(rshsdepot) Homewood, IL

["jdent1_@_optonline.net" <jdent1@optonline.net>]

From the Homewood Star via RyPN Flimsies=2E=2E

Homewood on track to purchase Amtrak station=20

Thursday, September 12, 2002

By John Dobberstein=20

Special to The Star
Homewood officials are negotiating with the Canadian National=20
Railroad to buy the village's Amtrak station and convert some=20
of the building into a community center=2E

Neither the village nor Canadian National would discuss the=20
negotiations, or reveal how much the company is asking for=20
the station=2E

Both sides appear confident a deal can be struck=2E

"You have to take advantage of what amenities your community=20
has," Homewood Village President Rich Hofeld said Tuesday=2E=20
"Naperville has a river walk, and we have the railroad, so=20
let's take advantage of it=2E"

Hofeld said the village received Canadian National's first=20
proposal about a month ago and more discussions are planned=2E

No changes are expected to Amtrak service, even if a deal is=20

reached, said Jack Burke, a spokesman for Canadian National=2E

While dozens of abandoned train stations across the country=20
have been sold and redeveloped into offices, coffee shops,=20
restaurants or stores, Burke said this situation is a little=20
different because Homewood's station is still in use=2E

Village officials just kicked off a program allowing Chicago=20
Bears fans to catch an Amtrak train in Homewood to see the team's=20
football games this year in Champaign=2E

"Amtrak will continue to be a tenant of the station, even if the=20
village owns it," Burke said=2E "We hope to be able to make a deal=20
that's suitable for everybody involved=2E"

Amtrak officials declined Tuesday to comment=2E

Canadian National owns the Homewood station and leases it to=20
Amtrak, which runs four trains a day through the station=2E

Approximately 18,500 passengers traveled through the Homewood=20
station during the company's last fiscal year, which ended=20
Sept=2E 30, 2001=2E

Built in 1923, Homewood's station sports a unique=20
Spanish-revival motif styled after the nearby Ravisloe=20
Country Club=2E

Amtrak uses most of the station, selling tickets after=20
1 p=2Em=2E and staying open until the last train leaves after 9 p=2Em=2E

Homewood's station is the only one along the Amtrak Illini=20
corridor between Chicago and Carbondale that is still owned=20
by a railroad, said Jim Wright, president of the village's=20
rail committee, and a former village board member=2E

He said the village isn't trying to kick out Amtrak=2E

"The intention is to maintain a collaborative relationship=20
with (Amtrak), but to perhaps utilize the station in a better=20
way," Wright said=2E "Where everybody gets some use out of it,=20
rather than them just selling tickets for a short period of=20
time and people use it for waiting an hour or two per day=2E"

Hofeld and Wright said they were impressed after visiting a=20
train station in Kankakee that the city purchased and converted=20
into office space=2E

"They maintained a historical structure in the community, and=20
they really restored it to prime condition," Wright said=2E

Hofeld also claimed there is a lack of meeting places in=20
Homewood=2E

The local Veterans of Foreign Wars post "meets in various=20
places," he said=2E The Lions Club meets outside of the village=2E=20
And the Rotary club holds its meetings at a Flossmoor church=2E

Having a central meeting place might offer local restaurants a=20
chance to cater the meetings and increase their business=2E

The village must still iron out other details =97 including what=20
part of the station would be used for Amtrak operations, and if=20
local groups would be charged for using the building=2E

"It has a nice history, it's nice building, it's solid, and the=20
village I know is working closely with (Canadian National) and we=20
will see what happens," Wright said=2E


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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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