As much as we love SEPTA, we find ourselves frustrated that so much of our mass transit system remains inaccessible, even though it’s been decades since the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law. Fortunately, the agency is now committed to achieving near total accessibility on the Metro and Regional Rail system by 2034. While some stations may only require limited improvements, others like the Chinatown Station on the Broad Street Line Spur, will require more substantial work. Thankfully, SEPTA was able to secure funding from the federal government for these projects from the FTA’s All Stations Accessibility Program (ASAP), helping the cash strapped agency prioritize a project that would’ve otherwise languished, perhaps forever.

Before the state agency can proceed with the necessary improvements, they need the City’s Art Commission to sign off on the plans. After securing conceptual approval for the project last July, the agency and its outside engineers presented their modestly revised plans for final approval for the redevelopment of the subway station at 800 Race St. on Wednesday morning. The Art Commission gave their approval and SEPTA can now proceed with the project, though they’ll need to come back in the future for approval for signage.

The existing headhouse will be totally demolished to allow for a larger headhouse with two larger width stairs and two ADA elevators. With two floors, the new structure will be largely covered in glazed gray brick, with large windows on the second story to allow light to enter the station. As we can see from the revised plans from Jacobs, the final submission is largely in line with the previous conceptual plan, with a few changes added as a result of consultation with the Art Commission and the Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation (PCDC). Notably the distinctive light poles used in Chinatown will be incorporated into the building’s design. The updated plans also include interior and exterior signage that’s up to SEPTA’s latest wayfinding signage standards, while still maintaining the bilingual nature of the station.

Along with a green roof on the new station, the site will include new trees selected for being indigenous to Chinese gardens. With bollards also being installed around the plaza, hopefully the block won’t end up serving as a de facto parking lot, as it has in the past. With the addition of a seating area, the new plaza should be less hostile for riders walking to and from the station.

The previous conceptual plan included a placeholder for some sort of artistic work on the side and rear facades, but a lack of funding means the walls will remain unadorned for now. Having to enter the station through a parking lot is bleak enough, so lets hope that something visually interesting is eventually incorporated. Keeping project costs down for these types of transit projects is important, but in a city with a thriving public art community, there are no shortage of mural commission opportunities.

Along with the $159M secured by the City for the Chinatown Stitch project to partially cap the Vine Street Expressway, it certainly looks like the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is going to have a sizable role reshaping this pocket of the city. With the Historical Commission opening up the possibility of redeveloping the Roundhouse, this intersection could look and feel very different in a few years. By that time, the Chinatown Station renovations should be complete, and a larger swath of the population will be able to easily visit the area.