(rshsdepot) Slidell, LA

[Bernie Wagenblast <brwagenblast_@_comcast.net>]

Slidell train depot restoration complete; art league to move in 

Slidell Sentry-News

In 1987, the City of Slidell began efforts to acquire and renovate the 10,000 square foot dilapidated Olde Towne Railroad Depot on Front Street. Nearly 16 years later, renovations are complete, and the Depot has become the connecting icon between Olde Towne and Heritage Park.

The Olde Towne Railroad Depot, once called the New Orleans & Northeastern/New Orleans & Great Northen Railroad Depot, was built around 1903. An exact year for the birth of the train depot could not be pinpointed because no old records of the building have ever been found. The Slidell city administration could only guesstimate the depot was nearly 100 years old after piecing together old newspaper clippings. Much of the history of the depot still remains a mystery.

The original construction of the depot is significant because it coincides with the birth of Slidell, which began as a camp for railroad surveyors plotting a rail line between Mississippi and New Orleans. Slidell eventually became the home for the construction crews that built the railroad bridge that crosses Lake Pontchartrain.

Fast forward to June 29, 1993, when former Mayor Salvatore A. Caruso submitted a grant application to the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development to receive funding to renovate, preserve and operate the depot. The DOTD selected the proposal six months later for the 1993-1994 Enhancement Program. 

The depot was donated to the city in 1995 by Norfolk Southern Railroad, and resolutions were signed authorizing Caruso to enter into agreements with the DOTD for its renovation. The building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1996, and is currently awaiting its well-deserved plaque from the preservation society.

Thus began an extensive clean-up project, which entailed gutting most of the interior of the building while still maintaining its historical integrity. The roof, support beams, and windows had to be replaced, along with scraping away years of lead-base paint. A new electrical system was installed, as well as sprinklers inside and out. The toughest job for the planning and engineering departments, however, was extricating ninety years of "pigeon heaven" from the 2,500 square foot upper room.

"You literally had to have a gas mask to go up there," said Martin Bruno, director of planning. 

Bruno's leadership in the project won him the Distinguished Leadership Award for Professional Planner from the Louisiana Chapter of the American Planning Association. The LA-APA also awarded the City of Slidell with its "Outstanding Implementation Award," for the entire revitalization of Olde Towne. 

Renovations were completed in four phases, and the entire project required "in the neighborhood of $2 million," according to Bruno. The city supplied nearly $864,000, and the remainder came from state funding and grants, and investments by private enterprises.

"The Times Bar and Grill" and the "Beignet Station" reside on the lower floor of the still-functioning train station. The two restaurants combined contributed over $500,000 to renovations and received in return a break on rent for the publicly-owned building.

The final phase of the depot, the 2,500 square foot upper room, has reached substantial completion, the stage wherein all construction and design are complete, said Bruno. A final inspection given on Friday by the architects, designers, and planning department currently awaits the final affirmative nod.

Old pine floors slide across the length of the expansive upper room, while the original wooden windows overlook Heritage Park and Front Street. The original pine baseboards have been stripped of their lead paint and plaster, and refinished to shine like new. The second story of the depot is now climate controlled and illuminated with "indirect lighting," a light design which provides an even glow throughout the room.

In the works for the room is a leasing agreement between the Slidell Art League and the city. The Slidell Art League approached Mayor Ben Morris in September to rent the depot's second floor, when their rent at 2238 First St. doubled, making it so they could no longer afford to stay there. 

The Art League could move into the depot as early as February 1, and will offer a venue for local artisans to show their work. Every four weeks the league will change exhibits, allowing for a major volume of art and crafts to be displayed, said President Terri Harris. An expanded gift shop featuring prints, jewelry and baskets will also be part of the cultural hub.

A tentative plan to include space for a tribute area to Louisiana musician Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown is also underway. Brown has won the W.C. Handy award for instrumentalist of the year three times and has lived in Slidell since 1983.

The administration of Slidell, along with the dedication of private enterprises and cultural organizations, have breathed new life into what was once just a dusty pigeon graveyard. The Slidell Train Depot and the rejuvenation of Olde Towne have truly become a model example of teamwork and civic pride.

Story by: Carey K. Cupit

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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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