The Solana Beach Transit Center, opened in 1995 for about $6M, regularly serves over 1,000 daily passengers, making it among the busiest of Amtrack’s P73 stations for Pacific Surfliner and COASTER commuter services.  The station replaced the aged Del Mar station which operated since the early 1900s.

The facility features a Quonset hut-inspired, semi-circular form commonly used by the military. The overall aesthetic echoes that of a series of shops and restaurants constructed down the road in 1941, often referred to as the visual landmark of the town.  

A long zigzag ramp connects the station and the train tracks which were sunken 28 feet below street level for more than a mile-and-a-half through the town during construction.

Corrugated metal covers the roof, with glass spanning the very center for abundant daylighting.  Inside, wood paneling hugs the three-story curved structure while each facade of recessed storefront glazing features many operable panes for natural airflow.

MCH provided full-scope acoustical consulting.