The city plans to apply for a $1.9 million federal grant to renovate the Altoona Transportation Center.

The Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity grant would require a 10 percent city match.

The total project is projected to cost $2.2 million.

The city applied previously — and unsuccessfully — to the Department of Community and Economic Development and to PennDOT for grants for the same project.

As initially proposed, the project called for replacement or reconfiguration of a variety of deteriorating elements inside the center to create a “white box” that could attract institutional or business tenants that could pay market rental rates.

Rental income from Amtrak, Greyhound, Amtran and some other tenants has generated only enough to cover routine maintenance and not enough to set aside for periodic capital updates — a problem the renovation could rectify, officials hope.

Potential improvements include:

— Replacement of the deteriorating glass block and skylight wall along 13th Street with conventional steel frame construction.

— Replacement of the door and window assemblies at the 10th Avenue entrance, the door at the 11th Avenue entrance, the door to the parking garage and various interior doors.

— Creation of a series of flex spaces with the use of movable partitions in what is now the main lobby, which would mean a smaller, more consolidated train and bus passenger waiting room closer to the Amtrak and Greyhound ticket counters.

— Replacement of floor finishes throughout and plumbing fixtures and stalls in the restrooms.

— Replacement of the curved roof and window assemblies on the 10th Avenue pedestrian crossover, along with the roof of the stairway between the crossover and the Amtrak loading platform.

— Removal of some of the Amtrak platform roof and rehabilitation of the rest of the roof.

— Exterior walkway repairs.

Since the most recent application, officials have discussed including a station for electric scooters and a charging station for electric vehicles, according to City Councilman Dave Butterbaugh.

The U.S. Department of Transportation is administering $1.5 billion in RAISE grants under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

The grants are competitive and will go for infrastructure modernization projects with significant local or regional impact, according to a department news release.

The city would cover the $220,000 match from the grant match component of the general fund, according to a document provided at the most recent City Council meeting.

Mirror Staff Writer William Kibler is at 814-949-7038.