Folks,
I need your well-thought-out advice and experiences with regards to an upcoming station preservation situation.

A community in my native region purchased the 1880's all-wooden depot from Norfolk Southern late last year, with the speculative intention of adapting the station to a police station or other borough offices (the overcrowded borough building is one block away). For whatever reasons, after extensive environmental and structural studies found nothing inheriently wrong with the building other than one hole in the roof, the town decided it would not reuse the station, and is planning to auction the station later this month. Conditions of sale include preservation of the structure and its historic exterior appearance, erection of a fence between the station and railroad (a thrice-weekly local is the only traffic), and installation of a sidewalk along the street (the station sits on a wedge between a street and the RR, a very awkward site, and is zoned for commercial use). The building is in incredibly sturdy condition, but is NOT built to provide living quarters for an agent, so residential adaptation would be difficult and involve extensive rebuilding.

A group from the town has approached me and asked me a valid question:

Provided the auction were stopped, would the structure be more likely to get any sort of grant money (such as TEA-21, historic site preservation money, etc.) if public ownership were retained and a public-private partnership were established instead? The most serious known proposal includes some form of public space use such as a combined community center/historical museum and farmer's market space (the town has an anniversary coming up, apparently). The town officials are seemingly challenging these claims of the faction that advocates retaining public ownership, and asking for from-the-book proof that it would be in the structure's best interest to remain in public hands. (The town is small and, somewhat understandably, doesn't want to end up "stuck" with the expense of another public building just because it's the "right thing" to do.)

Any comments on this matter, pro or con, are welcome. At this point, we are not so much interested in whether the station will be saved, but how and in whose hands. As one person puts it, "no use selling the building for $40,000 if that means it's no longer eligible for $250,000 or more in grant money........."

lner4472@bcpl.net

Here's my perspective from the state of Nebraska:

In the TEA-21 process, government cooperation is a must. This translates into government ownership (some call it sponsorship, but I think that is incorrect). There could be the possibility of a facade easement being granted to a government entity by the building's owner. Keep in mind that the town itself is only one out of several possible government entities that could take ownership (perhaps a transfer to a more sympathetic government entity may be all that is needed).

Also in Nebraska, reuse that has transportation in mind is extra points to the TEA-21 people. Whether it is a museum for any mode, a trailhead, a station, a bike shop, it all qualifies as a transportation use. The building could also be leased by the government entity to a tenant.

As in any other project community/governmental support is a must. I'd recommend speaking to the people that administer TEA-21 to find out the specifics for that state. Also beware of the other politics that could have a negative impact upon your application.

Good luck,
Gerald W. Kopiasz, President
Heartland Railroad Historical Society

> Folks,
> I need your well-thought-out advice and
> experiences with regards to an upcoming
> station preservation situation.

> A community in my native region purchased
> the 1880's all-wooden depot from Norfolk
> Southern late last year, with the
> speculative intention of adapting the
> station to a police station or other borough
> offices (the overcrowded borough building is
> one block away). For whatever reasons, after
> extensive environmental and structural
> studies found nothing inheriently wrong with
> the building other than one hole in the
> roof, the town decided it would not reuse
> the station, and is planning to auction the
> station later this month. Conditions of sale
> include preservation of the structure and
> its historic exterior appearance, erection
> of a fence between the station and railroad
> (a thrice-weekly local is the only traffic),
> and installation of a sidewalk along the
> street (the station sits on a wedge between
> a street and the RR, a very awkward site,
> and is zoned for commercial use). The
> building is in incredibly sturdy condition,
> but is NOT built to provide living quarters
> for an agent, so residential adaptation
> would be difficult and involve extensive
> rebuilding.

> A group from the town has approached me and
> asked me a valid question:

> Provided the auction were stopped, would the
> structure be more likely to get any sort of
> grant money (such as TEA-21, historic site
> preservation money, etc.) if public
> ownership were retained and a public-private
> partnership were established instead? The
> most serious known proposal includes some
> form of public space use such as a combined
> community center/historical museum and
> farmer's market space (the town has an
> anniversary coming up, apparently). The town
> officials are seemingly challenging these
> claims of the faction that advocates
> retaining public ownership, and asking for
> from-the-book proof that it would be in the
> structure's best interest to remain in
> public hands. (The town is small and,
> somewhat understandably, doesn't want to end
> up "stuck" with the expense of
> another public building just because it's
> the "right thing" to do.)

> Any comments on this matter, pro or con, are
> welcome. At this point, we are not so much
> interested in whether the station will be
> saved, but how and in whose hands. As one
> person puts it, "no use selling the
> building for $40,000 if that means it's no
> longer eligible for $250,000 or more in
> grant money........."


hrrhs@aol.com

With the info from below, also look to:

National Railroad Historical Society

www.rrshs.org

Federal Railroad Admin.

www.fra.dot.gov/site/

(and input "TEA" into the search)
Lots of luck.

retsquid@tvec.net

Plus there's always the Great American Station Foundation.

