Rehabilitation and reuse of the Santa Fe Depot in Azusa is underway, transforming a derelict 1,200 square-foot structure directly adjacent to LA Metro’s A Line Azusa Downtown station into a regional transit plaza that will support METRO rail commuters and the general public into this San Gabriel Valley city. Practice has been working with City departments and community stakeholders to gather input and priorities for the proposed design.
A significant portion of the work includes structural upgrades and repairs to the 1940’s-era structure to accommodate a new café-style transit store and a bicycle station, intended to provide a welcoming experience and needed amenities to transit commuters and the general public. Additional scope includes repairing water-damaged roof trusses, upgrading interior finishes, and redesign of the surrounding landscape.
The project is bringing new life to the Streamline Moderne-style structure that has stood vacant since the 1980’s. The earliest history of the depot dates from the 1880’s when the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad built a direct transcontinental line through the area to Los Angeles, resulting in the famed “Boom of the Eighties”. Among the towns that sprung up along the line was Azusa, which was established in 1887, one of the peak years. Because of the historic nature of the building, the project design is being done in conformance to the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards and Guidelines for Rehabilitation of historic properties.
