Union Station Restoration Projects, Montgomery, Alabama

Sherlock, Smith & Adams was commissioned by the City of Montgomery to perform a renovation study for its historic Union Station. The station was built in 1898 along the banks of the Alabama River, which provided easy access for merchants to distribute their products to other parts of the South by rail or by water. Today, it serves as the Montgomery Visitors Center and is also home to a restaurant, a bank, and other businesses.

As part of the study, a window survey was completed to determine the extent of replacement needed. In order to keep the historic context of the building intact, as many existing windows as possible were salvaged. The windows that required replacement were custom-made to match the existing.

In addition to the Window Replacement project, several modification projects have been completed to provide handicap accessibility and general upgrades.

Adjacent to the main terminal is the Train Shed. SS&A's goal was to restore the Train Shed to its original glory. Built in 1898-99, the shed consists of a long-span, trussed roof structure that provided shelter for the passengers and cargo as they arrived or waited to depart. The gabled ends of the shed display a collage of colored glass, which over the years had become broken and faded. The city decided to replace all of the existing glass with a shatter-resistant product. Close attention was paid to match the eleven existing colors and the pattern they created. In addition to the glasswork, the roof of the shed was also in need of replacement. Lighting was also added to the Train Shed to provide a more secure atmosphere at night. The City of Montgomery now uses the Train Shed in its annual Jubilee City Fest as a shelter for one of the entertainment venues.