Last Look At Historic Station

Demo-men are at work today, gingerly handling what salvageable architectural elements remain in the rubble of Montclair's former historic Upper Mountain train station. The distinctive "porte-cochere" will remain intact during the rest of the demolition, and be incorporated into the new building design. It's now completely detached from the main building, which as of tomorrow, will meet its final demise. NJ Transit workers removed the passenger tent (it'll be back by Monday, they assured me) and were taking down train schedules.

See you tomorrow at the wrecking ball...

Meanwhile, we got an inkling of what's to come from the Star Ledger:

[Developer Charles]Nuzzo, meanwhile, was looking forward to a spring opening. He envisions a place where any of the 450 daily commuters could place a morning order for a rack of lamb and sides to be picked up at the working day's end.

For the sit-down diners, he said, there'll be an open kitchen. "It brings you into the whole experience," he said. "Food should be fun. You'll see the cooks making it."

Inside, too, will be restrooms and a vestibule to shelter waiting passengers, a departure from the fabric carport erected on the platform to keep commuters dry after the fire.