(rshsdepot) Oxford, MS

["Jim Dent" <james.dent_@_itochu.com>]

-From the DJournal...

Oxford receives $800,000 for depot renovation
Preservation effort to make historic building usable as conference center.

By Errol Castens

Daily Journal

OXFORD - The trainloads of students, football fans and cotton have long
since disappeared, but a million-dollar renovation could make Oxford's depot
an important center of community life again.

The University of Mississippi and the City of Oxford jointly have been
awarded an $800,000 transportation grant to preserve and renovate the
approximately 130-year-old brick structure. The federal Transportation
Enhancement Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) funds were awarded and will be
administered by the Mississippi Department of Transportation. The
Mississippi Department of Archives and History also will have a hand in the
renovation of the designated historic landmark.

"In addition to preserving a landmark, the project will provide much-needed
flexible space with abundant parking," said Gloria Kellum, UM vice
chancellor for university relations.

The grant required a $200,000 local match, which was met by the university's
purchase of the Mississippi Central Railroad property at the east end of its
campus.

Preservation specialist Belinda Stewart Architects, P.A., of Eupora, is
leading the design team for the preservation effort. The firm has also
overseen similar restoration and interior redesign projects at the Canton
and Flora depots and has recently undertaken another in Eupora. After the
expected two-year renovation, the 2,200-square-foot structure will be
managed by the university's Institute for Continuing Studies to be used for
meetings, exhibits, educational programs, receptions and banquets.

Preliminary plans call for adding modern utilities and incorporating a
kitchen, storage space and restrooms into the depot. The proposition is made
trickier by the intention not to cover any of the load-bearing masonry
walls.

"I think one of the biggest challenges is bringing it up to all the codes
and making it as functional as a new building without detracting from the
historical character of the building," said lead architect Belinda Stewart.
"Anything we're building inside the space, we're building free-standing."

Stewart, who devotes at least 75 percent of her work to historic restoration
projects, said it makes sense to reuse such structures.

"One primary reason to restore buildings like this is that from a reuse and
recycle standpoint many of them can be made functional and avoid adding to
the disposal problems we already have," she said. "Obviously, it's also
important for us to remember where we've been. Nobody is saying we should
restore every old depot out there, but it's important that we keep a
representation of them."

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