Up until now, the building across the street from the future Intermodal Station has been a placeholder. Through meeting after public meeting exhaustively discussing the train station, the building across the street was just a blank box. That is no longer the case. The developer AndersonPacific revealed their initial plans for the building during the Community Update event on Saturday, and it looks good (the view from the train station and transit plaza is below, the redesigned cafe building is at left)…¹

The importance of Block J could not be understated. The building will be across the street from the Intermodal Station and the transit plaza (a lot of foot traffic), and will largely be used for civic and public uses (the civic uses from the once-popular signature train station was relocated to Block J). The building will also be in the direct line-of-sight for drivers heading toward the station along the extended John Muir Parkway and pedestrians and bicyclists along the creekside trail (i.e., it will be a destination). Its uniqueness is critical. It will be as much a landmark as the station itself. (It is also near my home, so I care about it deeply, possibly too much.)

The entrance and focal point of Block J is a Greek structure that is reminiscent of the Palace of Fine Arts in the Marina District (and the scene from The Rock). Below is the view from the northeast side of Refugio Creek looking back at the station, sitting on a bench in Creekside Park…

Block J is fully entitled so construction could begin “relatively soon,” whatever that means.² A small parking lot is planned in the rear of the site (with access from Promenade Street) as well as below-grade parking. The developer’s current design is based on the following uses: 30% community, 15% retail, 15% police, 30% city service and 10% expansion space (flex).