(rshsdepot) Seymour, IN

["Bernie Wagenblast" <brwagenblast_@_comcast.net>]

Grant to aid depot project

CHEYENNE HACKMAN
www.tribtown.com

Transportation Enhancement Awards for 2003 were recently announced by Gerald
Nieman, transportation enhancement program manager for the Indiana
Department of Transportation.

The city of Seymour was awarded $317,562 in Phase II and plans are to use
the money, along with the Phase I award of $300,000, to renovate the Old
Train Depot, S. Broadway St., in downtown Seymour. The initial amount that
Martha McIntire, former Seymour Director of Community Development, applied
for in Phase II was $471,000.

"I was excited (the city was awarded the money) because we weren't sure if
we would get it," McIntire said. "It was scary thinking we would not get it
because we didn't know how we would finish the project without it." She also
said that, by having the Phase I grant money, the city would be able to
finish the exterior of the building, but without the Phase II grant award,
the interior would not have been able to be completed because of the cost of
the insulating, heating and cooling that would be needed to accommodate
modern office space.

"It seemed reasonable to expect that they would award us enough money to
complete this project, so it is wonderful to hear that we will be able to
perform the complete restoration and make this building a beautiful
attraction to our downtown," Mayor John Burkhart said in a press release.

The project is planned to start as soon as possible.

"We're waiting on the state to make the next move," McIntire said. "It has
to put up the project for bids." She said that she was confidant the whole
project could be completed with the cooperation from the City.

The restoration project will closely follow the style of the original
building and will feature many of the same aspects that the building did
when it was first built.

They plan to replicate the interior style of the original building by use of
the wallboard and floor plans, making it as authentic as possible and they
will also use materials for the exterior of the building that are similar to
what the building had originally, according to McIntire.

The design and plans of the building are being developed by Brian Weller,
director of facility design for the offices of Hannum, Wagle and Cline
Engineering. The building's interior plans will be finalized within the
month.

McIntire said they plan to attract local community members to the renovated
building upon its completion, in hopes to educate them about the history of
the City of Seymour and to let them know what happened in the City years
ago. They also plan to re-locate the Jackson County Visitor's Center to the
building after completion of the renovation.

The key to attracting local people to the building, McIntire said, is to
make it look more authentic and to remind people that not too long ago, we
weren't as modern as we are today.

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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 #822
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The Railroad Station Historical Society maintains a database of existing
railroad structures at: http://www.rrshs.org