DENVER — Civic Center Station reopened Sunday after shutting down for 18 months of reconstruction. The $31 million redesign replaces a rundown, leaking facility built in the early 1980s.

More than 15,000 passengers a day travel through the bus terminal.

“Just using the buses I haven’t been inside just yet but I’m pretty sure it’s cozy it’s probably better than the last one the last one was really nasty,” passenger Starletta Lewis said.

The newly renovated building not only gives Civic Center Station a snazzier exterior aesthetic, it also comes with an increased security presence and surveillance.

“When tourists come through it’s not just looking at Denver as a way to get to the mountains now Denver’s the destination itself you look at it there’s consistent look from Denver International Airport to Union Station to here and it really brings the whole city together,” said Rye Rajala, who was visiting the station with kids.

RTD said that with the renovation, it was able to increase service from the station.

“One of the great features were able to do with the design of the new facility is we were actually able to add two or three additional bays so it gives us a lot more capacity and it gives us a lot more operational flexibility,” RTD general manager Dave Genova said.