By Glenn Swain
Los Angeles residents can now begin picturing a new urban design transit facility going up on 7.1 acres of land near the historic downtown Union Station. The three-level facility called Metro Division 13 will feature underground parking for employees, a main level for maintenance facilities, service, fueling and bus wash lanes, and an upper level for bus parking. The structure will also incorporate a number of ‘green’ technologies, including solar panels, high efficiency mechanical electrical systems and a water retention system that recycles and reuses rain water.
Design on the Metro Division 13 project began in January 2009 by Denver-based Maintenance Design Group.
Here are some Metro Division 13 project facts:
- More than 442,000 square feet of space
- Maintenance area is 71,000 square feet and room for 13 bays
- Space for more than 200 45-foot buses
- Nearly 400 employee parking spaces
- Construction cost is an estimated $80 million
Metro Division 13 is registered with the U.S. Green Building Council. Designers are hoping to obtain a LEED NC Gold rating.