Thornton Tomasetti, Inc., selected for structural design of new Transbay Transit Center in San Francisco

Thornton Tomasetti, Inc., the international building engineering and technology firm, has been contracted to provide structural design services for the new Transbay Transit Center in San Francisco. In September 2007, Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects was selected for the design and development of the Transbay Transit Center at First and Mission streets. The Los Angeles and New York offices of Thornton Tomasetti will join the architect’s team on this project that will consist of a new transit terminal topped by a public park.

"We are honored to be selected to join Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects to create this great addition to San Francisco’s public spaces," said Bruce Gibbons, principal in the Thornton Tomasetti Los Angeles office. "The new Transbay Transit Center will combine beauty, functionality, and sustainability to create a new landmark in one of the world’s greatest cities."

The new Transbay Transit Center will centralize the region’s transportation network by accommodating nine transportation systems under one roof, including AC Transit, Caltrain, MUNI, Golden Gate Transit, SamTrans, Greyhound, BART, WestCAT, and future California High-Speed Rail. The 40-acre redevelopment area surrounding the Transit Center will be developed to include housing, retail, and an adjacent tower poised to redefine the city’s skyline.

Transbay Transit Center aspires to become one of San Francisco’s great civic places. Its architecture is open, full of light and clean air, and environmentally sustainable. As the centerpiece of a new neighborhood, the design team has proposed transforming the roof of the Transit Center into a public park——City Park. The 5.4-acre City Park will be accessible and inviting, complete with the attractions and activities that characterize great urban green spaces. The park also actively improves the environment around the Transit Center, absorbing pollution from bus exhaust, treating and recycling water, and providing a habitat for local wildlife.