway and Transportation District to the Council on the San Rafael Transit Center Project – and specifically, the parts relating to plans for the Northwestern Pacific Railroad Depot. I urge you to work with the San Rafael Heritage Society to implement the design suggestions made in their December 13, 2023, letter detailing what should be modified to better honor the original Depot, and create a wonderful new gateway to our City.
We are fortunate to have the historic Depot already existing in close proximity to the site for the new Transit Center. It is gratifying that the conceptual design includes the use of parts of the Depot building. But the current design appears to call for demolishing the underlying building and saving only parts of the facades to be used in a much different spatial relationship. In my view, a re-creation of the historic building should be the centerpiece. I also agree with the recommendations of San Rafael Heritage Society members calling for:
• Restoring the exterior form and appearance of the 1929 Depot and retaining the existing arcade and west elevation of the Depot and Baggage building – and retaining the existing spatial relationships - so if the building is rebuilt, it will look like the old Depot.
• Replacing the proposed courtyard with an interior space that would be similar to the original waiting room. This space could serve several functions. It could have publicly accessible offices for the transit agencies; provide space for the café, Page Two
Letter to Raymond Santiago and San Rafael City Council
Design for Railroad Depot in Transit Center
February 23, 2024
including seating for people in inclement weather; and offer space for public art or murals.
The history of San Rafael is very much intertwined with railroads. The new Transit Center, with a re-done Depot building as its centerpiece, would provide a wonderful means of preserving that history, and a welcoming place for visitors and residents alike. It is clear that a great deal of thought has already gone into this project.
Please take the time now to fine-tune the design.
Sincerely yours,
Sue Burrell
Member, San Rafael Heritage Society
Encls.
cc: Lindsay Lara, San Rafael City Clerk