At $2.9 million, Mountain View had high hopes for the train depot at the end of Castro Street.
Residents spent thousands on donor bricks that line the surrounding plaza. The city decorated it with a bronze statue costing $50,000. Even the Oval Office sent a congratulatory note.
But more than three years since its unveiling as the gem of the city’s centennial celebration, the train depot — like the rest of Centennial Plaza — continues to be notable mainly for the large numbers of people who are not using it.
The city council will begin tackling the question in a study session next week, when staff will ask for direction on what to do with the building’s 800-square-foot retail space.
Peter Skinner, a senior analyst in the public works department, said the main reason the building has stayed empty for so long is because the council could never agree on what to put there.
“The council didn’t come to a consensus on what they wanted to see [in 2001],” said Skinner. “Basically, we delayed it.”
Ideas for the depot include a retailer, a teen center, a community meeting room and a designated space for historical exhibits, all of which have been discussed in the past. Staff estimates it could cost up to $250,000 to complete the interior of the building. Skinner said the city has no plans to build public bathrooms in the plaza, although the utilities exist to facilitate that.
The building is not entirely empty. It currently houses a free bike storage room for commuters, a break room for Valley Transportation Authority staff and an ATM. But it has yet to fulfill the promise envisioned for it several years ago.
Council member Matt Neely said he favors an open-air cafe that would draw more people to the plaza.
“I’m actually pretty excited to say, ‘Let’s figure something out,'” said Neely, “It’s a nice place.”
Tuesday’s study session was originally scheduled to take place in early February, but the council voted to put it off at the end of a long meeting that included debates over developer contributions to the city’s parkland fund and a proposal for a war memorial at City Center Plaza.
E-mail Jon Wiener at jwiener@mv-voice.com
