(rshsdepot) Old depots will get a new life, N.C. Railroad to spend $8 million to turn eyesores into tourist stops

[jdent1_@_optonline.net]

Via the Interchange list=2E=2E=2E

Raileigh (NC) News and Observer=3A

http=3A//newsobserver=2Ecom/news/story/1964036p-8332875c=2Ehtml

Published=3A Dec 26=2C 2004
Modified=3A  Dec 26=2C 2004 6=3A18 AM

Old depots will get a new life
N=2EC=2E Railroad to spend =248 million to turn eyesores into tourist sto=
ps

=5BThe railroad has yet to find any tenants for the 17=2C000-square-foot =
depot in Raleigh=2C despite
spending about =242=2E5 million on renovations=2E Staff Photo by John Rot=
tet=5D

By RICHARD STRADLING=2C Staff Writer

With boarded-up windows and peeling paint=2C the depots and warehouses al=
ong the N=2EC=2E Railroad=27s main
line seem to be abandoned relics=2C like old tobacco barns in an overgrow=
n field=2E

But the railroad thinks its old buildings have a profitable future=2E It =
plans to spend =248 million
over the next four years rehabbing a dozen old stations and freight depot=
s and leasing them to
restaurants=2C stores and other businesses=2E

=22We think they have long-term income potential and the ability to help =
rejuvenate downtowns along
the railway=2C=22 said Scott Saylor=2C president of the railroad=2C a pri=
vate company that is owned entirely
by the state=2E

The 12 buildings selected for renovation range from the modest wooden fre=
ight depot in Princeton
to a brick=2C two-story passenger station in New Bern built in 1910=2E Mo=
st are in Eastern North =

Carolina=2E

All have a place in local history=2C but none more than the modest wooden=
 depot next to the tracks in
Selma=2E It was built for passengers and freight about 1855 and moved abo=
ut a mile and half down
the tracks when the town was founded in 1867=2E

=22The town of Selma grew up around the depot=2C=22 said Town Manager Jef=
f White=2E =22It may not be the
prettiest building we have in town=2C but it certainly is the most histor=
ic=2E=22

Town officials are pleased that the railroad plans to fix up the depot=2E=
 They would like to see it
become a museum or visitors center=2C in keeping with the town=27s revita=
lization strategy built around
antique stores and nostalgia tourism=2E The town owns another depot=2C a =
1924 building that has been
restored and is now used by Amtrak=2E

The state created the N=2EC=2E Railroad 156 years ago to connect farmers =
and manufacturers with
distant markets=2E The railroad owns 317 miles of track linking Charlotte=
=2C the Triad=2C the Triangle and
Morehead City=2E

Although it is a private company with its own board of directors=2C the s=
tate is the sole stockholder=2E

For most of its history=2C the railroad leased its line and buildings to =
Southern Railway and its
successor=2C Norfolk Southern=2E But after the 99-year lease expired in 1=
994=2C the railroad got control
of the line and its buildings=2E Norfolk Southern remains the primary fre=
ight carrier on the track=2C
which also is used by Amtrak between Raleigh and Charlotte=2E

The depots and warehouses date from a time when everything and everybody =
came by train=3B many have
suffered from years of neglect=2E The railroad began renovations in 2001=2C=
 starting with afreight depot
in downtown Raleigh and the 130-year-old steam engine repair shops in dow=
ntown Burlington=2E

Downtown Burlington boosters say the renovation turned an eyesore into an=
 attractive anchor that
now houses an Amtrak station and police offices=2E

=22It was deplorable=2E It was covered in kudzu=2C=22 said Sherry Adams=2C=
 executive director of the
Burlington Downtown Corp=2E =22It=27s just so dramatically improved=2E=22=


The railroad has yet to find any tenants for the 17=2C000-square-foot fre=
ight depot in Raleigh=27s
warehouse district=2C despite spending about =242=2E5 million on renovati=
ons=2E

Saylor said restaurants and office tenants have shown interest=2C but no =
one has signed yet=2E

At least one state senator questions whether the railroad should spend mo=
ney on real estate=2E Sen=2E
Clark Jenkins=2C a leader of the legislative committee that oversees the =
railroad=2C asked Saylor about
the railroad=27s plans at a recent hearing=2E

=22It seems to me the N=2EC=2E Railroad needs to be in the business of ru=
nning a railroad=2C=22 Jenkins=2C a
Democrat from Tarboro=2C said in an interview afterward=2E =22I think =5B=
Saylor=5D needs to spend his money
on maintaining that rail line and upgrading that rail line=2E=22

Saylor says he has no intention of turning the railroad into a real estat=
e development company=2E But
he says the buildings belong to the railroad and can make more money if t=
hey=27re fixed up=2E

=22While it=27s not our core business=2C these properties are important t=
o the towns they=27re in=2C=22 he said=2E
=22And we don=27t think the buildings should be ignored=2E=22

The railroad doesn=27t have specific plans for each building=2E It will c=
onsult local governments and
business leaders to get ideas for what will work in each town=2E An econo=
mic development group in
Kinston=2C for example=2C thinks the railroad=27s freight depot in the he=
art of downtown would make a fine
farmers market=2E

All of the buildings sit close to railroad tracks=2C and the rumble of tr=
ains could limit their use=2C
Saylor said=2E Some of the buildings may need to be moved=2E But others=2C=
 such as the brick passenger
station in New Bern=2C are staying put=2E

=22It=27s a really pretty building=2C=22 Saylor said=2E =22It=27s also 10=
 feet from the railroad tracks=2E We have
to be careful that when it=27s redeveloped that it=27s done in a safe way=
=2E=22

- -----
Staff writer Richard Stradling can be reached at 919-829-4739 or =3Crstra=
dli=40newsobserver=2Ecom=3E=2E =


=A9 Copyright 2004=2C The News =26 Observer Publishing Company=2C a subsi=
diary of The McClatchy Company=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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