Rio Piedras Underground Heavy Rail Station, Tren Urbano, San Juan, Puerto Rico

AVA’s Role: Anil Verma Associates, Inc. (AVA) served as Architect-of-Record, Urban Designer, and Inspector-of-Record to the Kiewit/Kenny/Zachry (KKZ) Joint Venture construction team for the design-build contract encompassing the underground heavy-rail stations. AVA’s responsibilities included architecture, urban design, engineering coordination, and construction management.

Description: The Rio Piedras contract consisted of two stations and tunnels for the underground segment of the first Rapid Transit Rail Project in San Juan, Puerto Rico.  This Design-build contract within this heavy rail transit system is a Federal Transit Administration Demonstration Project. 

Rio Piedras Station is a stacked drift-tunnel station with deep shafts and cut-and-cover entrances at each end. Located directly across from Rio Piedras Plaza in a congested portion of the city’s historic district, the station presented significant historic-preservation, urban-design, and construction challenges. AVA was responsible for the architectural design of the entire facility within the context of the existing urban environment. AVA completely redesigned the ancillary equipment spaces, eliminating 80 feet of cut-and-cover construction from the proposed 916-foot station box and substantially reducing construction costs. AVA also worked closely with the local community and the State Historic Preservation Office to develop the façade design for the station headhouse fronting the historic Plaza de Recreo. Additional headhouses were designed to complement the neighborhood’s mixed commercial and residential character. During construction, AVA maintained extensive involvement in this highly congested setting to ensure the quality and durability of the completed station.