DOWNTOWN — People are going wild over the proposed addition to Union Station.

But … it’s not the kind of “wild” the designers were probably hoping for.

The proposal calls for a hotel and apartment buildings to be added to the building. That would be made possible by adding a rectangular, many-windowed section to the top of the nearly-century-old train station.

Blair Kamin, the Chicago Tribune’s architecture critic, ripped the proposed design, saying the addition goes with the existing neo-classical design about “as well as Rauner and Pritzker, the City Council and ethics reform.”

Others have compared the addition to a spaceship, a bad hat sitting on a pretty person and a fishtank.

Here are some of the reactions:

Yeah the Union Station concepts are hideous but at least the architects didn’t decide to put a ten story bronze sculpture of Ditka on top instead, right? — Matt Lindner (@mattlindner) June 26, 2018

Chicago, why do you think putting metal "spaceships" on top of historic buildings is attractive? First Soldier Field and now Union Station. #WTF — Siobhan Connellan (@SioConnellan) June 26, 2018

Reminds me of those dopey Derby hats on top of a good looking person, but with less charm or whimsy / Is Chicago Union Station Redevelopment Soldier Field 2.0? https://t.co/Eu6JRE3Fso via @urbanophile — Kevin Klinkenberg (@kevinklink) June 26, 2018

I’m in agreement with those who oppose the proposed addition for Union Station. It’s completely out of character with the rest of the building. Reminds me of the botched job done on Soldier Field years ago.. https://t.co/nu6Yxz7jtB #Chicago #architecture — Lisa Galvan (@shytowngirl) June 26, 2018

Or if we could not put a fishtank atop Union Station that would OK https://t.co/SjrWh0F692 pic.twitter.com/w00x1q0NZY — Kurt Gessler (@kurtgessler) June 26, 2018

This just does not work. A tornado picked up a building in Schaumburg and it landed on Union Station (albeit very accurately). Chicago merits much better than this. Back to the drawing board, please. — Dennis Casey (@DennisCasey87) June 26, 2018

Absolutely horrible. Worst development proposal in Chicago in a long time. — Christopher Towne (@ctowne73) June 26, 2018

This…is…



…it’s like they put a crappy ill-fitting hat on it…



I think @MaryPlanningMac would have a heart attack if someone tried to do this to Union Station. https://t.co/hhlI5ce6om — Giulio Cescato (@giulio_plans) June 26, 2018

Chicago Freaking Out Over the New Union Station Design Proposal Twitter is my new favorite Twitter. — Jen Myers (@antiheroine) June 26, 2018

Glad you Tweeted this so I did not have to. Saw the rendering in Sun Times this morning while awaiting my daily train in Union Station. So obviously wrong-minded and poorly envisioned, on every possible front . . . — J. Eric Smith (@justericsmith) June 26, 2018

This #UnionStation “upgrade” ?!?

Someone (lots of someone’s) need to go back to Architectural School! — Momx4 (@Momx4x6) June 26, 2018

This is not good for either Union Station or Holiday Inn…squat is the best thing you can say about it. https://t.co/IPUH7Ctch7 — Jim LaPosta (@jimlaposta) June 26, 2018