Jennifer Smith was delighted when she learned how easy it was to catch a train downtown after flying into Denver this week from her home in Hawaii.
She was even more delighted for what she saw when she got there: Union Station's signature Great Hall, which has reopened after months of renovations.
"Walking off the train and into this was impressive," she told us while enjoying a ginger ale in a cushy, canary-yellow chair. "It's just so nice and clean and air-conditioned and quiet."
Geoff Day, who's also from out of town, said he noticed the interior design, specifically.
"It's very comfortable, and I think the decor is pleasant and restful, not overly busy," he said.
Not overly busy, but Denverite did count at least ten different kinds of chairs inside. Some are tall. Some are short. Some look studious. Others are droll.
Who can actually sit in those chairs was on some people's minds.
Panoyi Hale, who lives nearby and said he appreciated the many plants in this revamped space, said he worried he'd get kicked out if he took a seat.
"I thought they would, because they used to, so I was kind of skeptical about even coming over here," he told us.
The Great Hall is not a true public space, even if it's treated that way.
For years, there were debates about what was the right level of security, about whether someone who's experiencing homelessness could sit down inside, about who could use the bathroom.
Julie Dunn, who helps with communications for the station, said people technically need to buy something to sit in the new Great Hall.
Still, on Tuesday, people we spoke to said Union Station's staff largely let them hang out for free.
Eliu Hernandez said he was also worried the area wasn't truly welcoming for him and his daughter. But nobody asked them to move along, so they ended their weekly "daddy-daughter day" on a newly installed bench.
"Everything's great. The seating is great. The place is awesome. The architecture. The lighting. All of it. And it makes for a good destination for our trips," he said.
Av just stared from the railing she was hanging on. She was too busy enjoying the place to chat.
