San Rafael Heritage requests your signature on this petition to rebuild the 1929 Northwestern Pacific Railroad Depot as part of the new Downtown Transit Center. If approved, the restored Depot will serve as the crown jewel of the Golden Gate Bridge District’s transit center.

BACKGROUND

San Rafael’s Transportation Center is the busiest in the North Bay. It has fully recovered its pre Covid 19 patronage with over 9,000 passengers daily. The Golden Gate Bridge District is in the process of designing and securing funding to build a new transit center that is a safe and inviting gateway to our downtown. The new center will be located one block north of the existing center between 3rd and 4th and will extend west from Hetherton to include lands on the west side of Tamalpais. The Bridge District proposes to demolish the highly altered Depot building, known as Whistlestop, and retain only a few of its historic features. These are to be moved and used as part of a customer service building. 

PROJECT STATUS AND COST

The Transit Center’s conceptual design has been completed. Following federal environmental review, it will proceed to the final design process. Scheduled for completion in 2027, the new transit center has a budget of 50 to 70 million dollars and will be a major financial investment in our city. Funding will come from a variety of sources, including Regional Measure 3, bridge tolls, and regional, state, and federal dollars. The existing transit center site will be sold to raise part of the funds. Residents and businesses will not pay any additional taxes.

SAN RAFAEL HERITAGE POSITION

The 1929 Depot building has been highly altered. However, two key features of the historically important building remain: the arcade facing the SMART tracks and the west façade. SRH requests these be incorporated in the new customer service building and include full reconstruction of the exterior of the Depot. The restored Depot and its historic features are some of the few reminders of the once-thriving interurban railway to San Francisco via the Sausalito ferries. The Mission Revival structure will be a physical symbol of San Rafael’s official slogan “The City with a Mission.”  It will be visible to bus and train passengers, bicyclists, pedestrians, and motorists and give character to our community much like the historic depots in Mill Valley and Petaluma.

Along with notable community stakeholders, SRH also requests the former waiting room space, located under the gabled roof in the photograph, be rebuilt. While little is known about the original interior, we envision it repurposed as a café, retail area, and transit public service counter. The interior space can also feature public art to reflect San Rafael’s cultural diversity.

The restored 1929 Depot and customer service building will be part of a civic project that includes a plaza with cafes, SMART platform, lush landscaping, and a contemporary architectural canopy over the main bus terminal. Together, these will provide an active gateway to downtown San Rafael. The new transit center, along with the reconstructed 1929 Depot, will create a placemaking opportunity. If well-executed, these improvements will contribute to downtown’s renaissance. 

CALL TO ACTION

The 1929 Mission Revival Depot building has served as a symbol of San Rafael’s heritage for nearly a century. Join us in restoring this historic entrance to our downtown.

• Sign this petition. Your signature on this petition informs the City of San Rafael and Golden Gate Bridge Highway and Transportation District of your support for reconstruction of the 1929 Depot as a part of the new customer services building in the Downtown Transit Center.
• Participate in Bridge District and City Council meetings.  Voice your support for rebuilding the 1929 Depot when the Downtown Transit Center is on their agendas.
• Send letters to the editor at Independent Journal in support of the 1929 Depot reconstruction.
• Tell your friends and neighbors their support is needed to rebuild the 1929 Depot.
• Join San Rafael Heritage. Go to sanrafaelheritage.org for information.