(rshsdepot) Burlington, IA

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

From The Hawk Eye.

Bernie Wagenblast

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Depot revamp priority in 2009 
By Jeff Abell 

The new year will bring with new life for the aging Burlington Depot. Or at
least that`s the hope of City Manager Doug Worden. 

At a meeting this week, Worden told Burlington City Council members he is
tracking grant sources to offset the cost of renovating the unmanned train
station on South Main Street. 

To that end, Worden said he has been in contact with Amtrak officials who
have indicated their willingness to facilitate the process. 

Earlier this month, Marc Magliari, an Amtrak spokesman, told The Hawk Eye
the federal agency has made it a priority to see the 22,000-square-foot
restored to its former glory. 

``I`ll have something put together and report back next month,`` Worden
said. ``I`m pretty confident with Amtrak`s help we can get something moving
on this.`` 

Over the past few years, the city council has placed renovating the depot
high on its priority list. Despite that fact, little progress was made on
the building. 

To make necessary improvements, it`s estimated the city will need to invest
more than $1 million into the depot. 

The construction of a flood wall or similar structure will add to the
marketability of the building. In 1993 and again in June, floodwater from
the Mississippi River seeped into the depot, according to Worden. 

In the past, developers considered the building for office space and a
restaurant, but none of those ideas ever reached fruition. 

Three years ago, Southeast Iowa Regional Planning Commission officials
looked in to relocating offices to the depot, but have since changed their
tune. 

``It`s off our radar,`` Brian Tapp, executive director of SEIRPC. ``We`re
looking at other options.`` 

The city bought the depot from the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway for
about $75,000 in 1994 and has spent nearly $400,000 in state grant money for
exterior work, including roof repair, awning replacement, new windows and
installation of a heating system.

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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 #1823
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The Railroad Station Historical Society maintains a database of existing
railroad structures at: http://www.rrshs.org