(rshsdepot) Philadelphia, MS

[Bernie Wagenblast <brwagenblast_@_comcast.net>]

Architectural work to start on rail depot

By MITCH LUCAS
The Neshoba Democrat reporter

An architect is to perform a formal evaluation of the old railroad depot
this week, continuing recent efforts to restore the building for public use.

The depot, almost 100 years old, also recently achieved state landmark
status, the director of the city's Main Street program said Monday.

Civic leaders, including Main Street director Stacy Pair, Mayor Rayburn
Waddell and economic developer David Vowell, are scheduled to meet with the
architect, Sam Kaye, on Wednesday afternoon.

Kaye will listen to ideas on the building, and begin an extensive
evaluation.

Among the possibilities suggested for the depot: A welcome center; office
space for the Main Street program and the Community Development Partnership,
a recently-formed civic improvement association; and a small exhibit hall.
The most likely use, said the mayor, is a combination of all three.

"Certainly we would like to have something there that will be both useful
for our folks, and something we can all be proud of," Waddell said.

Kaye, who is from Columbus, performs similar evaluations for the state's
Main Street Association on a regular basis and conducted a brief, unofficial
evaluation of the depot here last year. He told The Neshoba Democrat that
the building is in good condition, and while rehabilitation work will be
needed, would be an asset to the community.

Kaye told Pair that his early estimate for renovation of the depot would be
around $200,000. "In any case, the depot is a significant historic element
in Philadelphia," he said.

The city purchased the depot in March for $125,000 from local developer
Gaston Barrett. At its first meeting in April, the Board of Aldermen passed
a resolution requesting that the depot be named a state landmark.

Pair was surprised to find out last week that the resolution basically made
the landmark status official.

"I was a little surprised to find out it was that simple, but I think the
reason for that is because there is so much interest in it at the (state's)
Department of Archives and History," she said. "I don't know that it's
common that everyone is approved so quickly."

Waddell said one reason for the quick approval for landmark designation is
because the Philadelphia depot is the last depot still located on the route
between Mobile, Ala., and Jackson, Tenn. Many of the depots are still
intact, but have been moved from their original sites.

"I think they're as fired up as we are about getting the building restored,"
Waddell said.

Along with the resolution, the city also submitted photos of the building's
exterior, interior and a legal description of the historic property, as
recorded in county deed records.

The resolution, as passed by the board, stated that the depot possesses
"substantial and important historic, aesthetic, architectural, scenic and
cultural character" and that the board desires to preserve the structure for
future generations.

The depot was constructed here by the Mobile, Jackson and Kansas City
Railroad in 1905.

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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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