God Bless,
Gerald W. Kopiasz
Heartland Railroad Historical Society

> With the info from below, also look to:

> National Railroad Historical Society

> www.rrshs.org

> Federal Railroad Admin.

> www.fra.dot.gov/site/

> (and input "TEA" into the search)
> Lots of luck.


hrrhs@aol.com

In 1994, the ex-SR/Carolina & N-W depot in Newton, NC between Salisbury & Asheville was slated for demolition. NS crews came into town and had the asbestos roofing removed and demolition was slated to begin in a few days. A couple of local citizens raised almighty hell at city council (Newton is also a small town), and that bought an emergency reprieve from the manager of NS Real Estate for the state of NC. City crews covered the roof with plastic and pallets to prevent any roofing damage from rain, etc, while a plan was hammered out, but that was the extent the city wanted to get involved. They too, did not want any additional expense for what might turn out to be a white elephant.

After months of negotiating, NS agreed to sell the depot (brick veneer on concrete pad), but only to the city. The city told our small group of citizens they would under no circumstances fund us, but would be willing to help us in regards to city services, etc. To please Norfolk Southern, the city council created a legal appendage to the city- the Newton Depot Authority- which legally was part of the city, but its 10 board member (including 2 city aldermen)were responsible for ALL fundraising, construction, and operation. After several years of nickel & diming the public, getting a few thousand from industry here and there, and a TEA grant a year or so ago, the depot has been moved and now is well on its way to restoration. What were the key elements?

1) A dedicated group of volunteers. We were fortunate that our local group of Habitat for Humanity carpenters are also railfans. Ditto that many local NRHS members were willing to pitch in as well.

2) An adaptive re-use PLAN. There were calls for an exclusive rail museum, etc., but the bottom line is that no large political support existed for a museum someone will come visit every 5 years. Our plan is for 1/3 of the depot to be leased as an ice-cream bar(get the public coming on a regular basis), 1/3 a local rail museum (to educate this public about why its important), and 1/3 leased to a model club, so that you have people coming and going in the place who have a vested interest to maintain looks and security. Does this please everybody? No. Our local NRHS chapter had deep divisions that some haven't yet recovered because a) the depot was relocated a few hundred yards, and b) the intact white/black waiting rooms, and in fact, most of the interior, is completely gutted and little resembles the original. However, without this approach, I assure you that Newton, NC would have only a vacant lot where a proud depot once stood.

3) The plan of (2) above led to the acceptance of the project by the city council, which granted us our legal authority. This gave us INSTANT credibility with the railroad, being much more than some well-intentioned rail nuts. As our momentum, slowly but steadily grew, some on the council warmed to our position. Why wouldn't they? We were enhancing the town and not costing them a nickel other than water/sewer/trash pickup. This led to local politicos rubbing elbows with state politicos who had federal connections, etc. At that point, with such a great deal of support, our grant was approved, and now, we are moving at a turtle's pace towards completion, which by the way, is lightning fast compared to our previous snail-speed.

This of course, is 7 years of history in a nutshell. If you want more information, email me at this address or at www.tarheelpress.com. We would be more than pleased to help out.

Matt Bumgarner

stealthnfo@aol.com

What are sometimes called "TEA-21 grants" are actually reimbursements from the Surface Transportation Program "Enhancement" category of federal highway aid. Your state highway department will have an official in charge of this program, who can tell you the rules for applying for this aid in your state. Your city government will be familiar with this if they've applied before. Under federal law, there are several subcategories of "Enhancement" handouts that an old depot might be eligible for: historic preservation, rail stations, transportation museums, or bike paths. Most state rules for using this aid are pretty liberal, and public ownership may or may not be a requirement. But competition for this aid is stiff, and it does not come in the form of cash grants, but as a reimbursement for a construction project. Competition for historic-preservation funds will probably be even more stiff, so a commercial sale and re-use is probably the way to go.

Aarne H. Frobom
The Steam Railroading Institute
P. O. Box 665
Owosso, MI 48867-0665

If there is no plan there will be no money. As mentioned in another message this is a multi-year project that will be tough. City support (which it appears you do not have) is nice but not critical. I was involved with the Ft Collins Muncipal Railway during the building phase. We thought we had city support until some of the public objected to the project. Then poof, no support. We stuck it out and completed the project. This would not have happened if there was no plan and no dedicated group of volunteers who ate and slept the trolley project. Your group needs a plan and driven volunteers or its just a waste of time.

bassett@elko.net