San Bernardino Santa Fe Depot

City of San Bernardino

San Bernardino Santa Fe Depot is a 1918 Mission Revival-style depot with Moorish influences. This 65,000 square foot structure, with a 330 foot long trackside arcade, was the second largest depot in California and served as the headquarters for Santa Fe’s West Coast operations, facilitating the shipment of passengers, goods, freight and materials from the east coast. Because San Bernardino was the first city seen by rail passengers traveling from points east, the depot was designed to impress visitors with California’s importance to a growing nation and was nicknamed the “Gateway to Southern California.”

Heritage initially identified the building as part of a citywide reconnaissance survey conducted in 1991. Heritage then prepared a National Register of Historic Places application, a Historic Property Survey Report in compliance with Section 106, produced an economic viability study, and developed conceptual drawings as part of an adaptive reuse study. Heritage also completed construction documents and construction observation services for the $15.1 million rehabilitation. The Depot now provides Metrolink services as well as SANBAG offices.