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(rshsdepot) Bremen, IN



From the South Bend Tribune=2E=2E=2E

February 19, 2003=20

Depot restoration getting on track
By JOSHUA STOWE
Tribune Staff Writer =20

BREMEN -- R=2ET=2E Henke wants to move Bremen's Baltimore & Ohio Railroad =
Depot
- -- all 350 tons of it -- and his wish could come true as early as next
summer=2E

Henke is a member of Historic Bremen Inc=2E, a not-for-profit group dedica=
ted
to preserving and celebrating Bremen's history=2E The group has applied fo=
r
an Indiana Department of Transportation grant for more than $468,000 to
move the depot from its North Center Street location to a 3 1/2-acre,
town-owned plot next to Indiana 106=2E

"The idea is to make it look like it did in 1930," said Henke, who in
December completed the grant application on behalf of Historic Bremen Inc=2E=

"It is solid brick, 12-inch-thick walls=2E It is in good condition for a
building that has sat idle=2E"

If Historic Bremen Inc=2E gets the grant, InDOT will pay 80 percent of the=

costs, or $375,162=2E In return, the group must pay the remaining 20 perce=
nt,
or $93,790=2E Henke said his group won't find out whether it gets the gran=
t
until late summer or early fall=2E

Having worked closely with InDOT on the application, he's confident the
moving and restoration project will succeed=2E

"We do know this is the kind of project these grants are given for," he
said, adding that CSX, the company that owns the depot, has also been
helpful=2E "The railroad has indicated they will give us the train depot i=
f
we move it, so that's a very positive thing=2E"

In addition to moving the depot, Historic Bremen Inc=2E plans to build a
depot museum on the lot alongside Indiana 106=2E Town Manager Duwaine Elli=
ott
said Bremen will offer the organization a long-term lease on the lot if th=
e
grant goes through=2E

"They've done an excellent job so far in getting organized and starting
out," said Elliott, noting how the museum and depot would give Bremen an
aesthetically pleasing gateway=2E "I think it would be an exciting area to=

put it in=2E I think it would be a plus for Bremen=2E"

If Historic Bremen Inc=2E does get the grant, it could move the depot duri=
ng
the summer of 2004 and could finish renovation work within another six
months=2E

Right now, group members are starting to plan how to raise money to help
match the InDOT grant=2E Henke said the state will count the property valu=
e
of the town-owned plot toward the $93,790 that the group must raise=2E The=

state has appraised the property at $42,000=2E

Historic Bremen Inc=2E is hoping to raise the rest of the money through
fund-raising, donations, and five bridge loans of $10,000 each=2E

Henke said the group would like to get the loans from local people at the
interest rate of a two-year certificate of deposit=2E The group has gotten=

one such loan so far, but it needs four more=2E

"It would be easy for people to instead of buying a CD give a loan to
Historic Bremen Inc=2E," he said=2E "Really what it is now is just a promi=
se to
give the loan=2E The loans won't happen for about a year=2E The money is n=
eeded
when the contract is signed to do the work=2E"

Henke sees the depot preservation project as the first several that
Historic Bremen Inc=2E could undertake=2E

"I think that the organization will be working on preserving other
projects," he said=2E "That's part of our mission=2E"

Henke and his wife, Ginny Henke, have been regular members of Historic
Bremen Inc=2E since the group started in 2001=2E The couple moved to Breme=
n
from Schenectady, N=2EY=2E, three years ago=2E

"Both my wife and I have been involved in the community and in community
projects and so forth," Henke said=2E "I do this really out of a drive to =
see
it happen=2E I've written a lot of grants before, so this is not something=

foreign to me=2E"

Elliott said he's been pleased by the civic involvement the organization
fosters=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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