(rshsdepot) Mattoon, IL

[I95BERNIEW_@_aol.com]

From today's Journal Gazette and Times-Courier.
 
Bernie Wagenblast
 
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 
City, historical society partner on depot 



By: HERB MEEKER  
An agreement approved Tuesday by Mattoon City Council shows how financial and 
 management responsibilities for the Mattoon Railroad Depot Project will be  
divided between city government and Coles County Historical Society over the  
next few years.  
The Historical Society has leased the old Illinois Central Depot building on  
Broadway Avenue from the city of Mattoon since August 2002. The city 
purchased  the building from Canadian National Railroad, the successor to Illinois 
Central,  prior to that lease agreement so the community could move forward with 
a  restoration project on the historic tri-level brick building first opened 
as a  passenger station during World War I.  
Basically, the city has been the public entity partnering with CCHS members  
to help complete the restoration of the depot. This relationship helped 
complete  the replacement of the roof on the old Depot, which halted water damage 
from  causing further structural deterioration in the old building.  
The CCHS looks upon the building as a historical gem worth saving as well as  
a future museum site. Community leaders also see a restored Depot as a center 
 for tourism to help with mid-town business district redevelopment.  
Earlier this year, the Depot Project received the monetary boost it needed to 
 finally move forward on restoration of the building. The federal 
transportation  bill committed $2.53 million to Mattoon for restoration and related tasks 
for  the old rail building, which is still an active Amtrak passenger 
station.  
Under the agreement, that money will be appropriated to the city for fiscal  
years 2006-09, which will see the bulk of the construction and repairs 
completed  on the Depot.  
There will be other money committed to the project, including:  
- - $50,000 from the Illinois Department of Transportation from the Amtrak  
operating agreement for reimbursement for the city to install an elevator in the  
Depot. Currently, passengers and visitors must walk down many stairs to reach 
 the train waiting area.  
- - $70,000 from the city’s capital improvement fund for the accessible  
platform and water-sewer service requirements of the project.  
- - $115,630 grant from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic  
Opportunities to CCHS to assist with architectural plans and specifications and  
cost estimates for the restoration as well as adaptive reuse of the Depot. The  
restoration will involve work on the interior and exterior of the building, 
but  old spaces will have new use for a local history museum featuring the city’
s  railway legacy dating back to the start of the community in 1855 as well as 
 installation of new commercial entities such as a café or offices. The 
restored  Depot will also be used for bus traffic in the community.  
- - Almost $400,000 from the CCHS Captial fund-raising campaign this year will  
also be committed to construction as well as future administration and  
maintenance of the Depot. The CCHS Campaign has raised money through the year.  
When the museum is completed in the Depot, CCHS has agreed to bear the  
financial responsibility for funding security, operations and maintenance of the  
Depot for the term of its lease with the city.  
In turn, the city will assign its Amtrak lease revenue to CCHS. Sublease  i
ncome from commercial uses in the Depot will help with future operations of 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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