(rshsdepot) Ames, IA

[Bernie Wagenblast <brwagenblast_@_comcast.net>]

Main Street Station to get face-lift

By: Rebecca A. Petersen, Staff Writer June 01, 2002 Ames Tribune

Des Moines businessman bringing salon and spa to Ames in July

Hubbell Realty has secured a new tenant for downtown's Main Street Station.
      A Des Moines business owner will bring his vision of comfort to the
old train depot in the form of a day spa. Marc Stephens and Friends Salon
and Spa will open in July in the historic depot portion of the shopping
center, said owner Mark Lage.
      "It's a good location and I think we'll do well up there," Lage said.
"Ames doesn't have anything like that."
      The Des Moines real estate developer is building on its vision for
upscale tenants in the depot to build on the clientele drawn to Aunt Maude's
restaurant located across the street. With last year's opening of Talbot's,
the addition of the spa and a potential restaurant/lounge may be the perfect
potion to break the cycle of vacant buildings, said Kevin J. McRoberts, a
broker associate for Hubbell Realty.
      "Once we do this stuff people are going to see what really is there
and they'll want to be in this project," he said. "People are going to see
how nice this project is going to look and it's going to be a destination
rather than just passing it by."
      The company has worked since November 2000 to sell the Main Street
Station and lease the vacancies in the 38,306-square foot property. The sale
price is about $4 million, after the city gave Hubbell the deed in 1993 for
$1.
      Nearly every business located in the depot since 1993 has left. Add
two more to the list. Both Winning Solutions and First Realty of Ames have
not renewed their leases. McRoberts said Hubbell could have done more to
keep the businesses.
      Winning Solutions will move into space on South Bell Avenue
custom-made for the information technology firm. Hunziker and Associates
gave the company a "good deal" by custom designing building specifications
for its technological emphasis, said President Jonathan Estabrook.
      "It would have been difficult for Hubbell to compete with that price,"
Estabrook said.

Bernie Wagenblast
Transportation Communications Newsletter
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/transport-communications/

=================================
The Railroad Station Historical Society maintains a database of existing
railroad structures at: http://www.rrshs.org

------------------------------

End of RSHSDepot Digest V1 #391
*******************************

=================================
The Railroad Station Historical Society maintains a database of existing
railroad structures at: http://www.rrshs.org