(rshsdepot) Fort Madison, IA

[I95BERNIEW_@_aol.com]

Story on KHQA-TV.
 
Link to original story and photos:
_http://www.connecttristates.com/news/news_story.aspx?id=245949_ 
(http://www.connecttristates.com/news/news_story.aspx?id=245949) 
 
Bernie Wagenblast
 
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 
 
Concerns of relocating Amtrak depot to Riverview Park
 
 
The  Fort Madison Business District may soon have another focal point to  
market 
By  Jarod Wells 
Tuesday, January 13, 2009  
FT  MADISON, IA -- The Fort Madison Business District may  soon have another 
focal point to market.  Prior to the 2008 floods, the Santa Fe Depot housed 
the North Lee County  Historical Society.  But the  building has sat vacant 
since then.  There is plenty of work to be done, but that building will soon be 
the  home for the Fort Madison Amtrak station and the historical Society.  
KHQA's Jarod Wells talked with the mayor  about the city's plan to make that 
happen. 
Fort Madison Mayor Steve Ireland says the  city has been working on plans to 
turn the Santa Fe Depot into an Amtrak Station  for more than 2 years. He says 
the project would be almost complete if it  weren't for some complications 
along the way. But now, the city's on the right  track. 
"Things are rolling, they are moving," said Ireland.  "I'm pretty excited 
about getting the  project moving and I'll most certainly be excited when it's  
completed." 
Amtrak currently operates out of the BNSF building on 20th  street. Work will 
soon begin to remodel the Santa Fe Depot in Riverfront Park,  which will be 
completed through three phases. 
One  of the main things that has to be done to the Santa Fe Depot is raising 
the  building several feet. Not only will this protect the building from more  
flooding, but it will also make it easier for passengers to get to the  
railways. 
"Now  when you go out that side of the building, naturally you look up at the 
rail,"  said Ireland.  "So it's just going  to make everything much better, 
easier and handicap  accessible." 
The  other two phases include building a passenger platform from the depot to 
the  tracks and then remodeling the inside. The historical society will still 
be a  part of the building. It's agreed to move to the west portion of the 
building,  leaving the other side for Amtrak. 
"It's  just going to bring that historic touch to the downtown area more than 
it is now  with a remodeled twist," said Ireland.  "Its just another 
marketing tool for the city of Ft. Madison to be able  to bring more folks into town." 
Ireland says state and federal grants will pay for the  majority of the 
project. But some money is still needed since the preliminary  drawings were 
completed before flooding added to the cost. Some of that money  will come from the 
casino. 
Ireland hopes to start getting bids  on the work very soon.  He says  
construction could start as early as Summer of 2009 with completion no later  than 
Spring of 2011.
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railroad structures at: http://www.rrshs.org
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End of RSHSDepot Digest V1 #1830
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The Railroad Station Historical Society maintains a database of existing
railroad structures at: http://www.rrshs.org