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Old BART car gets new home
As part of the BART legacy fleet decommissioning, a BART car was placed in downtown Hayward for Arthur Macs expansion.
HAYWARD, Calif. - As part of the BART legacy fleet decommissioning, a BART car was placed in downtown Hayward. The 1990s Class A Train BART Car was the ninth car given away to be upcycled by the community.
This time, it's being restored and turned into a dining space for Authur Mac's, a pizza and wings spot based in Oakland.
Arthur Mac's owners expanding to Hayward
Dig deeper:
Restaurant owners Joel and Jordan DiGeorgio are one step closer to opening their newest venture, Arthur Mac’s Big Snack, in the heart of downtown Hayward.
The upcoming restaurant will offer a unique dining experience set inside a restored BART legacy car, a move designed to bring nostalgia and foot traffic to the area’s vacant storefronts.
Originally named as a tribute to the MacArthur BART station in Oakland, this will be the third and largest location for the brand.
The centerpiece of the establishment is a 76-foot 1990s Class A BART car, which Arthur Mac’s received as one of 10 organizations selected for the BART Legacy Fleet Decommissioning Program.
Owners say they intend to keep the original upholstery and chairs to ensure customers can "feel the history" of the Bay Area staple.
Local perspective:
The restaurant brand pays homage to the MacArthur BART Station in Oakland, with its original location across the street.
This time, the Hayward move will have extra sentimental value, as Joel DiGeorgio recalled his childhood riding BART.
"All we did all summer long was ride AC transit, ride BART and go find pizza spots with our skateboards," said Joel. "We really want you to feel like you go through a time warp and you’re transported back to the 90s."
BART's lead on decommissioning projects, Brian Tsukamoto, said there is only one train car left to give away. "It’s a staple here in the Bay Area, and hopefully it’s a reminder of the old days and what’s to come," he said.
Bringing the BART car to B Street
The journey:
The journey to B Street was a massive logistical undertaking four years in the making.
The 65,000-pound train car was transported by truck five miles from the Hayward BART yard to its final destination, where a 500-ton crane lowered it into place.
The project required permits from federal agencies and saw its initial $1.2 million budget rise to $2 million.
Hayward city leadership expressed optimism that the new landmark will serve as a catalyst for local economic growth.
Hayward City Council member Angela Andrews noted that the attraction is expected to help revitalize downtown.
"It’s going to help all the businesses here downtown, because once they make one stop here, they’ll come back and try the other restaurants, so we’re really excited about this," she said.
While the car itself was free through the legacy fleet program, the high cost of the relocation and restoration has led the owners to put their Oakland location up for sale.
What's next:
The new Hayward location is slated to open this fall.
Interested buyers should go to arthurmacs.com.
The Source: City of Hayward Economic Development Team, Arthur Mac's owners,