Kellogg Entry This part of the audio tour begins on the main floor of the Kellogg Entry. The Kellogg Entry is located between Gate A in the Waiting Room and the Concourse. From here, you can descend to the transit level and an outside area called the East Plaza. Or you can continue down to street level and access Kellogg Boulevard. The Kellogg Entry is one of four vertical circulation towers constructed during the renovation. It is the only one to provide access to street level. The other towers are Gates A, B and C which provide access to the train decks. The East Plaza is one of the outdoor event venues at Union Depot. Another is the North Plaza in front of the Head House. These outdoor venues are flexible spaces for big crowds and all kinds of events, from concerts to art festivals. Near the East Plaza is a bike path and access to the Rail View picnic area which is located at the east end of the property. Out of sight is an underground storm water retention system used to collect rapid runoff from rain or snowmelt from the train deck and roof. It holds more than 200,000 gallons and filters the water as it slowly releases it to the Mississippi. The storm water retention system is just one of many ways Union Depot protects the environment and advances sustainability. During the restoration process, a wide range of green building ideas were implemented, and Union Depot earned LEED Gold certification in 2014. “LEED” stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and is an internationally recognized program from the U.S. Green Building Council. It rates buildings, homes and neighborhoods according to environmental and sustainability best practices. Key elements of Union Depot’s LEED Gold certification include reusing and recycling building materials during the restoration process. In total, 31,000 tons of construction waste was recycled and diverted from landfills. The new construction incorporated energy efficient building materials and control systems, and for heating and cooling Union Depot connects to District Energy Saint Paul, the largest and most successful hot water heating system in North America. Union Depot also provides electric vehicle charging stations and has secure indoor bike storage. Look online for more information about Union Depot’s LEED Gold Certification. Visit uniondepot.org/about. Thanks for touring Union Depot. The next segment completes the audio tour with an overview of the facility and the Lowertown neighborhood.
