The City of Oklahoma City is hosting an Open House on Wednesday, February 19, from 1 to 3 p.m., to celebrate the recent acquisition of Santa Fe Station.
The free event is a come and go format, and open to the public. The station is located at 100 South E.K. Gaylord (Reno Avenue and Gaylord Avenue). There will be speakers starting at 1:30 p.m., including Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett, Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) Director Mike Patterson, State Representative Richard Morrissette (District 92), and Edmond Councilmember Elizabeth Waner, current Chair of the Association of Central Oklahoma Governments (ACOG) Board of Directors.
Ownership of the 79-year old Santa Fe Station is transitioning from private ownership to the City. Last fall, the City received a $13.6 million federal transportation grant that will fund initial renovations to the station into a future intermodal transportation hub.
The grant will be used to restore the station, renovate Amtrak’s space, streetscape Gaylord Avenue (from Reno Avenue to Main Street) to provide for streetcar access, and open the facility for pedestrian access to Bricktown. Federal funds derive from a Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant, with local match coming from ACOG, ODOT and the City’s MAPS 3 and Project 180 programs.