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Palmetto seeks grant for depot

By BEN NELMS
bnelms@TheCitizen.com

Palmetto council members unanimously adopted a resolution Sept. 6 designed to restore the city’s historic circa 1914 train depot. Though unsuccessful in obtaining a $1 million federal Transportation Enhancement Program grant for the project in 2003, City Administrator Bill Shell hopes this time around will be the charm.

The depot originally serviced both passengers and freight, said Shell, and eventually served as headquarters for the city offices, including city hall, public works and the police and fire departments.

The resolution calls for rehabilitating the historic depot to resemble its original appearance and use the facility as a community center and railroad-oriented museum. Benefits of the proposed project for the community benefits include enhancing the visual aesthetics of the depot and the immediate area, stimulating economic development through increased tourism, enhancing the recently completed Transportation Enhancement -funded Streetscape project and historic preservation.

If successful, the grant would likely require a 20 percent match from the city, Shell said. The restoration project would include replacing the roof along with restoring the building’s interior, upgrading the restrooms, restoring brick and trim, repairing the freight platform and installing an awning.

Shell said some local residents had already agreed to volunteer their time to staff the museum if the project is accepted.

According to the project description, when originally constructed ini 1914, the depot consisted of two buildings having a common roof line. The city later modified the structure by enclosing the areas between the two structures and constructing a 375 square-foot area for use as a city jail. In order to restore the depot to its original appearance the project must include demolition of the jail and the enclosure.

The Palmetto depot played a significant role in the development of the city. Palmetto became a railroad town once the depot was built, serviced by the Atlanta & LaGrange Railroad.