Farewell to the Joseph P. Bort MetroCenter

The Metropolitan Transportation Commission convened for its final meeting at the Joseph P. Bort MetroCenter on Wednesday, March 23, 2016.

The commissioners meet for the last time in the Lawrence P. Dahms Auditorium, named after the first executive director of MTC.

Former MTC Deputy Executive Director Bill Hein catches up with MTC staff Catalina Alvarado and Irving Maxwell.

Former MTC Executive Director Larry Dahms reconnects with former librarian Ying Cai and Senior Legislative Analyst Rebecca Long.

The first executive directors of MTC and ABAG - Larry Dahms and Revan Tranter - remember the time when they worked at the Claremont Hotel before moving into the MetroCenter in 1984.

Former MTC Deputy Executive Director Bill Hein shares memories with Lillian Chin, the wife of the late Francis Chin, former MTC General Counsel.

Larry Dahms and former staffer Linda Walls were both working at MTC when the agency moved to the MetroCenter.

Both Revan Tranter and long-time BART spokesman Mike Healy are veterans of Bay Area regional planning.

Larry Dahms, Lillian Chin, Bill Hein, Marcia deVaughn, Revan Tranter, Ezra Rapport and Mike Healy were all in attendance at the ceremony during the last commission meeting.

Revan Tranter describes the difficult process of moving out of the Claremont Hotel and acquiring the MetroCenter in 1984.

BART Deputy General Manager Marcia deVaughn spoke about MTC's long history of collaboration with BART, which strengthened the region's commitment to transit.

Larry Dahms brings us back to 1984 when MTC moved to the MetroCenter and was developing many projects - TransLink, BART to SFO and the new East Span of the Bay Bridge - all of which have now been completed.

Retired MTC employees Lois Tucker, Linda Walls and Ying Cai who were working at the MetroCenter at the start pay a visit to the old building.

Current commissioners pose for a ceremonial picture in front of the Joseph P. Bort MetroCenter.

MTC Executive Director Steve Heminger, former ABAG Executive Director Revan Tranter, former MTC Executive Director Larry Dahms, Commissioner Jim Spering and former MTC Deputy Executive Director Bill Hein pose together for a group photo.

Past and present MTC employees and former BART spokesman Mike Healy reunite for a photo to celebrate the MetroCenter's long history.

MTC's partners at BART pay their respects to the long history at the MetroCenter.

Current Deputy and Executive Directors Alix Bockelman and Steve Heminger pose for a historic picture with former Deputy and Executive Directors Bill Hein and Larry Dahms.