(rshsdepot) Woonsocket, RI

[Bernie Wagenblast <brwagenblast_@_comcast.net>]

News release from the Rhode Island Department of Transportation.

Historic Woonsocket Depot to be restored by lifesaving leaders

8/28/02

The Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) today joined a group
of local, state and federal leaders for a groundbreaking ceremony at the
Woonsocket Depot. The event served to officially kickoff a $1.8 million
renovation project to help save this historic landmark that, over the years,
has shown significant signs of deterioration.

Recognizing the need to save this valuable addition to the historic
Blackstone River Valley region, RIDOT Director William D. Ankner, Ph.D.
said, "It is our goal through this enhancement project to help bring the
Woonsocket Depot back to life by preserving its rich cultural heritage for
the City of Woonsocket and the State of Rhode Island."

Ankner then applauded the Congressional delegation for their support.
"Without the assistance of our Congressional colleagues, these projects
would not receive the necessary attention nor funding that they deserve,"
said Ankner. "I especially want to thank Congressman Patrick Kennedy who
secured $650,000 of public lands highways funds to help save this historic
landmark."

The Woonsocket Depot is an historic Victorian-style train station built in
1882 by the Providence and Worcester (P&W) Railroad Company. It is listed in
the National Register of Historic Places and currently serves as a visitor
center and headquarters for the John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley
National Heritage Corridor Commission. The Commission promotes tourism,
recreational, and educational programs, with a goal of preserving the
Blackstone River Corridor encompassing 400,000 acres of land extending from
Worcester County in Massachusetts to Providence County in Rhode Island.

Executive Director for the Heritage Corridor Commission, Michael Creasey
stated that, "The restoration of the former Woonsocket P&W train station
into public office space and a Corridor information center will be
spectacular when completed. The Commission once again finds RIDOT as one of
its strongest advocates in preserving the heritage of the Blackstone Valley
and bringing new life to our historic communities."

Ankner noted that the Woonsocket Depot renovations, led by the project's
contractor Housing Systems Inc. of Pawtucket, target both aesthetics and
durability. Construction for the project is underway and the expected
completion date for the work is late Fall 2003. The primary exterior
renovations will include the restoration and replacement of windows and
doors; the remortering of the brick exterior; the refurbishing of the
historic awnings; and the painting and refacing of the old wooden exterior.

The Depot's west wing will undergo extensive interior demolition and
reconstruction as well as several interior enhancements to help increase its
lifespan. Some of the improvements to be made include a new handicapped
accessible entrance and restroom, and new office space. The utilities will
also be upgraded, with a new electrical system, a new heating and cooling
system, and a new fire and alarm system.

The basement of the Depot will also have utility improvements similar to
those of the west wing, as well as the addition of handicapped accessible
entrances. Renovations will provide space for a federally-mandated RIDOT
archaeological repository for highway artifacts, known as the Archaeological
Research Collections Center (ARCC), as well as a mini-terminal for the Rhode
Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA.)

The ARCC, a secure, climate-controlled repository, will provide storage
space for items collected from over 160 archaeological surveys conducted for
RIDOT highway and bridge projects. Examples of items that will be stored
range from arrowheads, stone knives and shell remains from a 5,000 year old
Native American village to machine cut nails, steel files and coal fragments
from a 19th century Afro-American blacksmith shop site.

In addition to the ARCC, the space will also house a new mini-terminal for
RIPTA to accommodate ticketing and waiting areas and an information office
for bus, trolley and ferry service within the state. As part of this
mini-terminal, a portion of Main Street was recently striped to accommodate
a holding area for two RIPTA buses.

The Enhancement Program, fathered by the late Senator John Chafee, provides
funding to address the environmental impacts on local communities from
transportation and highway construction. Established in the early 1990's,
the program targets transportation projects that promote quality of life
issues, such as those that preserve history, increase mobility, and protect
and enhance the human and natural environment.



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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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End of RSHSDepot Digest V1 #463
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The Railroad Station Historical Society maintains a database of existing
railroad structures at: http://www.rrshs.org