"We were striving for a very warm, natural feel that respects the history and character of the community," said Project Manager Marc Rohde, AIA, LEED AP, of Legat Architects in Oak Brook, IL. "Originally, there was a little old train station of no significant character. It was just a dilapidated building that people avoided."
The architect went on to explain that a master plan had already been designed to redevelop the entire downtown area -- including new restaurants, public spaces, mixed-use buildings and condominiums. "[Also], they had already done facade improvements on older buildings down there that were 80 to 100 years old," he said. "The existing train station was somewhat of an eye sore."