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(rshsdepot) Ellensburg, WA
Railroad considers depot land lease
02/27/02
AARON CLIFFORD
ELLENSBURG - Burlington Northern Santa Fe officials have begun to pay
attention to a joint effort between Historic Ellensburg and the city of
Ellensburg to lease the land on which the train depot sits.
John Akers, the city's director of public works, said he has submitted a
lease application to the railroad with the necessary data asking for a
20-year lease period to the city. Akers thinks 20 years is a very possible
time period for the lease.
Past attempts to lease the property were held up by BNSF, partially because
of the length of the leases that were asked for, Akers said.
"Until we get something from the railroad, we're kind of stuck and can't
move forward," Akers said.
"We're hopeful that we'll at least get a proposal from them soon," Flo
Lentz, vice president of Historic Ellensburg, said. "They are looking at it
very seriously."
Railroad spokesman Gus Melones said this morning company officials still are
considering the proposal.
As a part of the plan the city of Ellensburg would lease the depot land
first and then transfer it to Historic Ellensburg. The transfer would occur
after the city completes minor construction to help the depot weather the
elements, Akers said.
The depot building itself has a separate owner, and to buy it, Historic
Ellensburg needed to qualify for a federal grant. After raising the required
$39,000 to qualify for a $221,000 federal grant, Historic Ellensburg members
thought the deal was on its way to buy and renovate the depot. But the
Washington State Department of Transportation refused to release the federal
grant funds without a Historic Ellensburg having a long-term lease from the
land's owner, Burlington Northern Santa Fe.
Historic Ellensburg plans to keep up its effort to someday renovate the
train depot and hopes a favorable lease agreement can be reached.
"We're in it for the long haul," Lentz said.
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The Railroad Station Historical Society maintains a database of existing
railroad structures at: http://www.rrshs.org
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