Dillon Supply building could become rail hub for Raleigh

June 29, 2011

By Matt Garfield - Staff writer

RALEIGH -- The old Dillon Supply steel fabrication building, once used to assemble boilers, smokestacks and the skins of North Carolina skyscrapers, could find new life as a rail and transit hub for Raleigh.

It’s an idea that has captured the attention of city leaders looking for affordable ways to meet Raleigh’s transportation needs at a time when state and federal aid has all but dried up.

The vacant building, already owned by the Triangle Transit, could be upfitted for $20 million, N.C. rail officials said this morning on a tour of the building. The city’s match would be 10 percent.

“For $2 million, the city would essentially own a $20 million facility,” said Will Allen III, chair of a city rail task force.

An earlier plan called for building a new Union Station to serve travelers on Amtrak, commuter rail and future high-speed Southeastern light rail.

The Dillon building could meet those needs, rail planners said. Built in 1960, the 3.5-story building housed an erecting shop where workers fashioned huge sheets of steel into industrial parts and exteriors for steel office towers.

Triangle Transit bought the building in the mid-2000s, at the end of Martin Street in the center of the Boylan Wye, a busy rail junction on the western edge of downtown.

Eight passenger trains per day rumble into downtown Raleigh, carrying East Coast travelers and commuters zipping between the Capital City and Charlotte. With ridership increasing 15 to 20 percent per year over the past five years, the city has maxed out the cramped Amtrak station.

Aside from its small size and shortage of parking spots, the Amtrak station is poorly situated for passengers to reach downtown.

“When you arrive at the station, you’re really not on the right side of the tracks,” said Allan Paul, an operations director for NC DOT’s rail division. “You’ve got to really want to walk to downtown.”

The rail division has helped build or renovate rail stations in 16 North Carolina cities, including the conversion of a former tobacco warehouse in Durham.

“We’re hoping this is No. 17,” Paul said.

The possibility has progressed enough that City Council members added $3 million to a transportation bond on the Oct. 11 ballot. The money would cover the city’s share of renovation costs as well as sidewalks, bus shelters and public upgrades near the station.

As part of a phased approach, crews would build an initial platform for Amtrak service and then wait until the arrival of high-speed rail to add a second platform, which could require a tunnel or overhead walkway to allow travelers to cross the tracks.

The flat roof could accommodate solar panels to generate electricity for the building, officials said. The goal would be to preserve the building’s industrial feel – exposed brick, ductwork and windows – and possibly leave space for retailers inside the terminal, Paul said.

The main entrance on Martin Street could get a facelift to add an attractive facade and big windows facing downtown.

Meanwhile, the block formerly envisioned for a new Union Station could become an income-producing redevelopment project, an addition to the trendy Warehouse District.

Several major hurdles remain. State and federal money could be difficult to secure as governments impose deep spending cuts.

“If we had been having this discussion three years ago, we’re probably have this thing up and running in 18 months to two years,” Paul told the group.

While the building appears structurally sound, problems could pop up as designers get into the details of converting a 1960s-era industrial building into a modern train terminal.

“This may not be workable in the end scheme of things,” said Eric Lamb, a transportation manager for the city.

Freight carriers Norfolk Southern and CSX, which use sections of track near the building, have expressed reservations about the concept, though they’re willing to talk.

“Ultimately we’ve got to have their approval for doing something at this station,” Paul said.

One thing is clear: Amtrak isn’t likely to provide any money for the new station. “They’re broke,” Paul said.

City Councilman Thomas Crowder questioned whether the station matches up with the layout of rail lines in downtown, including a future light rail corridor that will connect to N.C. State and beyond.

Every possible location for a downtown rail station has challenges, responded Allen. “It’s very difficult to find the perfect place for a Union Station,” he said.

Originally published in the News & Observer on June 29, 2011.