I was at Union Station early that day, around 6:30 AM, but J.E. Dunn's crews were already hard at it. Opening was about three weeks away and extended work hours were the norm.
Strong, blindingly bright, shafts of sunlight roared into the Grand Hall, creating beam particles in the airborne dust from construction that mimicked the appearance of a Frank Meister photograph from the 1950's.
As I rounded the knuckle I heard the loud voices bouncing off the marble and granite interior walls. Couldn't tell who was doing the shouting until the people came into view. There were about ten engineers, assistants and hangers-on standing around, and in the center were Andy Scott and Dave Ucko. The two were leaning towards each other, body language indicating that they were having a disagreement, to put it mildly. The veins were popping out in their necks, faces red. The confrontation concluded just as I came within about fifteen feet.
At that moment, Dave said "The Science City experience starts right here," making a gesture with his toe-a line in the sand as it were-to show Andy where the Big Black Fence would go, unevenly dividing up the North Waiting Room (soon to be Sprint Festival Plaza). The outcome was that the very people who had paid sales tax to restore the room (and the rest of the station) could not go beyond about the first 75' of the 350' long room to take a closer look without buying a ticket to Science City.
The group dispersed as I stood transfixed, trying to process what I had just witnessed. Andy Scott hustled by, muttering something under his breath about "...hope you didn't get audio on that..." No, I didn't Andy; but I have a good memory.
That incident gave insight into one of the many problems Union Station faced and faces still: strong and differing opinions within the organization on how things should be run. Heck, there was internal scuffling for six months about where to put the Coke© machine.
Union Station at that time had two bosses, Andy, overseer of the Union Station proper, and David, Science City czar. So Turner White, former VP for KCP&L, was brought in by the board to run the whole shebang. And a good idea it was, in principle. One of the two good things I learned in my brief, inglorious time spent in the military: Someone has to lead, otherwise there is chaos and, ultimately, failure. (The other good thing I learned was CPR).
(An aside, but related comment: Construction and approval of the Link, elevated walkway from Union Station to Crown Center, was so complicated that Andy Scott said it was "Harder than going to the Moon." Not only were there the above-mention internal disagreements, but the KC Parks Department, the water department, The Westin, Crown Center, et al, had to be on board. That is why the Link was not completed until well into 2000.)
Turner White actually accomplished two important tasks: He made the deal with the USPS to bring their mail handling operations over to the old Railway Express building, on the west side of Union Station, and he took down Dave's Big Black Fence. The REA building, BTW, was the largest, or one of the largest REA terminals in the world 70 years ago. The KCMO main public post office is now in the station in the west wing and has been for several years. Some postal patrons still think it is across the street, but that wonderful old building now houses the Infernal Revenue Service.
But at the outcome, Turner White had to leave, like all the rest. Depending upon how one counts, there have been either five or six CEO's at Union Station in its ten years since the rebirth. There is debate upon whether to count David Ucko in the group.
Next time: Special moments, special people.
The Photos: The Link under construction.
Grand reopening day at Union Station, November, 1999.
Dave Ucko's Big Black Fence in the foreground, which successfully kept the casual visitor at bay until Turner White had it removed. The filled-in holes are still visible in the floor.
Back when Union Station was a bee hive of activity, Christmas carolers strolled the Grand Hall during the holidays. One was a Bill Murray look alike and by sheer chance the group paused in exactly the right spot, which gave him an angelic, unearthly glow thanks to the streaming sunlight.
Another holiday photo. Interesting to note that the original, large hanging wreaths from decades ago were discarded so the station had to buy or rent new ones. Besides the clean up gang, I was apparently the only one who knew of their disposition, because Patty Markley who worked with Andy, asked me one day if I had seen them. I told her they had been thrown away. She is a lovely person, and so I will not embarrass her by printing her words of irritation...
My favorite images of Union Station have been taken in the snow. This view looks south from the roof of one of the old buildings across the tracks. It was one of series of panoramic photos taken to show the progress of the REA restoration and the parking lot.
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