Dallas officials unleash $23-million renovation of Union Station with ceremony and tasting

by Teresa Gubbins

DALLAS — Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert presided over a ceremony welcoming the $23-million renovation of Union Station in downtown Dallas, and the installation of Wolfgang Puck Catering for on-site food-service -- in the nick of time for holiday parties and other potential rental opportunities.

The remodeled space has a massive main hall and seven smaller rooms for weddings, conferences, Christmas parties, and the like. They've taken what used to be an ugly, dank-smelling dump and turned it into something nice and a little bit vintage-y looking. Many original fittings in the 1915 building have been preserved, including woodwork, brass fixtures, tile floors, unique windows and glasswork, and so on.

The staff includes Shawn Horne, who joined the group a short time after shutting down his Lakewood restaurant, Kitchen 1924.

In addition to covering the facility's banquet needs, Wolfgang Puck will also operate the restaurant at the top of Reunion Tower, which is now scheduled to open in January, and which has yet to be named.

Buffet items were bite-sized and included pulled pork baby sandwiches, short ribs, Chinese chicken salad, salmon, cod, beets with goat cheese, green beans, spicy stir-fry with tofu and shrimp, mushroom truffle ravioli, plus sweets that included mango pudding and fruit soups.