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The company behind a $1 billion privately funded passenger railroad that would connect Orlando to Miami — and possibly Tampa — hired two architecture and planning firms to aid the project.
Coral Gables-based Florida East Coast Industries says New York-based Skidmore, Owings & Merrill will be the project's lead architect and planner. The firm will handle the initial design concepts for four stations in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach and Orlando, according to a release. Miami'based architecture firm Zyscovich Inc. will be the associate architect and planner.
“The engagement of SOM and Zyscovich represents our commitment to delivering world'class transit planning and design for the station system of All Aboard Florida,” Florida East Coast Industries President Vincent Signorello says in the release. “Both firms have demonstrated extreme competence with projects of similar scope throughout the world. Their depth of experience in urban planning and skill in crafting appropriately iconic design sets the stage for All Aboard Florida to transform the transportation landscape throughout Florida.”
Florida East Coast Industries announced plans for the railroad in March. The rail service, with no plans to seek public funding, will initially use 200 miles of track between Cocoa and Miami that Florida East Coast already owns. The company says it will build 40 miles of new track to connect Cocoa to Orlando. The plan is to then eventually extend the Orlando tracks northeast, to Jacksonville, and west, to Tampa. The first phase of the rail service could be operational by 2014, according to previous Florida East Coast statements.
Florida East Coast officials say the project could create 6,000 construction jobs, and another 1,000 jobs to operate the system. For more on the project, click here.
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