Union Station smells like urine, has a homeless problem, and is half deserted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Penn Station says hold my beer.

Yes, last week I was stunned by the number of unhoused people at Union Station until I got off the train in NY and Penn Station was much worse.

"Unhoused people"

I'm not the poster you quoted, but that is the new politically correct term to use. I didn't know either until a friend told me a few months ago.

Well, they are both unhoused and homeless. Both are true and correct.

Why would they change the term, as homeless sums it up. Or do I sound careless (I mean, uncared)?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Penn Station says hold my beer.

Yes, last week I was stunned by the number of unhoused people at Union Station until I got off the train in NY and Penn Station was much worse.

"Unhoused people"

I'm not the poster you quoted, but that is the new politically correct term to use. I didn't know either until a friend told me a few months ago.

Well, they are both unhoused and homeless. Both are true and correct.

Why would they change the term, as homeless sums it up. Or do I sound careless (I mean, uncared)?

[Anonymous]

I just go from the parking lot to the train to NYC and I’ve never noticed a problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Penn Station says hold my beer.

Yes, last week I was stunned by the number of unhoused people at Union Station until I got off the train in NY and Penn Station was much worse.

"Unhoused people"

I'm not the poster you quoted, but that is the new politically correct term to use. I didn't know either until a friend told me a few months ago.

Well, they are both unhoused and homeless. Both are true and correct.

Why would they change the term, as homeless sums it up. Or do I sound careless (I mean, uncared)?

LOL

[Anonymous]

https://www.unionstationdc.com/directory-map/

This is a map of all teh stores on each level. Mouse over a bunch of the unlabeled ones and if no name pops up, it's vacant. Pretty heavy vacancy rate, and this is exactly why.

After the renovation in the 90s, Union Station was downright swanky. No more.

[Anonymous]

Shithole country, eh?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yep, it's AWFUL.

Agreed

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Union station is disgusting and an embarrassment but not much anyone can do.

Gate the doors and require a ticket or metro fare to enter

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:https://www.unionstationdc.com/directory-map/

This is a map of all teh stores on each level. Mouse over a bunch of the unlabeled ones and if no name pops up, it's vacant. Pretty heavy vacancy rate, and this is exactly why.

After the renovation in the 90s, Union Station was downright swanky. No more.

Not much of a mystery there.
Travel is way down because of the pandemic. That hurt all of the vendors.

[Anonymous]

Isn’t the overall odor of DC urine, weed, and engine exhaust? Union Station is just fitting in.

[Anonymous]

I lived close by in 1998-it was like a fancy mall. There was a movie theater, people shopping, nice restaurants, a book store.

The homeless shelter was there then too so I’m not sure what changed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Union station is disgusting and an embarrassment but not much anyone can do.

Gate the doors and require a ticket or metro fare to enter

+1. They do this at airports. They should do it at train stations.

[Anonymous]

I'm unsurprised.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is not so new, actually. The problem is that the rest of DC has turned into Union Station. But Union Station has pretty much always been that way.

I used to love Union Station. It was quite nice, including the dining, years ago. Except the area where birds pooped right outside. Sounds like much has changed.

[Anonymous]

Has it gotten worse since the pandemic? Used to work at the SEC so would go there for lunch. I can’t imagine that the restaurants and food court could survive the pandemic at all.