(rshsdepot) Oyster Bay, NY

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

From the Oyster Bay Enterprise Pilot=2E=2E=2E

LIRR Station Sports Blue Bonnet=20
Tarpaulin Protects Station House Roof=20
By Dagmar Fors Karppi=20

Snow delayed the work, but on Wednesday, Dec=2E 4, the Long Island Rail Ro=
ad
took action to preserve the Oyster Bay railroad station house=2E They put =
up
a blue plastic tarpaulin over the roof to preserve it from the effects of
inclement weather until needed repairs can be made=2E Who will do those
repairs is still being considered=2E The MTA is in the process of giving t=
he
building to the Town of Oyster Bay so neither organization is prepared to
do the repairs as of now=2E=20

Having the tarpaulin in place will halt the further deterioration of the
station building while the MTA and the Town of Oyster Bay complete their
work on details of the transfer of the property to the town=2E When the
transfer is complete, the town will turn over the management of the
proposed Oyster Bay Rail Road Museum to the Oyster Bay Historical Society
(OBHS) in conjunction with the Friends of Locomotive 35=2E The museum will=

focus on cars run on the tracks of the LIRR=2E=20

Tom Kuehhas, director of the OBHS said, "Once the town accepts title the
OBHS, in conjunction with the Friends of Locomotive 35 and other intereste=
d
individuals, will work on getting national landmark status for the station=

house and the turntable=2E Ownership will allow us to get grants that will=

help us preserve the railroad facilities=2E" Having landmark status for th=
e
museum will open the door for grants=2E=20

Jim Moriority, Town of Oyster Bay spokesperson said the town is in the
process of doing an environmental review of the property, before it accept=
s
the ownership and responsibility for the stationhouse=2E That review shoul=
d
be done in several weeks=2E "The board will then study the review and then=

they will expend town taxpayers money to have a survey of the property
done, but not until then=2E Until we take possession of the building we
couldn't expend taxpayers funds to repair an MTA facility," he explained=2E=
=20

In the meantime, the ad hoc Oyster Bay Rail Road Station Restoration
Committee has obtained funding for the temporary repair of the station
roof, but not permission to do the work=2E The funds were loaned by a loca=
l
businessman=2E "The money was given as a loan upon hearing of the plight a=
nd
deterioration of the structure because of the condition of the roof," said=

Marie Knight, a member of the restoration committee=2E The repairs are bei=
ng
held up until a permit is given to the town to do the work=2E The LIRR rea=
l
estate office is clearing the project with the Building and Bridges Union
so that the temporary building permit will be made available to the town t=
o
complete the temporary repairs of the roof, she said=2E=20

The town officials are very concerned that the building be in good repair
as soon as possible because the 350th anniversary of the hamlet will be
celebrated in 2003=2E Oyster Bay was founded in 1653, said Ms=2E Knight=2E=
=20

New York State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation's Jim Warren, a=

historic preservation program analyst has seen the station house=2E He sai=
d,
"The MTA is subject to state preservation regulations=2E As a state agency=
,
the MTA has some responsibility for allowing demolition by neglect=2E They=

have many historic buildings to keep track of=2E There are historic railro=
ad
stations up and down the Hudson River, including plenty of things we
haven't seen yet=2E They have their hands full with other historic
facilities=2E We would certainly like to see the station get into the good=

hands of someone who will put some money into it and maintain it=2E The LI=
RR
has the responsibility to take care of the building, since it is a state
agency, but there is no one 'to look over their shoulder' and we know many=

agencies don't have the money to preserve historic buildings=2E"=20

The office of historic preservation would be involved in the process of
putting the station house and the turntable on the NYS Register of Histori=
c
Places=2E=20



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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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