Amtrak and Washington Union Station

Amtrak said it hopes to take over operations and management of the train hall to pursue multibillion-dollar investments at the station, including a long-planned concourse expansion and major repairs to a tunnel that runs under the station and is “in serious need of repair or replacement.”

USI will continue to operate the station until the court decides that possession and control can be awarded to Amtrak, the railroad said. Ben Ashkenazy, chief executive and chairman of Ashkenazy Acquisition Corp., didn’t immediately reply to a request for comment in a message left with his assistant.

“We need to advance some long-delayed state of good repair and capital projects so that we can improve the station and shore up the station infrastructure,” said Dennis Newman, Amtrak’s executive vice president for strategy, planning and accessibility. “An improved Washington Union Station is really key to our mission.”

Newman said Amtrak believes it is better suited to manage and operate the station because of its decades of experience. Amtrak owns stations in New York City, Chicago, Philadelphia and Baltimore. “We uniquely have the capabilities to be the steward of a facility, a very critically important facility, like Washington Union Station,” he said.

The station, which opened in 1907, is known for its marble floor and coffered ceiling and includes eateries and shops. It is a major hub for intercity and commuter trains (Maryland MARC and Virginia Railway Express), Metro, and local and intercity buses.

Amtrak already owns the station’s platforms and railroad tracks. The U.S. government in 1985 authorized the nonprofit Union Station Redevelopment Corp. (USRC) to oversee the property. Union Station Investco has sublease rights through USRC.

Amtrak currently subleases a small portion of the station — about 13.4 percent — from USI for its railroad operations, which includes the concourse area right before passengers go out to the platform. The carrier wants to take over about 425,000 square feet of the station, which includes the entire property, except the parking garage.

Amtrak said that it “lacks both the space and control to make much needed improvements” at Union Station, which carries more than 5 million rail passengers annually and is a top stop in the Northeast Corridor, the backbone of the nation’s passenger rail system. The station was designated a historic landmark by the District in 1964 and listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1969.

Amtrak said in court papers that “poor maintenance and lack of capital investment … plagued the Station over the years.” The filing cited a 1981 incident in which heavy rains caused part of the roof to crash into the passenger waiting room. USI acquired its lease in 2007.

Amtrak’s filing also cited its own plan to overhaul infrastructure supporting the tunnel. In 2017, Amtrak had projected it could have completed the extensive fixes in the subbasement by this year. It said it started negotiations with USI on the plan in 2018.

But USI has dragged its feet, Amtrak argues in its filing: “USI’s repeated rejections of Amtrak’s proposals related to Amtrak’s needs for this project have meant that this critical [state of good repair] project has not been effectively started.”

Under federal code, Amtrak has authority to use eminent domain to acquire interests in property that’s necessary for use of intercity passenger rail operations.

“And this is a key intermodal facility. And it is critical for intercity passenger rail,” said Newman.

Amtrak’s Board of Directors last month approved a resolution approving the acquisition of the property interest, saying that the move would allow Amtrak to “directly invest in [Washington Union Station] in a more efficient and effective manner, making the most benefit for intercity and public transit riders.” The resolution was approved unanimously by the board, which includes a designee of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and FRA Administrator Amit Bose.

Amtrak on Thursday made the $250 million payment to the court, “the amount of which it estimates to be just compensation,” according to the court filing, which says the amount was determined through an independent real estate appraisal. The court will determine the appropriate price and if and when Amtrak can take over.

As of Thursday evening, USI had not responded to Amtrak’s filing in court.

Amtrak also notes that USI recently faced two foreclosure actions: Although they were subsequently canceled, they underscore the “significant financial risk” of USI’s continued management and operations. Financial struggles could prompt USI to try to sell its interest in Union Station “to some unknown person or entity,” Amtrak said in its filing.

Joe McAndrew, who oversees transportation issues for the Greater Washington Partnership, composed of chief executives between Richmond and Baltimore, said Amtrak’s move is a “step forward” for the redevelopment of Union Station, which has been deteriorating.

“The company’s ownership of the decades long lease for the station building stands to enhance the speed that we can realize the benefits of the redevelopment of this critically important infrastructure asset for the region,” said McAndrews.