An @PoPville reader asks on twitter:
“Why did Union Station put a no pedestrians sign by the sidewalk entrance to the garage?”
I saw lots of pedestrians using this exit over the weekend so perhaps the sign is just for the street part? Anyone know if this is enforced on the sidewalk as well? This garage in the rear of Union Station leads to some of the intercity buses like Bolt Bus and the path is a very popular route to H Street, NE.
“Dear PoPville,
I rode in a Unity Cab last night via a forced shared taxi setup at Union Station. It seemed like a good idea when the dispatcher started grouping riders by location, especially as the line of people waiting for a taxi grew: group shared taxi = lower costs all around, right? Unfortunately, my taxi driver broke the law when he did not reset his meter after each dropoff. Worse, when I questioned him about the fare, he lied to me, insisting that Union Station fares are an ‘exception’ to the law. Even though I asked, I still paid almost the full fare but instantly regretted this (at 1 am, who really wants to get in an argument with a taxi driver, even if they are in the right?).
Looking online, this seems to be a pretty entrenched operation at Union Station not limited to Unity Taxi – other taxis do it too, and have been for a while. What’s annoying is that they probably get away with it most of the time, especially late at night and with out of towners.
As soon as I got home, I confirmed what I already suspected: If you’re forced to share a taxi, or even if you share one with a friend, the cabbie is required by law to reset the meter each time a passenger gets out. No exceptions or exemptions. And, you can decline to share a taxi with other passengers.
I wrote to Mary Cheh (on the transportation committee) who forwarded my note to Ron Linton, the Taxi Commissioner. No matter what happens at the city council level though, I want to do what I can to raise awareness of this lousy practice. I admit that I cringe almost every time I get in a DC taxi, expecting the driver will come up with some extra fee for something totally arbitrary – it’s extremely rare that I ever encounter an honest cabbie in this city.
In the meantime, I’m curious if anyone else has experienced this, or another form of taxi scam in DC?”
Back in July ’11 I passed on some scuttlebutt that a “french sandwich shop” was coming to the old Union Wine & Liquor space in Union Station. In August ’11 we learned that a Tops Frozen Yogurt would be filling that space. But it turns out a French Sandwich shop is coming to Union Station. The old post office that was located next to Union Wine & Liquor (post office is now downstairs) is going to become a Pret a Manger. I spoke with a worker who said the Pret was still a good month out before opening.
Incidentally, Union Wine & Liquor has reopened in the basement of Union Station:
Though it was closed on Sunday – looking in the window – seems like a bit of an upgrade:
Thanks to a reader for sending the heads up. (Go2) Tops will be located in the former Union Wine and Liquor. Looks like the promise of a French Sandwich shop was wish just wishful hoping.
Anyone ever hear of (Go2) Tops before?
Last week we learned that Union Station Wine & Liquor had closed. A twitter follower mentioned that they heard it was going to move downstairs in the former pharmacy space. So I’ve got a bit more info to share. The former Pharmacy space downstairs is going to become the Post Office. The Post Office space upstairs is slated to close (next to the already closed Wine & Liquor space.)
Soon to be a “French Sandwich Shop”
I asked a guy who worked nearby and he said it was going to be a French sandwich shop. I asked if he was referring to Pret a Manger but all he could say was a French restaurant with lots of sandwiches. There is already an Au Bon Pain so I couldn’t think of any other French sounding options. So stay tuned for who will fill the space. Back to Wine & Liquor he said, he also heard it would be moving downstairs but he didn’t know the exact location.
Former Pharmacy downstairs, future Post Office
Photo by PoPville flickr user dracisk 365/365
From a WMATA press release:
Union Station is the busiest station in the Metrorail system with 68,000 passengers entering and exiting daily, including 18,000 passengers transferring between Metrorail and Amtrak, MARC and VRE services.
Metro and DDOT recently completed a Union Station Access and Capacity Improvements Study, which identified improvements that would increase the Metrorail station’s safety, capacity and accessibility, reduce passenger travel time and improve connectivity to other transportation modes. Proposed improvements include:
• Improved evacuation capacity in the event of emergency at Union Station;
• Significant safety improvements on all three levels, in particular the Metrorail platform;
• Significant capacity expansion on all three levels of the north mezzanine, platform and concourse;
• Direct link to new development, streetcar and intercity bus terminal;
• Improved access to commuter rail, Amtrak and retail at Union Station; and
• Annual travel time savings from reduced congestion at the north mezzanine.The Metro Board Finance and Administration Committee today (April 14) gave preliminary approval to advance these improvements by establishing a reimbursable project for the environmental documentation, preliminary engineering and design; establishing a budget of $2.55 million using District of Columbia’s Federal Transit Administration grants and local matching funds; and amending the FY2011 Reimbursable Projects Budget, increasing it from $6.07 million to $8.62 million; and authorizing the General Manager/Chief Executive Officer to negotiate and execute the reimbursable agreement with the District of Columbia.
The full Board is expected to vote on the Union Station access and capacity improvements at its April 28 meeting.
68,000 daily passengers. That is wild!
On April 1st the long awaited, Bojangles opened up in the food court at Union Station. I have tried to sample the goods twice now and both times it was smashed crowded. You can see their menu here. Anyone brave the lines? Is it worth the wait?
“Dear PoP,
Any tips on what’s going on in the Northeast end of Union Station? Recently all of the car rental agencies moved upstairs, Ben and Jerry’s moved across the station, and the tie store, Lids, and just about everything in that block besides Verizon has disappeared. It seems they are planning on using the Northeast portion for something big, but I have no idea what. Anyone have a clue?
With all of the new restaurants near the metro (Chipotle, Potbelly, and Chopt) and the addition of the NY buses, it’s clear that improvement is afoot at Union Station even before they start construction on Burnham Place. Now if only they can figure out what to do with the old movie theater space and get Bojangles to open up…”
When we discussed the now open Potbelly’s on Monday a reader, Lou, said:
“I saw a presentation done by the Union Station managers a couple of years ago and this was not what was projected. They had ambitions of bringing in Apple, other high-end retail and a high-end restaurant. That’s why they were driving out some of the little independent shops in the basement food court.”
When I spoke to some folks who worked in nearby stores they thought that this space (where the Verizon store is) was simply being cleared to provide more lobby/loading space for Amtrak. But I’m wondering what you guys think – would an Apple or other high-end retail store work in Union Station? Do/Would people go to Union Station for specifically for shopping? I know folks who work nearby go for lunch but would people go specifically for an REI store? The funny thing is – when I was answering my own question in my head, I was thinking a movie theater would be great. I know not everyone liked the old theater because it could get loud but it (the former space in the basement) really does seem like a great space for a theater…
Anyway, for the Friday Question of the Day – What retail do you think is missing from (would be successful at) Union Station? Or should the addition of more restaurants be the way to go?
The lunch options at Union Station are going through the roof. In addition to the gigantic food court downstairs – upstairs a Chipotle and Chop’t have recently opened in addition to this Potbelly’s opening Tuesday.
Though, I still love the Greek place downstairs. Of course now they also have a taco bell…
Photo by PoPville flickr user Mr. T in DC
Thanks to a reader for sending the heads up. Last exciting Union Station news we heard was that Chipotle had opened up. And of course we’re still waiting on the Bojangles. But we can add two more to the list of ‘coming soon’. Chop’t and a Potbelly’s are both coming to Union Station. You can see a list of all the dining options in Union Station here.