(rshsdepot) La Crosse, WI

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

From today's La Crosse Tribune.

Also, a very Merry Christmas to all!  You can pickup an e-card from me at:
http://www.bluemountain.com/view.pd?i=111580756&m=8082&rr=y&source=bma999

Turn on your speakers to hear a holiday greeting.

Bernie Wagenblast
Transportation Communications Newsletter
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/transport-communications/

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Keil, Wanders halt efforts to buy Amtrak depot
December 24, 2004

By STEVE CAHALAN

Mike Keil and Marvin Wanders are ending their efforts to buy the Amtrak 
depot from the city of La Crosse. ``When we submitted our proposal (on June 
30), we felt in a relatively short period of time we`d be able to get that 
property cleaned up, leased up and turned into a jewel for the 
neighborhood,`` Keil said Thursday, two days after he and Wanders told Mayor 
John Medinger of their decision. ``We thought this could be a very positive 
project for us.

``But over the five months of negotiations, we`ve heard a lot of criticism 
about the RFP (request for proposals) process and about the purchase 
price,`` Keil said. ``Now it appears this is turning into a negative project 
for us.``

Keil said some other factors include liability issues related to the 
platform behind the depot, which he and Wanders recently discovered would be 
their responsibility if they bought the depot; and uncertainty over whether 
the city would have to pay back part of a $1.1 million federal grant it used 
in the 1998 renovation of the depot.

``Our decision to withdraw was no one`s fault,`` Keil said. ``A lot of 
issues came up during the process that weren`t anticipated by the city or by 
us. We appreciate the efforts of the mayor, city department heads and common 
council members to finalize the sale.``

Keil said he and Wanders also are grateful to neighborhood residents who 
showed up at council and council committee meetings to support a sale to 
them.

``I feel bad for Mike,`` Medinger said. ``I think he`s a good guy, a good 
developer. I think he kind of got run through the mill a bit.

``From my perspective, we made him jump hoop after hoop,`` Medinger said. 
``He came to meeting after meeting after meeting.`` Keil is a local 
developer, and Wanders owns and manages residential property. The two men 
bought the Holmen Square shopping center in Holmen, Wis., last January.

Keil and Wanders provided the only response to the city`s request for 
proposals, which was sent to 16 developers and Realtors. The two men 
originally offered $50,000 for the depot. The city negotiated the price up 
to $100,000.

Later, questions arose about liability issues regarding the platform, and as 
to whether the city would have to pay back part of the $1.1 million federal 
grant used for the 1998 renovation.

``We`ll have to have a meeting of the (city`s) Amtrak Selection Committee 
and decide whether we want to start over again`` seeking proposals, Medinger 
said. ``A lot of the work already has been done, as far as knowing what we 
want and knowing the parameters of Amtrak staying in the facility. It will 
be pretty easy to start over again because most of the unanswered questions 
have been answered.``

Doug Bruha, president and owner of The Prizm Cos., told the council Dec. 15 
that he would like to buy the building to expand his growing business. 
Medinger said other businesses also have expressed interest in the building.

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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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