Fullerton train station gets $800K refresh with trackside restaurant on the way

Fullerton’s train station just got a recent revamp, and more might be on the way.

The Fullerton Transportation Center, the busiest stop on the Metrolink Orange County line according to the city, got a new coat of paint, new lighting and bright artwork. It also serves Amtrak trains.

Local artist Phoebe Nelson created the new murals and signage of iconic Fullerton cultural history, digging through historical documents and working closely with the city.

“What can sometimes feel boring, routine, you’re going through the motions, hopefully the artwork adds a little bit of brightness to otherwise maybe a dreary commute,” Nelson said. “People use the transit station for a lot of reasons, so it could also be adding to an already fun day.”

Now riders can also track their train with new screens providing real-time information. Bike racks and restriped bike lanes were also installed to support active ways of getting to the station.

The $800,000 project, funded by the state’s Clean California initiative, is part of $14.5 million allocated statewide to clean up public transit stations. In Orange County, three other projects totaling around $2.4 million are underway to improve Santa Ana transit terminals.

The project made the station “more welcoming, accessible, and easier to navigate,” Fullerton Mayor Fred Jung said in a statement.

Beyond the state-funded facelift, more changes could be on the horizon.

Last month, the Fullerton City Council approved an extension until 2060 of a lease with local developers and brothers George Jr. and Tony Bushala. The brothers lease most of the transit center from the city, and their family owns the cafe.

During the City Council meeting, the brothers said they plan to build on an unused loading dock at the depot and sublet the space to a restaurant operator, aiming to create a trackside destination similar to a popular spot in San Juan Capistrano. Mock-ups provided by the Bushalas show a brewery-style restaurant at the station.

“We’re gonna build a really fantastic looking building on the east end on the loading dock, something that is pretty well blighted right now,” Tony Bushala said in the meeting. “When it’s all done, they’ll come down and everybody will be happy and thank everyone for it.”

Some residents expressed concern during public comment that the below-market-value rent the city charged unfairly benefits the Bushala brothers and councilmembers Shana Charles and Ahmad Zahra voted against approving the lease amendment, pushing back against the rent.

The approved lease amendment gives the Bushalas a five-year deadline to complete their project. They said they already have operators in line to lease the property.